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Keeping the dirt out!


jdarwin

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Hi everybody. We’ve been FT since January. How do you keep the daily dust down and from collecting on everything?

The last 4 months we have been in Eagle Nest NM. We’re now in Hobbs. Both are extremely dry places. Hobbs especially is a windy dry desert area of NM. It seems we can’t keep the dust out. I wipe down countertops, light switches and the thermostats daily. But dust is back in a few hours. Is this normal? Should we be looking for an outboard HEPA device? Thanks

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The two easiest ways I have found to help keep dust down is to give myself a quick brush down before going inside and to have multiple door mats for wiping feet--one out side and one or two inside. I found a place mat that could be folded in half lengthwise that fit on the inside step and went in the laundry frequently that helped an amazing amount. But, you can't really keep dust out when living in dusty places. Using a Swiffer duster inside helped as it actually attracts and holds the dust rather than just move it around like most cloth dusters do.

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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Some places are just very dusty, and since we like to keep windows open and the fantastic fans running, we tend to pull in quite a bit of dust. We volunteered a couple of summers in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, and on some windy days we would accumulate what seemed like an impossible amount of dust in just an hours. If we saw dust in the air we would close the RV up, but it was often too little, too late.  

To really keep it down you need to keep all of the windows closed, and as Linda mentions try to remove as much as you can from your shoes, clothing, and self. 

But honestly, windy plus dry plus desert equals dust, plain and simple. 

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

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We keep windows and doors closed all the time since I have acute chronic asthma. A side effect of that is the RV stays cleaner longer, plus we do as sandsys said.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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6 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

We keep windows and doors closed all the time since I have acute chronic asthma. A side effect of that is the RV stays cleaner longer, plus we do as sandsys said.

We did pretty much the same thing and we were in the desert a lot.  Many times we just opened the windows an inch or so and kept the window coverings down on the sunny side.  Turning on the Fantastic fan  with the windows cracked at night brought in enough cool air at night for a blanket. Our motorhome was well insulated so this practice kept the RV cool even when not having electric for the AC.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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We brought a InvisiClean air filter a year ago for two reasons. We had dust and a musty smell after being stored a couple months. Used the Ionizer only when out of the RV for the holidays. The Filter has a UV feature also. I believe it has run 24/7 since unpacked. Sure helped our sinuses (or so we believe) and then the Covid-19 came. We paid about $200 but the price has INCREASED.

I also have a UV device for cleaning my CPAP mask and since the COVID-19 it gets double duty for cleaning cell phone, billfold jewely and much more.

Clay

Clay & Marcie Too old to play in the snow

Diesel pusher and previously 2 FW and small Class C

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11 hours ago, jdarwin said:

ms60ocb, what do you use to clean your cap with?

Are you meaning CPAP machine. I rinse the Water chamber each morning with the hot water. I wash the hose monthly with soapy water or Vineger. The mask get hot wash rinse each morning. Each morning less than 10 seconds time and air dry. U/V treatment will a slight odor if not clean. First dear wife had trouble in Ozone air and I've read if you use Ozone to clean your CPAP machine don't use the machine for several hours to air out as high Ozone levels are bad.

As to a Cap if it gets dirty, I use it for the dirty work awhile and then toss it.

Clay & Marcie Too old to play in the snow

Diesel pusher and previously 2 FW and small Class C

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  • 1 month later...

Many of the dust and dirt issues in RV's with slideout's is the openings necessary to keep the floor at the same level with it extended out. The little carpet you have at the transition isn't there to keep out the dirt and wind, but to make it look like it does. I have raised floor slides on my home and no longer have that issue. I did try placing foam to block off the areas, but it didn't really work for me. (in my previous trailer.)

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/21/2020 at 5:27 AM, lappir said:

Many of the dust and dirt issues in RV's with slideout's is the openings necessary to keep the floor at the same level with it extended out.

I'm sure that doesn't help, but I've done an inadvertent experiment and concluded that the windows, even closed, are a major culprit.

I have three windows that I've had Reflectix in for several months.  Two slide sideways and one slides up and down.  They've just been sitting there, never opened.  I removed the Reflectix the other day and couldn't believe the amount of dust on the window sills, and the part in the middle on the one that slides up and down.  It looked like dust bunnies you get under a bed.

I've noticed dusty sills before, obviously, but that dust might have come in through another open window and settled on a different window, that hadn't been opened, just like it settles on countertops.  You never know.  But with the Reflectix in there, the dust from another open window couldn't get to that window; it had to be coming from outside that closed window. 

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2 hours ago, Blues said:

I'm sure that doesn't help, but I've done an inadvertent experiment and concluded that the windows, even closed, are a major culprit.

I have three windows that I've had Reflectix in for several months.  Two slide sideways and one slides up and down.  They've just been sitting there, never opened.  I removed the Reflectix the other day and couldn't believe the amount of dust on the window sills, and the part in the middle on the one that slides up and down.  It looked like dust bunnies you get under a bed.

I've noticed dusty sills before, obviously, but that dust might have come in through another open window and settled on a different window, that hadn't been opened, just like it settles on countertops.  You never know.  But with the Reflectix in there, the dust from another open window couldn't get to that window; it had to be coming from outside that closed window. 

For certain the "Sliding" windows are not made to keep anything out. The flimsy felt gasket is worthless. I only have two such windows in my rig and wish I would have told them to not place them too. Luckily I said no to them being in the "Living" area of my home. The others are in the Kitchen slideout and when I used to eat at the kitchen table it was sometimes nice to see who was coming up the stairs. Don't have many visitors these days. 

 

Rod

White 2000/2010Volvo VNL 770 with 7' Drom box with opposing doors,  JOST slider hitch. 600 HP Cummins Signature 18 Speed three pedal auto shift.

1999 Isuzu VehiCross retired to a sticks and bricks garage. Brought out of storage the summer of 2022

2022 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Two door hard top.

2007 Honda GL 1800

2013 Space Craft Mfg S420 Custom built Toyhauler

The Gold Volvo is still running and being emptied in July. 

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