A successful day 2 of the big caravan clean

 I'm drawing a veil over yesterday, thank you to those of you who commented, I appreciate it.

We've had a very good day at the caravan today.  We got there early, around 09.15, the gas man came and set to on the boiler.  I'd been quite worried that he might slap a condemned sticker on it and tell us we couldn't use it, but he didn't - he cleaned, serviced and got it going.  He'd brought a Henry hoover but of course couldn't use that with the caravan elec supply not yet on, so it was a good job we'd got our cordless he could use.  He said the boiler works ok, but one part does need replacing, he'll see if he can source it....if not, then we may need a new boiler in the short term.  He says the boiler is a good make so, provided he can actually get the required part, it should last a good while yet.  We asked if he could disconnect the old gas cooker and cap off the supply, as we won't be using it again - he did, he and his apprentice offered to carry the old cooker outside, which was really nice of them.....saved husband and I struggling to do it between us.  So there's now a space in the kitchen for husband to build a unit for our new table top elec cooker to stand on, which he should have no trouble doing.  We're also getting rid of the existing tall fridge freezer and getting an under the counter fridge with an icebox - as we'll only be staying in the van for up to a week at a time, we don't need a big fridge freezer, and it is a very old one.  Husband will install a new counter top, and that will give me some extra worktop space, as there currently isn't much.

The new Vax cordless works like a dream, it easily despatched the big thick cobwebs.  As husband cleared the cobwebs in the lounge, I followed behind with a bucket of soapy water cleaning all the cupboards, surfaces and mirrors/glass door fronts, the lounge is all sparkling clean and smelling lovely and fresh now.  We've had a good look at the lounge carpet and it's actually not bad at all, other than being grubby - it's a thick good quality one, thankfully a plain colour not a revolting pattern.  Once we've been able to clean it with our carpet shampooer (when the elec is on), it'll be fine, I'm sure.  So that saves us having to buy a new carpet.

We've got a few things to do here at home tomorrow morning, but intend to go back to the caravan in the afternoon.  I want to clean the bathroom, which is pretty disgusting, whilst husband carries on with pruning the overgrown shrubs around the caravan.  Incidentally, there's a lovely clean shower & toilet block on site, which we're currently using until our bathroom is clean and operational.

We're accumulating several bags of rubbish - old floor coverings, grotty scatter cushions, rusty old bakeware which was left in the cooker, filthy old cleaning equipment, lots of broken garden pots, etc, plus of course the old cooker and fridge.  And then there's the current built-in corner diner unit and old table, which we'll be getting rid of, in favour of a new (well, second hand) table & chairs and a small sideboard.  So husband is looking at hiring either a 'man with a van', or simply a self drive van (whichever is cheapest), to get rid of all the rubbish to the tip.  The site owner did say he knows someone who would do it and would get in touch with him.....we've quickly come to realise, however, that lovely as he is, we have to remind him 20 times before he gets round to doing anything!  So it'll be easier to arrange it ourselves, and at a time to suit us.

We've brought half of the sofa cushions home (couldn't fit all of them in our car - pity we exchanged our big 4x4 for our new little one, and got rid of the trailer! 😂😕) so I can make a start on steam cleaning them, before I put the new replacement covers on them.