RV slide toppers—these RV accessories are very common, but rarely discussed. Most RV owners don’t pay their slide toppers much mind at all until the toppers start giving them trouble.

We’re hoping to use this article to help educate RV owners everywhere about RV slide toppers. Here, we will discuss what exactly RV slide toppers are, as well as the maintenance required to keep them in tip-top shape.

What is an RV Slide Topper?

Before we go further, we should take a minute to discuss what slide toppers are. As you might have guessed, slide toppers literally top the slide. They are small awnings that jut out over each RV slide-out, protecting it from rain, hail, and debris.

They’re nice because they can help prevent the water leaks that slide-outs are infamous for. They also provide protection from the sun’s rays, helping keep your rig cooler and helping seals last longer.

Not all RVs have slide toppers though. If your rig doesn’t have them and you’d like to install a set, you should start with an RV slide topper kit like this one.

Keep Your Toppers Clean

Whether your RV slide toppers were installed aftermarket or came standard with your RV, the first step toward ensuring they last a long while is keeping them clean.

Be sure to brush any debris off before retracting the slide awnings, so that sticks and other pointy objects don’t damage the fabric. You’ll also need to clean the fabric every few months with a long-handled brush and some water mixed with dish soap in order to remove dirt and tree sap.

Try to Let the Awning Fabric Dry

If at all possible, before pulling the slide toppers in, try to let the awning fabric dry after cleaning and/or rainstorms. This shouldn’t take a long time and it will help protect your RV slide toppers from developing a layer of mold or mildew, something that is nearly impossible to get rid of.

Need to break camp in the rain? Consider putting the slides back out when you get home to let the toppers dry before you put the RV into storage.

Pull RV Slide Toppers In During High Winds

Strong winds can cause some serious damage to RV slide toppers. Not only will they blow the fabric around—potentially leading to tears—but they can also cause branches to fall from trees, something that can damage both the slide toppers and the slides themselves.

Since these are things you certainly don’t want to be dealing with while trying to enjoy a camping trip, we strongly recommend pulling your slides and slide toppers in when high winds roll through.

Note: It also doesn’t hurt to pull the slides in if heavy hail begins to fall.

Check Your RV Slide Toppers for Tears

Over time, awning fabric starts to wear out, making it very easy to tear. For this reason, it’s good to keep a close eye on the fabric, especially after a few years of use.

Each time you go to retract your slide toppers, make sure to do a quick inspection for tears. If you do find a tear, repair it with some awning tape before you pull the slide in, as retracting the awning with a tear can actually cause further damage.

Replace RV Slide Topper Fabric as Needed

No matter how well you care for your RV slide toppers, there will come a time when the fabric really does need to be replaced rather than just repaired.

The good news? This is a job you can likely do yourself with the help of a friend or family member. Better yet, most replacement RV slide topper fabric is thicker and more durable than the topper fabric they use in the RV factories, meaning you should get even more life out of your RV slide toppers once you replace the fabric.

The video below gives easy-to-follow instructions on replacing your RV slide topper fabric.

There you have it! Everything you need to know to take excellent care of a set of RV slide toppers. Be sure to add these tasks to your RV maintenance list so you can continue to enjoy the benefits of these awesome RV accessories for years to come.

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About the author: Chelsea Gonzales

Chelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family.

You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.

Sandra L. ~ “Both times we’ve had to call Coach-Net, they have been very friendly, compassionate, and helpful. This last time the representative even called me back to say he talked to his manager and they would help us even more by paying part of the second service call fee. Unexpected and amazing!”