Best RV Holding Tank Treatment (Review & Buying Guide) in 2022 (2024)

FAQs

Best RV Holding Tank Treatment (Review & Buying Guide) in 2022? ›

2 cups powdered water softener, such as Calgon Water Softener. 1 cup powdered laundry detergent or Dawn dish soap. a splash of household bleach** (Please see ** note below) a hot gallon of water for this homemade treatment.

2 cups powdered water softener, such as Calgon Water Softener. 1 cup powdered laundry detergent or Dawn dish soap. a splash of household bleach** (Please see ** note below) a hot gallon of water for this homemade treatment.

If your RV comes with a built-in tank rinser (or flusher), it's best to run it for about 30 minutes or until the tank is thoroughly rinsed out. If you don't have a built-in rinser, we recommend using an RV holding tank cleaning wand or external tank rinser that connects to your discharge line.

The standard method of sanitizing a fresh water tank is to add a bleach and water mixture. Using a ratio of 1/4 cup of bleach for every 15 gallons of tank capacity, add this mixture to your fresh water tank.

Most chemical treatments use formaldehyde or bronopol to keep holding tank odors under control. Formaldehyde and bronopol is meant to encapsulate solid waste, kill bacteria, and mask odors inside your holding tank.

To flush your RV black water tank, you'll begin by draining the tank. Then fill it with clear water and drain it a 2nd time. To clean your RV black water tank, you'll add detergents and water softener powder, then fill with water. After draining a 3rd time, your tank should be clean and ready for use.

What can I put in my toilet tank to make it smell better? White vinegar and baking soda in equal parts is a cost-efficient and effective means of getting rid odors in a toilet. Add them to the tank, mix them in and then use the toilet brush to gently scrub the tank.

Can you use Pine Sol in RV holding tanks? ›

It will help waste from sticking to the inside of the tank. The Pine-Sol is a strong disinfectant and has an odor-masking quality. Note that you can use other brands of pine oil cleaner than Pine-Sol. Follow this recipe and you can make a gallon of tank solution for about $10.

One of the best parts about using Dawn dish soap in RV black tanks is that it's an environmentally-friendly soap. It doesn't contain phosphates and can be broken down by bacteria. This means that it's a safe and biodegradable soap to use, even if you're cleaning/dumping your tank in a strict or natural environment.

The RV black water tank is the holding tank where waste from the toilet is held until it's dumped. If you're trying to identify your RV's black water tank, it's literally black. (Your gray water tank is often, though not always, gray and your fresh water tank is likely white or clear in color.)

Cleaning your black water holding tank is best done when you're fully hooked up and have both a water and sewer connection. Avoid using bleach or antifreeze for your deep clean, as both of these can dry out rubber seals and ultimately ruin your sewage system.

As long as your RV tank is regularly cleaned and sanitized, the consensus about how long potable water stays fresh is around two weeks. If fresh water in your RV tank has been sitting unused for longer than two weeks, you should empty and refill it with clean water.

Note: We do not recommend putting RV antifreeze in your freshwater tank while in use. If your freshwater tank is exposed to freezing temperatures, the best route is to install a heating blanket.

Freshwater tanks should be emptied after each trip. It's always a better practice to fill your freshwater tank just before you leave for your trip instead of letting freshwater sit in the tank for long periods of time until you're ready to use your RV again.

If you place your water storage tank in a cool and dark place, the water stored inside the tank will remain fresh for a long time without even adding chlorine and bleach. This is because if there is no heat and direct existence of sunlight, there will not be the growth of algae inside the tank.

Fill your fresh water tank with at least 15 gallons of a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar. Open your kitchen faucet and run your water pump until water comes out and you smell vinegar. Turn the water off and turn on the water heater. It will take at least 20 minutes for the water to reach at least 130 degrees.

Add the calculated amount of bleach to the empty tank and fill the tank to the overflow level with water. Leave the tank filled for 24 hours. After the chlorine solution has sat in the tank for 24 hours, flush out/empty the storage tank. Do not drain the tank into a septic system or adjacent surface water body.

What is the most used disinfectant for tanks? ›

Liquid sodium hypochlorite, commonly known as bleach, can be effectively used for water disinfection. It is important to remember that chlorine is a highly dangerous substance and should be handled by an experienced professional following strict guidelines to make sure the disinfection is done safely and properly.

Under BS EN 12201 plain black MDPE is used for above ground drinking water (potable) systems, whereas blue MDPE is used for drinking water systems below ground. Pushfit compression fittings are typically used in this application for sizes 20-63mm, and electrofusion fittings for larger diameters.

Black absorbs the sun's rays, which slows down the freezing of the moss compared to tanks of other hues. Disadvantage: The tank overheats, increasing the chance that it could burst and heating the water, which is a drawback.

