Now that it’s officially summer, you may be busy figuring out your RV vacation plans or even have a few camping trips under your belt already. If you have a busy summer RV travel season planned, you’ll want to make sure you avoid any unnecessary problems. While it's not a topic that most RV travelers enjoy thinking about, RV sanitation is important. Obviously, this becomes a bigger issue the more often you travel, as the facilities will be used a lot more often. Here are some tips on supplies and equipment you’ll need to make sure you have for your next camping trip.
Holding tank treatments are designed to break down substances to prevent clogs and will deodorize as well. Treatment can be in liquid form or in packets. The liquid treatment is usually cheaper than the packets, however the packets typically come in a bag that is easier to store, rather than a bottle, and provide you with a pre-measured amount. Camco Fresh Scent RV toilet treatment is one example. Available in liquid or packet form, it provides a citrus scent and is 100% biodegradable. Four ounces or one packet can treat a 40-gallon septic tank for up to 7 days. Walex tank deodorizer comes in packets, with a fresh or lavender scent. It is designed for extreme to normal conditions, with long lasting odor control, perfect for busier seasons.
Holding tanks should be emptied after every trip and cleaned thoroughly as needed. The more often you take your RV out, the more often they will need to be emptied and cleaned. You can empty your black & gray tanks into a portable waste tank, which saves you from having to take your RV over to a dump station. Portable waste tanks are available from 5 to 42 gallons to fit your needs. Except for the smallest tanks, they all have wheels and handles to be easily pulled or towed to the dump site. In case you need to make repairs, replacement wheels and other attachments are also available, depending on the model.
The more hot and humid it is, the greater chance there is for odors to take hold, and a greater need for more ventilation. The Camco Cyclone is an RV sewer vent cap that uses the wind or breeze to draw odors out and away from your holding tank. It can rotate a full 360 degrees, so it doesn’t matter which direction the breeze is coming from. The Cyclone doesn’t need any drilling to install and is available in black or white.
There are a number of other supplies you’ll need to keep your RV sanitation system in good working order. Make sure you use toilet paper that is designed for RVs, which is different from the regular kind used at home. Using a clear sewer hose connector lets you see if the water running through is clear, which is a good indication of whether the tank has been cleaned out. A tank cleaning wand, such as the Camco holding tank rinser, comes in handy when your motorhome does not have an integrated back flush feature. The wand works as a pressure washer to clear out anything that might remain after the holding tank was emptied. Having more than one sewer hose in different lengths, as well as adapters, ensure that you’ll be able to fit your hose to the sewer without a problem. Other supplies you may want to have include sewer hose supports to keep your hose at the right level so it drains properly, or the whimsical Sewie Pig, which holds down the sewer hose to keep it in place.
