Trips
Winterizing Your Motorhome: Ensuring It’s Ready for the Next Season
There are several points to consider when it’s time to store your motorhome at the end of the season. To protect your equipment and avoid rust, dead batteries, or flat tires, it’s important to proceed carefully and follow key steps during storage.
Where to Store Your Motorhome for the Winter
Depending on the type of storage location you choose, different considerations must be made. Storing your motorhome in an unguarded parking lot, for instance, requires different security measures than parking it in a monitored indoor facility.
If you're fortunate enough to store your motorhome in a garage, barn, or another closed space, you should definitely take advantage of this option. The benefits are clear: the vehicle is protected from weather conditions, stays dry, the temperatures are more stable, and the risk of damage by third parties is significantly lower. However, you must also expect higher rental costs compared to outdoor storage.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a large enough garage at home. Most standard garages have a height limit of about 2.20 meters, and many motorhomes are simply too tall. Therefore, larger garages, barns, or halls make suitable winter storage options, though they are not available everywhere. Many people, however, must store their motorhome outside for the winter. This is generally not a problem, as these vehicles are designed to withstand the elements.
What to Consider When Storing Your Motorhome Outdoors
If your motorhome will spend the winter outdoors, exposed to sun, rain, snow, and environmental conditions, a protective cover is highly recommended. This cover will protect the exterior from damage. Special motorhome covers often feature zippers, allowing access to doors and storage compartments even when the vehicle is covered. It’s important to choose a material that is water-resistant and breathable. Otherwise, condensation may form, leading to mold or rust.
When preparing your motorhome for winter, it should be parked on a dry, solid surface such as asphalt. To ensure that rain and snow can drain off the roof properly, it is advisable to park the vehicle slightly tilted using leveling blocks or jacks. Additionally, the motorhome should be cleared of snow regularly to prevent damage. Before winter arrives, it is essential to check the motorhome for leaks and professionally seal any gaps. The wastewater pipe should be closed to keep rodents away, and the rainwater drains must be clear to allow water to flow out. Also, avoid parking the vehicle under branches, as they can break under the weight of snow and cause damage to your motorhome.
Follow These Five Steps to Prepare Your Motorhome for Winter Storage
Cleaning to Detect Damage Early
Thoroughly clean the exterior of the motorhome to detect any paint damage early on. Remember to clean the roof and underbody as well. Ideally, polish the motorhome with liquid wax and treat the plastic windows with a special cleaner and polish. The rubber seals on doors and windows, as well as locks and hinges, should also be treated with appropriate care products.
Empty and Clean the Water Tank
Clean drinking water is essential when camping. To ensure you start the new season with fresh water supplies, you should thoroughly clean the water system in the fall and then completely drain it. Don’t forget to clean the toilet cassette with a special cleaner to keep everything hygienically clean.
Check Fluid Levels in Your Vehicle
Even if your winter storage is frost-free, you should still check the fluid levels. Make sure the antifreeze for the windshield washer and radiator is sufficient and top it up if needed. Fill the fuel tank to prevent condensation from forming. An anti-bacterial additive can also help prevent bacterial growth in diesel fuel.
Increase Tire Pressure
To protect your tires during winter storage, increase the tire pressure by 0.5 bar to compensate for slow air loss, which can cause uneven load distribution and potential tire damage. If your motorhome has supports, extend them slightly to relieve some of the weight from the tires and prevent damage.
Dehumidify and Prevent Pests
Remove all food items and thoroughly vacuum storage spaces and upholstery, preferably using a brush attachment. Block any potential entry points for rodents with steel wool and set mouse and ant traps. Lift the cushions and open storage compartments to improve air circulation. A dehumidifier can help regulate moisture and prevent mold.
Dehumidify and Prevent Pests
Remove all food items and thoroughly vacuum storage spaces and upholstery, preferably using a brush attachment. Block any potential entry points for rodents with steel wool and set mouse and ant traps. Lift the cushions and open storage compartments to improve air circulation. A dehumidifier can help regulate moisture and prevent mold.
Cleaning to Detect Damage Early
Thoroughly clean the exterior of the motorhome to detect any paint damage early on. Remember to clean the roof and underbody as well. Ideally, polish the motorhome with liquid wax and treat the plastic windows with a special cleaner and polish. The rubber seals on doors and windows, as well as locks and hinges, should also be treated with appropriate care products.
Empty and Clean the Water Tank
Clean drinking water is essential when camping. To ensure you start the new season with fresh water supplies, you should thoroughly clean the water system in the fall and then completely drain it. Don’t forget to clean the toilet cassette with a special cleaner to keep everything hygienically clean.
