Getting The Most Out Of RV Digest-It Holding Tank
Treatment!
RV Digest-It
How It Works
RV Digest-It is a premium holding tank treatment designed to be used in RV black tanks and gray tanks. This
best-selling toilet treatment is powered by a proprietary blend of non-pathogenic bacteria and fast-acting
enzymes. We recommend that you treat your tanks with RV Digest-It before you begin using them and that you use RV
Digest-It on every camping trip.
RV Digest-It uses a powerful blend of bacteria and enzymes to accomplish all of the core elements of a
highly-quality holding tank treatment:
Solid waste digestion (breaks down poop and all brands of toilet paper)
Odor elimination (removes odors without masking fragrances or perfumes)
Maintains working sensor probes (digests waste so it won’t stick to probes)
All of these expectations can be achieved if you are using RV Digest-It correctly. Below we will address common
problems RVers run into and how you can solve them with RV Digest-It.
What You Can Expect With RV Digest-It
No Toilet Or Tank Odors
No Waste Buildup Inside Tanks
No Clogs or Pyramid Plugs
Properly Functioning Sensor Probes
World Class Customer Support
Compatibility With The Unique Method
Having problems? We can help!
Solve Common Problems With RV Digest-It
Toilet and Tank Odors
Foul smelling odors from your black or gray tank can quickly turn the RV trip of a lifetime into a nightmare.
Solve these problems with RV Digest-It.
Many holding tank treatments fail to break down solids and paper, leaving you with clogs and residual waste.
Solve holding tank waste buildup with RV Digest-It.
For most people, the black tank comes to mind first when they think about RV tank odors, but the gray tank can
smell too! Solve gray tank odors with RV Digest-It.
RV Digest-It is powered by bacteria and enzymes, the gold standard of holding tank treatment ingredients. Why are
they the gold standard? Though there are many different types of holding tank treatments available, only those
powered by bacteria and enzymes are capable of doing ALL of the things necessary inside an RV holding tank: odor
elimination, solid waste breakdown, and sensor probe maintenance. Other treatments can usually do ONE of these
things, but only bacteria and enzymes can do them all with the most guaranteed success.
There are a few things that can inhibit RV Digest-It’s success, so take note that you don’t do these things as they
will reduce the effectiveness of RV Digest-It:
Using Too Little Water
Bacteria and enzymes are living organisms and must remain hydrated to survive. If you use too little water, you
will dehydrate the bacteria and they won’t be able to do their job of odor elimination and waste digestion.
Be sure to hold your flush pedal down for 10 FULL SECONDS every time you flush your toilet.
Another issue that sufficient water solves is “the porta potty effect.” This is when your poop and paper form into
a mountain and stick out above the water line due to insufficient amounts of water in the tank. Once poop is exposed
above the water, NO holding tank treatment will be effective in eliminating the odor! Keep your poop underwater by
using enough water with every flush.
If you are using enough water with every flush, the average family of 4 should have to dump their typical 40 gallon
black tank every 3-5 days. Sure, you can extend this but you are doing it at your own risk! Allowing a tank to go
beyond 7 days without dumping will likely cause your tank to turn “septic.” This is when the environment inside your
tank becomes ideal for anaerobic bacteria (the BAD bacteria that come from your stomach and create that
all-too-familiar toilet smell) and they begin to take over and wreak havoc.
Dumping frequently enough will help solve this problem. Plan your trips around one weekly dump at minimum,
or ideally dump every 3-5 days.
Camping In High-Heat, Low-Water Situations
As we have mentioned several times, bacteria are living organisms. If you camp in temperatures that are above 85°F,
you must keep the bacteria hydrated and the tanks cool. Otherwise the tanks will become septic and bad bacteria will
take over – and when they do, odors begin to show up. Some RVers don’t like to face this reality. They believe they
have a right to camp in excessively hot climates, without adding any water (pee is not water!) to their tanks
because they don’t want to break camp to go dump their tanks every week. If you are the stubborn type who insists on
camping this way, please know that you cannot have your cake and eat it too. You may be able to eliminate odors with
certain chemical or zinc-based holding tank treatments, but it is only a matter of time before you have clogs, waste
buildup, and misreading sensors. Trust us, we’ve helped thousands of RVers solve tank problems because they insisted
on camping this way, treating their tanks with these types of treatments, and they ended up paying the price. Using
enough water isn’t a suggestion, it’s a requirement. Rest assured, thousands of RVer use RV Digest-It in extremely
hot temperatures successfully – and you can too!
Tank Odors
My Black Tank Stinks
If your black tank stinks after using RV Digest-It, the answer is usually simple: use more water. The
overwhelming majority of people who contact us are able to solve their issue simply by increasing the amount of
water they use with each flush. See above for more information on this. Additionally, we recommend that all RVers follow The Unique Method. Following this method will
eliminate 99% of all odor issues in your black tank. If you believe you are using enough water, and you are
following The Unique Method, and you are still getting an odor, please contact our customer support team
for assistance. This is extremely rare and there may be some other uncommon factors that are causing odors in your
tank that need to be addressed.
