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Scott
Trip Date 04/08/2024 Posted On 10/09/2024 10:14:15 |
Camping | RVing | Toilet | Septic | Toilet Paper | RV Toilet Paper | Septic Safe | Best Toilet Paper | Odors | Bathroom Fans | Can Cam | Black Tank | Black Tank Dump | Dumping Black Tank
Throughout our years of camping in our RV, we've done the "black tank dump" more times than we can count! We've also done some experiments to help us better understand the septic system, black tank, toilet paper, bathroom fans and even toilet odors "leaking" out of the bathroom. The time we've spent has allowed us to confirm our theories about septic safe vs. RV toilet paper and also one of the easiest ways to prevent odors from emanating from the toilet.
After over seven years of RVing, we've learned a lot about our RV toilet and black tank. While dumping black tanks is important, making sure that the tank is truly clean is equally as important. Along with learning some tips about your black tank, this article will help you decide the best toilet paper for you and how you can help avoid nasty toilet odors. We'll even give you a brief introduction to the "Can Cam" with information on how you can learn more!
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RV Toilet Paper or Septic Safe Toilet Paper?
Through our first few years of RVing, we always wondered what's the best kind of toilet paper to use in our RV? We noticed that actual RV toilet paper is very expensive ... and really, how different could it be! When we purchased "RV There Yet?", the dealership owner actually recommended using toilet paper designed for septic tanks instead. He said that, as long as the label stated "septic safe", we would have no issues in our black tank. It is designed to break down on its own in water more easily that standard toilet paper. The other good news about septic safe toilet paper is that it much less expensive and is available just about everywhere that toilet paper is sold.Septic Safe Toilet Paper: A Side by Side Experiment
We did some research on the best septic tank safe toilet paper to use in an RV. We found recommendations for two economical brands: Angel Soft and Great Value. Because I am a scientist at heart, I almost always want to analyze (or some would say over-analyze) decisions, so I decided to do an experiment.
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I chose a few days while traveling in our RV when we would be staying at the same campsite - I didn't want to make a mess! Based on the recommendations that we had read, I narrowed the scope of my experiment to Great Value and Angel Soft. (We had been using Angel Soft most frequently, but as our supply was running low, we purchased a six-pack of Great Value.)
I partially filled two plastic cups with a small amount of water in each. I added two "squares" of toilet paper to each - Angel Soft in the cup on the left and Great Value in the cup on the right. (I am only using about a half of a cup of water for the small amount of toilet paper used in my experiment. It is, however, advisable to have a fair amount of water in your black tank when it is in use.)
Over the course of a couple days, I monitored the composition of each brand of toilet paper. After the first 24 hours had passed, there was some break-up of the toilet paper after shaking the cup a slight bit.
Another twelve hours later, there was more decomposition (again with a little more agitation). As both were in a pretty good state of break-down, I had to look very closely to determine which, if either, was more decomposed.
And the Winner is ...
Although there was not a significant difference between the decomposition of the two brands that we tested, Angel Soft did decompose slightly quicker. We'll likely continue to use Angel Soft, the brand that we have been most happy with. In our opinion, Angel Soft also feels "softer" to the touch. While Great Value is probably a "great value" (and decomposes well), it is perhaps a little stiffer. It is advertised as "strong", after all! Ideally, everyone wants toilet paper that is strong enough to do the job, but also soft enough to enjoy "the process" and temporary enough to break down quickly.
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It is also important to inspect your black tank weekly (at minimum) to ensure that no problems are developing. The dreaded "pyramid" is one of the biggest problems that every RVer should hope to avoid. (Just like it sounds, as the tank fills, it can form a pyramid shaped pile. Once the top of the pyramid reaches the bottom of the drop hole, the toilet bowl will stop draining. At that point, a traditional plunger will not work - it must be manually cleaned.) Carrying a short piece of PVC pipe has worked well for us. I put it down the hole in the toilet and gently try to destruct the pyramid. Once it begins draining, adding more water to the tank is required to really clear it away. At this point, a proper cleaning is needed. Unfortunately, this task usually can not wait!
When it's time to clean the black tank, it is a good idea to flush it out with water from above. Most RVs have a black tank flush port designed for attaching a hose so that water can be run through the tank from a different angle. There are also dump tube attachments that can be used to spray water under pressure up into the tank. Tools like the "Can Cam" (more information below) or a simple toilet wand can also be tremendously helpful. (Before starting any toilet cleaning task, make sure that the black tank valve is open. If it's not, a backup into the bathroom is possible - and that is never good!)
Odors Coming From the Toilet
Since we are discussing "all things toilet" in this article, everyone wants to avoid unpleasant odors leaking out of the toilet and wafting into other rooms in the RV. There is a vent from the black tank that goes out the roof to vent out gases. Before you flush, check to make sure that your bathroom fan is turned off. If the fan is running, and blowing out, when you flush the toilet, the fan will suck air from the black tank up into the bathroom. The smell that it leaves in the bathroom will not be a pleasant one! (For example, it's common for RVers to turn their bathroom fan on to remove humidity and heat from the bathroom when taking a shower. If part of your shower routine includes using the toilet, turn the fan off before flushing.)To eliminate odors (usually occurring when we forget to turn off the bathroom fan before flushing), we have tried the Camco TST MAX RV Toilet Treatment. It is advertised as helping to dissolve toilet paper and improve the smell. Unfortunately we have not found the product to be very effective. Once the odor reaches other rooms in the RV interior, some air freshener sprays can be helpful to neutralize and freshen the air. We have found that the only way to truly rid our RV of odors is to dump the black tank, flush it out with plenty of fresh water and then reload the tank with an inch or two of water.
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Sometimes, even when ensuring adequate water is in the black tank and only using RV or septic safe toilet paper, chunks of toilet paper will remain in the black tank after dumping and flushing. In order to ensure that the tank is clear, I use the Can Cam while cleaning. It allows me to chase the orphan clumps of paper around the tank until they go out the sewer hose. You may be thinking, "yuck". Well, since the black tank is mostly dark, the camera will be in night vision mode, which only displays in black and white. Thankfully, the picture on the camera is not really disturbing because it is not in full color!
Black Tank Tips
What is your number one "black tank tip" that you have learned from your RVing experiences - the one that you wish someone told you before you left home on your first adventure?|
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