RV Black Tank Cleaning, Maintenance, Tips & Tricks - A Complete Guide to RV Waste Tanks!

Your RV can take you to some of the most beautiful locations and help you create wonderful memories at the same time. But not every aspect of RVing is pretty. RV owners are confronted with waste water maintenance. Without a doubt it is unglamorous but necessary, maintaining and emptying your septic system on a regular basis. And without proper maintenance and care of this system, things can get pretty ugly.

However, when done right, it does not have to be a dirty job, and using the right cleaning supplies and chemicals will eliminate odors and keep the contents flowing without issues.

Routine cleaning and maintenance can prevent bacteria build-up that leads to intense and unpleasant odors. What's more, clogs are also much less frequent, leading to fewer complications and repairs.

Whether you are a new RV owner or you are planning to buy an RV, it is important to know all about RV black tanks and how to clean RV black water tanks properly. This handy guide will help you get started!

Types of tanks and Care (What is a black water tank for RV)

Recreational vehicles typically come with three water tanks. The black water tank is one of the three water tanks in a typical RV. To keep things running smoothly, others include:

1. Fresh water tank: As the name suggests, the tank is for fresh water which can be used for cooking, drinking, and bathing.
2. Grey water tank: It is a place where fresh water drains after it is used. To simply put, it holds the dirty water that comes from your shower and kitchen sink.

When it comes to the black water tanks, these are very important pieces of equipment. The placement goes under your rig and holds all the waste and water from your toilet. While it is part of what makes RVing so much more convenient and enjoyable than a car traveling or tent camping. In turn, you also need to deal with it in the proper ways. This tank is what allows you to use your RV's onboard facilities without having to worry about being constantly hooked up to a sewer connection. That said, a city sewer is the only place you should ever dump your RV's portable black water waste tank.

Note that, tank sizes vary by RV, but you will need to empty and clean your tanks frequently when you are living in an RV. Plus, how often you will need to dump will depend on your water use and the size of your tanks.

Tips to keep your toilet clean

• Before you use the toilet paper for your camper it must meet certain standards. When purchasing toilet paper be sure to check the package that says 'For clog-free/Marine tanks'. This means the paper breaks down quickly.
• Flushing anything other than human waste and toilet paper down the toilet is a big no. As it will clog the tank and create expensive problems.
• One area, that is when it comes to toilet cleaning and tank maintenance is to be frugal with water. Whenever you use the toilet, make sure you flush a decent amount of water, which will help to keep the excrement soft and also help the toilet paper to break down.
• Keep an eye on the level and drain the tank when needed. By this, we mean that, if the black tank is allowed to drain constantly, there won't be enough moisture to keep the contents flowing. This will ultimately lead to buildup and even plugging of the system.
• Always empty the black water tank first, which is actually an easier order. At first, it may seem like a black water tank should be best saved for last but there is actually an easier order. The hose you will use will have extra water running through it at the end to help clean it out any leftovers from the black water tank, if you dump the black water tank first and then follow up with the grey water tank.

Hook up the Hose

This is one of the game changers. As it solely depends on this, if dumping the holding tanks is quick, easy, or an environmental disaster. It is important to use a dump hose to connect the sewer port, one that is with right angle fitting so that it is less likely to pull out or leak. To prevent leaks and odors, be sure there is enough sewer-hose length to reach the RV, or else you may need to connect several hoses.

Always keep an assortment of sewer hose adapters and extra lengths of sewer drain hoses in the RV. As you never know what type or size of sewer drain connection you might encounter, or you never know how far away the sewer drain will be from the RV.

How to clean my RV Black Water Tank?

1. Use water tank treatments: Black water tank treatments help to neutralize odors, and keep your RV commode clog-free, and clean. Plus, to help prevent future buildup, clogs, and odors, as well as accelerating breakdown time for future waste stored in the tank, it is best to treat tanks after dumping, flushing, and cleaning. Along with keeping tank odors down, these chemicals also have the ability to breakdown the solid waste and toilet paper. They make the process much smoother when it comes to dumping your tanks.
2. Deep clean your tanks on a regular basis: Once the black tank is empty, flushing with water will clean away the contents, break off, soften, and liquidate the debris or waste matter that did not flow out naturally. You can either attach a clean out wand and force water down the toilet valve. If this does not seem a convenient option, all you need to do is pour a bucket or two to finish flushing the tank.

Once you familiarize yourself with the process of keeping your RV black water tank clean is not hard. Although, bloopers might happen but they are not as bad as you might think. Remember, RV Parts To Go is always at your service, so if you need any assistance choosing any parts or accessories or have any queries regarding your RV, we are here to assist you.