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Needless to say, your standard RV toilet is very different from your home toilet! Besides the obvious differences like plumbing and water use, RV toilets are often made from different materials. Along with differences in materials, there are a few things to avoid and some techniques you should incorporate in your regular cleaning. In this article, we will go over cleaning products, tools for cleaning, and some best practices to keep your RV toilet working properly!
To begin, let's go over the different types of toilet cleaning products. Basically, all toilet cleaners can fit into two categories that are relevant for RVers:
It is important to understand the difference between these two types of toilet-cleaning products, because it can affect more than just how clean your RV toilet; indeed, it can have a huge affect on how well your waste water systems function.
When we refer to chemical cleaners, are talking about chlorine or bleach-based toilet bowl cleaners (i.e., the types of products you might already find under your home sink). These types of cleaners normally work well to remove residue from your RV toilet. Mineral deposits like water staining and human waste residue are by far the most common things that build up in your toilet. With that being said, although bleach and chlorine cleaners may be effective, that does not mean they’re safe! In fact, they can contain dangerous chemicals and (most important for the RVer) have detrimental effects on your black water holding tank, killing off all the beneficial bacteria in your tank and causing disastrous clogs and backups! Because of this, we strongly recommend completely avoiding chemical toilet cleaners!
When we use the term “safe” in reference to toilet bowl cleaners, we are referring to the danger the cleaner might pose to people, pets, and the environment. In terms of home toilet bowl cleaners, there are many brands that fit this criterion. For instance, mineral/pumice cleaners are often very safe and do a great job of keeping your toilet and bathroom clean.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of these cleaners aren't made specifically for RVs and can damage the soft plastic or porcelain in your RV toilet bowl.
Thankfully, however, there are still some products out there that will work perfectly in your RV! For example our RV toilet cleaner is considered a safe product, and it is made specifically with RVers in mind! The value isn't just that it is a safe product, but that it will break down mineral deposits and human waste inside your toilet bowl with tank boosting microbial cleaners. Essentially, every time you clean your toilet, you are also treating your RV black water holding tank!
Now that we've talked a bit about cleaners, let’s look at some best practices to keep your toilet in top shape!
First and foremost, if you have a plastic RV toilet bowl, we recommend staying away from using the standard plastic-bristled toilet brush. Many people make the mistake of using a stiff brush and end up with large scratches and grooves inside their toilet bowl. Not only does this obviously damage the toilet bowl, but it also makes it harder to clean, since human waste and mineral deposits can gather in these grooves.
Instead of a toilet brush, we recommend using a dish cleaning sponge like this. The soft sponge will do just as good a job as the tough plastic-bristled brushes—without damaging your toilet!
Now that we’ve talked briefly about tools, let's talk about cleaners! Ideally, bacteria and enzymes are working inside your black water holding tank to keep the solid waste and toilet paper liquefied. Using a caustic toilet-cleaning chemical (like bleach or chlorine) will almost certainly kill these very beneficial bacteria colonies and cause tank clogs and foul odors.
To combat this problem, we recommend using a bacteria-based RV toilet cleaner like RV Toilet Cleaner + Holding Tank Enhancer. Not only is this product a safe, highly effective cleaner, but it will also boost your holding tank's digestive microbes, helping them to liquefy waste and eliminate tank odors. RV Toilet Bowl Cleaner + Holding Tank Enhancer's digestive microbes will clean your toilet and boost the waste water systems in your RV. It is truly the best of both worlds!
If you do opt to use our toilet cleaner (and we think you should!), here are some steps to follow when using the product:
You may need to scrub your RV toilet multiple times to remove tough water stains, so use your own discretion if you are struggling with buildup.
As cut and dry as these instructions are, there is some nuance to making sure you have success while cleaning your RV toilet. As we mentioned above, if you choose to use our RV toilet cleaner, don’t let it completely dry out inside your toilet, since it will decrease how effective the bacteria will be in cleaning your bowl. Keeping a certain amount of moisture inside your toilet, or rehydrating the treatment will help. Or, you can just let the product sit for 3-5 minutes before flushing. When it comes to tougher-than-normal hard water stains or mineral stains, it can take a little extra elbow grease. Make sure you are scrubbing your RV toilet well and reapplying the product if needed.
Certainly, there are many differences between your home toilet and RV toilet, and selecting a toilet bowl cleaner that is designed specifically for you RV is very important. It is also extremely important that you use a safe RV toilet bowl cleaner in conjunction with a bacteria-based holding tank treatment. That way, you won’t negate the positive effects of your bacteria-based toilet treatment! And remember, for the best results, never use aggressive bristle-brushes that can scratch your toilet bowl! We hope this article has proved helpful! If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@uniquemm.com!
Many people may wonder, “Is a tank flush really that necessary?”. We recommend that you thoroughly flush out your black water holding tank for 20-30 minutes every 3-5 dumps.
Dumping your RV black water holding tank is an essential part of RV camping. Unlike home septic systems, which only need to be emptied (or “pumped”) every few years, RV black tanks need to be emptied every 3-5 days!
Today we’ll discuss why regular dumping is a crucial component of RV camping!