For starters, pull your trailer around to a nice open spot with good drainage.  If you’re doing this at home, you don’t want the run-off water to drain into your yard or flower bed and several communities have ordinances against run-off water reaching the street or sidewalks.  Make sure that the flow of gravity takes the water to the nearest storm drain or a safe disposal area.

Pressure washers can take a lot of time out of the trailer cleaning process applying scrubbing force to the jets, but you have to be careful of this if your trailer has an automotive finish or sealant.  The barrage of force a pressure washer puts on the finish can cause wear and damage, losing the shine and luster you love about your beautiful trailer.

Always pre-soak the trailer before applying soap or towel.  Have a bucket nearby with soapy water and return to it often.  Use a rag or cloth of some kind that is designed for washing a car.  These are purposely soft and gentle to protect that paint or finish we talked about!  Some come as mitts or gloves and others just normal towels.  Use what’s comfortable.

Be sure to go over each surface more than once and be careful not to miss the harder to reach or hidden spots.  If your trailer’s too tall for you to reach the roof, use a step-ladder or purchase and extendable brush to reach those out-of-the-way places.  If you have windows on the trailer, use Windex or some equivalent to give them a no-streak shine.

Don’t leave soap on one side for too long, as it can begin to dry and create a film on the surface.  Do one side or area at a time, washing with the mitt or brush and then immediately spraying it down with the hose.  Additionally, try to dry as soon as you’re done because water can streak and leave spots if it evaporates in the sun.

Drying can be done with a chamois or a regular towel, however the towel can sometimes leave little bits of cloth or fuzz on the surface so they are usually to be avoided.

If you keep your trailer clean and your trailer parts in good shape, you’ll appreciate it more and feel better about the money you spent to have it.

The cost of trailer repair and the trailer parts that go with it can be a huge burden to an owner, often encompassing the largest expense of the whole experience.  It’s frustrating and tedious work most of the time but not nearly as awful as that huge repair bill when something finally does break.  No one wants to see brakes fail or wheels fall off while driving on the highway!

Instead, it’s much safer and smarter to maintain a trailer along the way instead of allowing it to degenerate to the point of breaking.   This too can be a costly endeavor if you don’t know where to look for cheap trailer parts and tools.

One of the more common problems that may give you trouble are seized wheel bearings, which can cause some serious failures.  When your trailer axles, wheels, or hubs fail, you’re in for trouble.  To avoid this hazard, fully disassemble your wheel hubs at least once a year to inspect and clean the bearings.  You can buy parts washer fluid at a hardware store but sometimes gasoline or kerosene solvents can do the trick.

Always inspect for common signs of wear, heat damage, or oxidation side effects like rust.  These things are like a virus, you let them go too long and you’ll have serious problems down the road.  Check your wheel rims for corrosion of this kind every few months.

A few other things that can extend the life of your trailer and its trailer parts include keeping the tires properly inflated, avoiding loads that are heavier than your trailer is designed to carry, and keeping the tires rotated at intervals of 3-4 months.

Any and all of these simple steps, and more, can improve your trailer’s life and usefulness, keeping the cost of trailer parts low and manageable.  Of course, you should always carry insurance on things like this just in case the break-down isn’t anything you can prepare for.  It’s often times worth the cost for the peace of mind it can bring.