Waste Build-Up
I’m Getting Clogs And Waste Buildup in My Black Tank
No product is stronger at breaking down solid waste than RV Digest-It. We mean that! If you are experiencing
waste buildup inside your black tank it’s likely you are doing something that is causing that to happen.
One of the most common causes of waste buildup is keeping your black tank valve open when camping on hook-ups.
It’s a simple rule ALL RVers must follow – your black tank valve must always be kept closed, except when
dumping your tanks.
Another common issue is failing to rinse or flush your tanks. Over time waste can build up if you aren’t
rinsing your tanks regularly and sufficiently. Never store your RV with waste in the black tank.
Additionally, if your RV is even slightly out-of-level when you camp, you may be getting waste buildup in the
low spots of your tank.
Lastly, holding tanks can warp over time, causing low spots where waste can accumulate and not flow out. We
recommend rinsing your tanks for 20-30 minutes every 3-5 dumps to help prevent waste accumulation inside your
black tank.
Tank Odors
My Gray Tank Stinks
Normally when a gray tank stinks it’s because of excessive grease buildup. Using RV Digest-It each time you go
camping will help prevent this, but grease can be tricky for a number of reasons. If you find yourself getting
smells from your gray tank, we suggest deep cleaning your gray tanks by following this guide.
Sometimes gray tank smells can come from sewer gasses from the campground sewer or septic system backing up into
your RV. This will occasionally happen if you leave your gray tank open while camping on hook-ups. To solve this
problem, keep a p-trap in your discharge hose. This guide will walk you through
the steps to adding a p-trap to your discharge hose.
Using RV Digest-It With The Unique Method
The Unique Method is an easy-to-follow treatment method that is used by thousands of
RVers every day to prevent holding tank problems before they happen. Treating your holding tanks with RV
Digest-It, and following The Unique Method, will ensure your holding tanks remain free from odors, clogs,
and misreading sensors.. The graphic below shows where RV Digest-It fits into The Unique Method treatment
process.
Rinse your black tank thoroughly to remove residual waste and previous treatments
Close your black tank valve
Add 1-3 gallons of fresh water to your black tank by depressing your flush pedal for 30 seconds
Fill your toilet bowl half full with water
Shake RV Digest-It bottle well
Pour 2 ounces of RV Digest-It into toilet bowl (4 ounces for initial treatment)
Flush toilet, holding down flush pedal for 10-20 seconds
Add several inches of water to toilet bowl
Repeat every 3-5 days
Gray Tank
Dump your gray or galley tank
Close your gray tank valve
Add 1-3 gallons of fresh water to your gray tank or galley tank
Shake RV Digest-It bottle well
Pour 2 ounces of RV Digest-It into your gray or galley tank through your sink or shower
Repeat every time you dump your tank
RV Digest-It | Drop-In
Black Tank
Dump your black tank
Rinse your black tank thoroughly to remove residual waste and previous treatments
Close your black tank valve
Add 1-3 gallons of fresh water to your black tank by depressing your flush pedal for 30 seconds
Fill your toilet bowl half full with water
Drop 1 pod into water and let dissolve
Flush toilet, holding down flush pedal for 10-20 seconds
Add several inches of water to toilet bowl
Repeat every 3-5 days
Gray Tank
Dump your gray or galley tank
Close your gray tank valve
Add 1-3 gallons of fresh water to your gray tank or galley tank
Fill your sink half full with water
Drop 1 pod into water and let dissolve
Drain your sink
Repeat every time you dump your tank
RV Digest-It | Powder
Black Tank
Dump your black tank
Rinse your black tank thoroughly to remove residual waste and previous treatments
Close your black tank valve
Add 1-3 gallons of fresh water to your black tank by depressing your flush pedal for 30 seconds
Fill your toilet bowl half full with water
Pour 1 scoop of RV Digest-It into water and let dissolve
Flush toilet, holding down flush pedal for 10-20 seconds
Add several inches of water to toilet bowl
Repeat every 3-5 days
Gray Tank
Dump your gray or galley tank
Close your gray tank valve
Add 1-3 gallons of fresh water to your gray tank or galley tank
Fill your sink half full with water
Pour 1 scoop of RV Digest-It into water and let dissolve
Drain your sink
Repeat every time you dump your tank
RV Digest-It | Liquid Treatment Guide
Holding Tank Capacity
Treatment Size
0-40 Gallons
2 ounces per dump
41-80 Gallons
4 ounces per dump
81-120 Gallons
6 ounces per dump
RV Digest-It | Powder Treatment Guide
Holding Tank Capacity
Treatment Size
0-40 Gallons
1 scoop per dump
41-80 Gallons
2 scoops per dump
81-120 Gallons
3 scoops per dump
RV Digest-It | Drop-In Pod Treatment Guide
Holding Tank Capacity
Treatment Size
0-40 Gallons
1 drop-in pod per dump
41-80 Gallons
2 drop-in pods per dump
81-120 Gallons
3 drop-in pods per dump
*Add an additional treatment if you experience odors after the initial treatment.
No, you can use any version of RV Digest-It and expect the same results. We offer different versions of RV
Digest-It simply out of convenience and preference for our customers.
