danoren
Where ever I Camp
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Joined: 06/17/2004
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For the last 10 years we store the 5W from November till May, we always remove all the food ,clean and vacuum all draws and cabinets to prevent mice and other monsters.
We do keep all our clothes and linen in the 5W .
I spread mice poison around, ,the kind that forces the mice to run away and look for water (forgot the name).
So far so good.
F-350 ,2006,XLT,SD,LB,EC,6.0LT,Auto,SRW.
5W Cruiser 2006 CF29CK Crossroad
RVing 4-5 months every summer since 2002.
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StanleyandIris
Louisiana
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Joined: 06/17/2007
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Towels, linens, clothes. I am a scaredy cat and would not leave even canned items in a closed up trailer in 114 degree Houston summer days.
It may be safe, but I would never use the canned items so it is best to just remove them for me.
Iris
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handysam1
SW, Ohio
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Joined: 09/06/2006
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We have had a TT or 5W since 2006. We live in a hot humid client during the summer and cold and freezing during the winter months.
During camping season March - October I leave all food, cleaning supplies and toiletries in the camper, with no problems whatsoever.
In early to late November when we winterize I remove all food canned and boxed, and any cleaning supplies or toiletries with are subject to freezing. We have NEVER had any issues of any kind,
I can however tell ou that crackers even unopened seem to get stale quickly during hot humid summer months.
We store off site, and have also NEVER had any critter problems, hope I'm not jinxing myself on that front by saying it aloud 
- 2007 Dodge Mega cab 2500 6.7 CTD
- 2011 327RES Cougar Fifth Wheel
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michelb
Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Joined: 04/11/2007
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For the past 5 years, we've left our mh in storage in Florida over the winter and leave everything 'ready-to-go' except for perisheables. We leave lots of canned goods and dried food is put in tupperwares or plastic freezer bags. We leave all our clothes, sheets, linens and towels (when we do use it for a week or two, we fly in with carry on luggage only, make a stop at the grocery store for food).
I do put out mouse traps and bug traps as well as sheets of Bounce all over the place (not sure if this really works but I've read it does) and so far never had a problem.
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Jahna
Ontario Canada
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Joined: 07/20/2006
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We keep our trailer ready to go all of the time. We keep some canned goods but we are not big on using them to begin with. Stuff like pancake mix, cereal etc are stored in air tight containers. Air tight = no bugs. Even store extra bags of chips, pop in summer (not the winter), coffee, tea, sugar and what not.
We do use common sense on what is left in the trailer based on temps, now it's winter and I am concerned about popping jars and bottles due to freezing so that kind of stuff is removed or packed in a way to reduce messes if anything happens. Nothing has yet.
All soaps, cleaning stuff, toothpaste, shaving cream and other potions and lotions live in the trailer and only get removed when they are finished. Not one problem yet with any of them. It's actually kind of cool to see frozen dish soap thaw on the counter when we use the rig in the winter.
We do bait the trailer 365 days a year in child/pet proof bait traps. Storing alone will not attract critters, my folks brought one back from a trip. Only remove bedding etc when we wash. Besides if bedding wasn't there other soft things like your mattress or sofa look just as nice to mice, all in all a sheet or pillow is easier to replace. Taking time to check for holes to the outside and fix those problems goes along way towards prevention and saves you the hassle of carting extra stuff back and forth.
I must also mention we do use our trailer year round so most items get used rather quickly and we don't over stock.
2 Adults
1 to 3 young adults
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Forever trusting in who we are, and nothing else matters. Metallica
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Bonefish
Midland, TX
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Joined: 01/08/2008
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It would take me days to empty our camper out & have no room to store it here at the house. Food is kept in air tight containers, bedding, bath & clothing is never removed. Every 3 months I clean out what is not used in all items. Before storing I vacuum the carpet & cracks around cabinets and shelves of crumbs. With us using it all seasons I watch for signs of droppings. The only thing I do is turn off the fridge when not in use. I keep a watch on dates of products in the camper too.
Sharon
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SteveRuff
Bacliff, Texas, USA
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Joined: 11/06/2004
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I also live in the Houston area. Since camping season is whenever I want to go, I leave my coach pretty much stocked. We have duplicated many things such as clothes, linens, small appliances, spices, canned goods, staples etc. We leave our coach in the driveway when not in use so I frequently "go shopping" in the RV to keep the dry goods fresh. I do the same there as in the stick house ... when I finish something it goes on the list to buy and replace the next trip to the store.
Right now, we are home for at least a month so I am using things from the RV rather than buying it. I have been home only a week but already have quite a list going. I will do a major shopping trip about 3 or 4 days before we leave again.
Basically, I try to minimize carrying things to and from the motor home. Ideally, I would like to eventually get to the point where I only had to grab the keys to the RV and lock the front door of the stick house on my way out!
Both retired. Travel with Nicky the Schnoodle. Son graduated and is teaching high school math. We still love our 2006 34' Allegro Bay XB and have 40,000+ miles on her.
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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bikendan wrote:
i wouldn't store any foods except canned goods, otherwise you'll be invaded by ants or mice.
towels and linens should be fine, we furnish ours like a cottage.
Second, Canned goods are generally ok but anything that can be easily opened by gnawing teeth will be opened by gnawing teeth.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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Mocoondo
Chicago, IL
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Joined: 02/23/2010
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Even canned goods are not safe for long term storage in an RV due to heat.
An RV interior in the southern belt can easily top 150°F when sitting closed up. Canned goods WILL cook at that temperature and could potentially be unsafe to eat at a later time.
I remove everything, including linens. As stated previously, linens, towels, etc. can and will make excellent, comfortable bedding for rodentia. And food, for obvious reasons, should not be subjected to excessive amounts of heat for long periods of time and then be considered safe to eat later.
The following is straight from the USDA:
Are canned goods still safe after a year? Two years? Longer?
Store canned foods and other shelf stable products in a cool, dry place. Never put them above the stove, under the sink, in a damp garage or basement, or any place exposed to high or low temperature extremes. Store high acid foods such as tomatoes and other fruit up to 18 months; low acid foods such as meat and vegetables, 2 to 5 years.
Canned meat and poultry will keep at best quality 2 to 5 years if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place.
While extremely rare, a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the worst danger in canned goods. NEVER USE food from containers that show possible "botulism" warnings: leaking, bulging, or badly dented cans; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. DON'T TASTE SUCH FOOD! Even a minuscule amount of botulinum toxin can be deadly.
Can linings might discolor or corrode when metal reacts with high-acid foods such as tomatoes or pineapple. As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time.
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wbwood
Troutman, NC
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Joined: 05/01/2005
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mockturtle wrote:I don't leave any in mine, not even canned goods.
Same here. If the camper was at our home and was plugged in, where we ran the a/c and heater, then we might would consider it. But for the 2 minutes it takes me to put the food in a basket and carry in the house, it's worth the clean up and possibly cost of damage that could occur. Plus every camping trip is different. We don't always carry the same stuff. Often, we will wait till we get to where we are going and purchase our groceries there. That is if it's going to be a trip longer than a weekend.
Brian
RVing Illustrated
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