We've worked out a great way to stop ants invading our van. Before setting up, we spread insecticide ant powder around the wheels and over our 16A cable along the ground. We also put our corner steadies into the bottom of used water bottles that we fill halfway with water to form a moat. This appears to stop the intruders.
Tom Lepine
Bromley, Kent

To avoid clothes piling up in the bottom of the wardrobe, take two plastic coat-hangers and turn one so the hook is opposite the other. Stick them together with a heavy-duty elastic band or sticky tape, putting it around the hooks to hold them together. The hooks have enough give in them to slip over the rail, into the hanging position. Hold trousers in place with two clothes pegs just below the hanger. For shirts and jackets, fasten the top two buttons.
Derek Snowden
Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire

We recently bought a Citroën C5 V6 Exclusive to tow our new van. We love the car, but our strap-on towing mirrors never stayed in place on the C5's mirrors. My wife's lateral thinking rescued us when she suggested we cross the mirror straps over at the back of the car's mirror. It worked a treat. Having used the motorway to its fullest on a recent trip, they were even steadier than when fitted to our last car.
Frank Cope
Prestwich, Manchester

In order to check my tyre pressure on site, I bought a small portable compressor that works from the car's lighter socket. Its cable was not long enough to reach both wheels without moving the car to each side of the van first. Instead of making the lead longer I used a small Powerbank rechargeable battery pack fitted with a lighter socket. This makes it much simpler to check and adjust the pressures.
Syd Huggett
Brockham, Surrey

Further to the letter 'Getting rid of bad smells' (September 2002), sodium carbonate – washing soda to us oldies – is cheaper and better. Block the waste ports, as before, with large corks and pop about 100g of the crystals down a sink hole and pour enough hot water to fill the outlet pipes. Leave overnight if possible – sterilising fluid is not needed. You'll be surprised at the filthy yuk that comes out.
George A Mills,
Southampton

If you store your van on your driveway, reduce the risk of having it stolen by blocking in the wheel-clamped wheel with your car.
Steve Lloyd
Leominster, Herefordshire

You can improve the security of your caravan without spending more cash. If, like me, you have a caravan mover, simply use this to position your caravan nose-first in your driveway. Then place your wheel clamp and hitch-lock in position, lower the steadies and remove the jockey wheel. Taking these simple measures makes the caravan much more difficult for a thief to take it off the drive before he can hitch up and drive off.
Bill Metcalfe
Via email

The idea of marching across a site in the rain with a bowl of washing-up has never appealed to us, although we understand why some people insist on doing it. While the average caravan sink is adequate for most purposes, the draining facilities are often far from it. Our answer was to buy a plastic ‘add-on' drainer, which fits neatly on top of the cooker cover and provides enough drainage space for even the biggest wash. When not in use, it stores out of the way on the wall of the toilet compartment.
Terry Davis
Wroughton, Wiltshire

I have read a number of letters from caravanners about the shock they have experienced when their caravan wheel has come off while being towed. My remedy to this problem is to drill a hole 1/16 in (1mm) diameter through each hexagon bolt and then thread green plastic-coated garden wire through the bolts and tie. This prevents the bolts from loosening and hopefully also deters would-be thieves. I have used this method for quite a few years and have found it to be very successful.
H A Cook
Whitwell, Notts

The easiest way to avoid foot infections while using site showers is to wear a pair of flip flops. This is the method I used in the Royal Navy for 25 years and still use to this day on caravan sites – and I have never yet caught an infection from public showers.
This is much easier – and more practical – than carrying around your own duckboard.
P Biddlecombe
Portsmouth

The idea of marching across a site in the rain with a bowl of washing-up has never appealed to us, although we understand why some people insist on doing it. While the average caravan sink is adequate for most purposes, the draining facilities are often far from it. Our answer was to buy a plastic ‘add-on' drainer, which fits neatly on top of the cooker cover and provides enough drainage space for even the biggest wash. When not in use, it stores out of the way on the wall of the toilet compartment.
Terry Davis
Wroughton, Wiltshire