Always keep the black tank valve closed unless actively dumping a full tank as opposed to the gray valve, which can stay open on sewer hook-up and closed while dry camping/boondocking. Leaving your black water valve open can lead to the following problems: Waste-eating bacteria don't function well.

You'll want to clean your RV's black water holding tank, though, around once a month, or even once every two months. Here are a few tips to ensure that you're taking appropriate care of your black water tank: Don't dump your black water holding tank too often.

Never leave your black tank open when connected to a campground sewer hookup. There's no pretty way to explain this: The liquid waste needs to build up with the solid waste in a black tank in order for it to properly flush out. If you leave your black tank open, you will develop the dreaded RV poop pyramid.

Use RV-specific Toilet Paper

Most regular toilet paper just doesn't break down right in an RV black tank. For this reason, it is a good idea to always use RV-specific toilet paper, which is made to break down in the tank, preventing buildup that could cause a clog.

However, it's important to keep in mind that all-purpose cleaners like Fabuloso weren't designed for toilet tanks. Because of this, Apartment Therapy warns that the potent chemicals can damage parts made of plastic and rubber, like seals and gaskets, so leaks are more likely.

If you have cleaned your toilet thoroughly, and there is still a smell of Urine don't fret just yet. In many cases, a constant urine smell is likely due to a leaking seal, which is located under the toilet and seals the point between the toilet and the drain.

Baking soda and vinegar, when mixed together, can form a chemical reaction that looks sort of like an eruption. This chemical reaction can help clear your toilet and any pipe clogs that you might have.

Why does my RV bathroom smell like sewer? ›

The main culprit of sewage odors will be your RV black tank.

An RV black tank is usually located in the underbelly of the RV. It contains water, waste, and toilet paper from an RV toilet. Emptying and maintaining a black tank is probably one of the most dreaded jobs of any new (or veteran) RV owner. Don't worry.

Use two cups of softener for each wastewater tank in your RV. The tank's drain valve should be closed otherwise the softened water will just drain out. Then use the tank(s) normally until it is full and drain it normally. Add a cup of laundry detergent to the black (commode) water tank at the same time.

If you're simply asking is Rid-X safe for RV tanks, the answer is yes! This chemical has been approved for use in home sewage systems, RVs, boats, and other portable toilet systems. Its application may vary a bit depending on the size and type of sewage system it's used in, but it can work with almost any setup.

To clean your fresh water tank 1. Drain and flush out the fresh water tank 2. Remove any water purification equipment and water-filter cartridges 3. Use 1/4-cup of liquid household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) for every 15 gallons of fresh- water tank capacity.

While you can experiment with the proportions to get something that works well for you, start by trying a mix of 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. This is a good basic mixture, and you can then add a bit of baking soda for added cleaning power and something to bring a nice scent to the party.

It will help waste from sticking to the inside of the tank. The Pine-Sol is a strong disinfectant and has an odor-masking quality. Note that you can use other brands of pine oil cleaner than Pine-Sol. Follow this recipe and you can make a gallon of tank solution for about $10.

RV water tanks can be deodorized by flushing a solution of one cup baking soda mixed with one gallon of warm water. Sprinkling a little baking soda inside sneakers between uses will help prevent smelly shoes stinking up your RV.

To flush your RV black water tank, you'll begin by draining the tank. Then fill it with clear water and drain it a 2nd time. To clean your RV black water tank, you'll add detergents and water softener powder, then fill with water. After draining a 3rd time, your tank should be clean and ready for use.

If you want to clean your RV's black tank, Dawn dish soap is an cheap way to do it. Dumping a cup of Dawn into your black tank only takes a few minutes, but the results are worth it. The key to avoiding a smelly RV is regularly cleaning your RV's black tank.

Is Dawn dish soap good for RVs? ›

One of the best parts about using Dawn dish soap in RV black tanks is that it's an environmentally-friendly soap. It doesn't contain phosphates and can be broken down by bacteria. This means that it's a safe and biodegradable soap to use, even if you're cleaning/dumping your tank in a strict or natural environment.

The nice thing about RVs is that they are generally constructed from easy-to-clean materials. For this reason, good old soap and water is perfectly well-suited for cleaning most RVs. All you need to get started is a bucket that mixes mild detergent like dish soap with water.

While in use - when using antifreeze while the RV is in use, you should only add antifreeze to the black and gray tanks (never add it to the freshwater tank while in use) and you'll likely need to keep adding antifreeze to maintain effectiveness.

Cleaning your black water holding tank is best done when you're fully hooked up and have both a water and sewer connection. Avoid using bleach or antifreeze for your deep clean, as both of these can dry out rubber seals and ultimately ruin your sewage system.

Some RVers report that a 40-gallon black tank will last two people about 10 days before needing to dump, but again, this all depends on toilet paper usage, water usage, and the number of people using the water systems. Another technique is to always dump when your tanks are two thirds or three quarters full.