Check Fluid Levels in Your Vehicle
Even if your winter storage is frost-free, you should still check the fluid levels. Make sure the antifreeze for the windshield washer and radiator is sufficient and top it up if needed. Fill the fuel tank to prevent condensation from forming. An anti-bacterial additive can also help prevent bacterial growth in diesel fuel.
Increase Tire Pressure
To protect your tires during winter storage, increase the tire pressure by 0.5 bar to compensate for slow air loss, which can cause uneven load distribution and potential tire damage. If your motorhome has supports, extend them slightly to relieve some of the weight from the tires and prevent damage.
Dehumidify and Prevent Pests
Remove all food items and thoroughly vacuum storage spaces and upholstery, preferably using a brush attachment. Block any potential entry points for rodents with steel wool and set mouse and ant traps. Lift the cushions and open storage compartments to improve air circulation. A dehumidifier can help regulate moisture and prevent mold.
Cleaning to Detect Damage Early
Thoroughly clean the exterior of the motorhome to detect any paint damage early on. Remember to clean the roof and underbody as well. Ideally, polish the motorhome with liquid wax and treat the plastic windows with a special cleaner and polish. The rubber seals on doors and windows, as well as locks and hinges, should also be treated with appropriate care products.
Extra Tip: Maintain the Battery
The easiest and most effective way to care for lead-acid batteries is by regular charging. Ideally, Gel and AGM batteries should remain connected to a power source. A solar panel can also help maintain the charge, as long as the panels aren’t covered or shaded by a roof or tarp.
If a continuous power supply isn’t possible, charge lead-acid batteries fully before longer periods of inactivity, ideally for 12 to 24 hours. Common control panels provide only a rough overview of the actual charge level. A retrofitted battery monitor gives a more precise reading of the charge and discharge status and can detect hidden energy drains.
If there’s no permanent power supply, you should use a battery disconnect switch to separate the battery from hidden power drains. These switches are available in both mechanical and electronic forms. Mechanical switches are usually located near the battery, while electronic ones can be controlled via a separate switch on the control board or even a smartphone app. Keep in mind that electronic disconnect relays have a small power consumption.
Lithium batteries are a bit easier to maintain than AGM or Gel batteries. They generally have lower self-discharge rates and survive winter better with a 60-70% charge rather than fully charged. Note that lithium batteries cannot be charged at extremely low temperatures unless they have a built-in heating function.
Preparing the Interior of Your Motorhome for Winter Storage
Before preparing your motorhome for winter, take some important steps to ensure everything stays in good condition. Begin by removing all food and drinks from the vehicle. Thoroughly clean the refrigerator and leave the freezer and fridge doors slightly open to prevent moisture buildup. Also, clean the stove and oven.
Treat the furniture surfaces with a gentle furniture polish. To prevent mold, prop up cushions and mattresses so they can dry better, or remove them and store them separately. Empty all cupboards and leave the doors slightly open. Rugs, cloths, and paper should be removed from the vehicle over the winter, as they can retain moisture.
The bathroom and toilet also need to be cleaned. The sink traps in the bathroom and kitchen, if present, should be unscrewed and emptied. It’s best to leave them disassembled, so the pipes can dry completely. Leave the faucets open to prevent moisture from being trapped.
Check all seals for cracks or leaks and treat them with silicone spray or replace them as necessary. Spray locks and hinges with the appropriate lubricants.
Flush the water system, including the shower head and pumps, with a sterilizing solution and ensure all remaining water drains out. It’s a good idea to position the motorhome slightly tilted, so the water drains more effectively. Don’t forget to drain the boiler and open the frost protection valve.
Storing the Motorhome’s Interior
If you’re removing the interior items from your motorhome for the winter, ensure they are stored correctly. If you don’t have access to a dry storage space, consider renting an external storage unit nearby. This ensures your items are safely stored for the winter, and depending on the location of your storage, it may also offer convenience with short transport distances.
If, for security reasons, you decide to store the entire interior, including built-in cupboards, in an external facility, consult guides on storing furniture to ensure you do it correctly.
If you opt to store your interior in an external storage unit, it’s a good idea to use a comparison platform to find available storage spaces. The largest directory of free storage spaces in Switzerland is available on storabble:
In Switzerland:
Storage space Zurich
Storage space Basel
Storage space Winterthur
Storage space Geneva
In Germany:
Storage space Munich
Storage space Stuttgart
Storage space Frankfurt
Storage space Cologne
Ready for the Next Camping Season
With the tips from this article, you’ll be ready to hit the road as soon as the next season begins. For nature-based camping, you’ll find temporary spots for tents, vans, and motorhomes on Nomady – often tucked away in remote, off-the-beaten-path locations. Discover the beauty of places far from tourist hotspots and immerse yourself in the authentic lives of locals.
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