How Perth's Climate Wears Down a Caravan

UV: the slow fade

Perth gets some of the highest UV exposure of any Australian capital, and a caravan spends far more time parked outdoors than a daily-driven car ever does. Over months and years, that UV load chalks fibreglass panels, fades decals, and dries out rubber seals faster than most owners expect.

The fix isn't complicated, just consistent: regular washing to stop grime from bonding to already UV-stressed panels, and a protective coating to slow the fade down in the first place.

Salt air: the quiet corrosion

Vans stored anywhere near the coast pick up a fine salt film on hardware, hinges and trims, even without ever touching the water. Left alone, that film speeds up corrosion on anything metal and leaves a dull residue on painted surfaces.

A wash cycle timed to your storage location — more frequent if you're within a few kilometres of the coast — is the simplest way to keep salt film from settling in long-term.

Red dust: the one that hides

Storage yards and outback trips both leave fine red dust packed into seals, awning fabric and roof vents. It's the kind of grime that ordinary washing skims over rather than actually shifts, especially once it's had time to work into fabric.

This is where a proper detail, not just a quick hose-down, earns its keep — particularly around the roofline and awning, where dust tends to accumulate most.