Please contact us by using the information provided below.
Yes, you need to use a cleaner that won’t harm RV Digest-It’s beneficial bacteria and enzymes. Caustic or
antibacterial toilet bowl cleaners can kill or neutralize the bacteria that are working hard to keep your black
tank free from odors and clogs. We recommend using Unique Scrub-It to clean your RV toilet bowl.
Before treating the tanks with RV Digest-It, we suggest flushing out the tank to prevent cross contamination
of any previous chemicals used!
When you first arrive at your camping destination go into the bathroom and with the water pump turned on,
step on the flush pedal for 30 seconds.
This will allow 1-3 gallons of water into the holding tank. Shake the bottle, then add 4 ounces of Unique RV
Digest-It as the initial treatment.
Once that has gone into the holding tank, hold the flush pedal down half way for an additional 15 seconds to
fill the toilet bowl half way. You are then ready to use the toilet for your camping adventure!
When it is time to use the toilet, make sure that you hold the flush pedal down for a full 10 seconds after
the flush and hold the pedal down half way for 15 seconds to refill the toilet bowl. This will keep everything
working great and odor free!
If you’re a new camper just getting started and have never used the black holding tank before, we recommend the
following:
When you first arrive at your camping destination go into the bathroom and with the water pump turned on,
step on the flush pedal for 30 seconds. This will allow 1-3 gallons of water into the holding tank.
Shake the bottle, then add 4 ounces of Unique RV Digest-It as it is the initial treatment. Once that has
gone into the holding tank, hold the flush pedal down half way for an additional 15 seconds to fill the toilet
bowl half way. You are then ready to use the toilet for your camping adventure!
When it is time to use the toilet, make sure that you hold the flush pedal down for a full 10 seconds after
the flush and hold the pedal down half way for 15 seconds to refill the toilet bowl. This will keep everything
working great and odor free!
For your RV showers and sinks, steer away from using anything that is antibacterial or any harsh chemicals as
these products will more than likely kill the helpful active bacteria in Unique products! Feel free to use any
other non-antibacterial or chemical-free cleaning products for your cleaning needs.
Another option that we've seen our customers use in the past is a soft scrub made from our RV Digest-It powder
version. You can take the powder and add some water to it to make a quick paste. Then apply the paste to your
shower and sinks, rubbing and cleaning the surfaces of all of these areas. Rinse the paste off with water. Once
it goes down the drain, it will boost waste breakdown and odor elimination of your holding tank as an added
bonus!
For small cassette toilets, we generally recommend the powder version of our RV Digest-It. This is solely
because with the powder version, you can start by adding one dose (about one scoop) directly to the holding tank
along with a small amount of water, and then easily scale back the amount you use, if needed. Following this,
you should hopefully be able to find an amount that works for your particular usage, and maybe even save a
little money by using less!
That being said, it’s not a problem if you really want to use the liquid version of RV Digest-It! You can
certainly do the same as above with the liquid version – it's just not as cut and dry in terms of easy
application and seeing exactly how much will work. With what we've seen for the liquid, we suggest starting with
two capfuls in the holding tank and see how that works for you. From there, scale up or down until you land on
the perfect amount.
As far as water goes, we understand you can only add so much! We recommend using as much as you can, making
sure your poop and solid waste is covered with water. If, after a while, you have odors, add a bit more water as
needed.
RV Digest-It will work in composting toilets, but it has its limits. The mixing type composting toilets will
help with the dispersal of Digest-It’s beneficial bacteria, but not all composting toilets have this feature. If
you're going to purchase RV Digest-It for your composting toilet, we recommend the liquid version.
We recommend treating it like a black tank and performing regular deep cleanings to reduce grease buildup!
Our products come with a 2 year shelf life, which is 2 years past the “manufacture date” on the product. Even
though we say 2 years, our products can last much, much longer. We keep samples of all of our products and when
we test batches from even 15+ years ago, they still work at 100%! That means your Unique products are more than
likely okay even if they’ve gone way past the 2 years mark.
Optimal temperatures for our products are between 45-85 degrees Fahrenheit (7-30 degrees Celsius).
Yes, RV Digest-It is septic safe! Always make sure to check with your local ordinances about whether you can
dump in your home septic tank!
You can measure out 2 ounces in a liquid measuring cup (2 ounces = 1/4 cup), or use the product cap to measure:
2 ounces is equal to about 6 capfuls.
A scoop is included with each container of powdered RV Digest-It. Sometimes during shipping, the scoop will
shimmy its way down to the bottom of the container. We suggest dumping the powder out into another bowl and then
you can retrieve the scoop. There is nothing in the powder that will harm you – so no worries there!
If for any reason your RV Digest-It powder doesn’t contain a scoop or the scoop is lost, one scoop/treatment of
the RV Digest-It powder is one measured ounce (1 ounce = 2 tablespoons).
RV Digest-It pods should start dissolving within minutes of being in water. Occasionally the pods will appear
as if they have not dissolved completely, but the bottom of the pods have opened up and it's just not totally
apparent. You can attempt to poke the pod around and you will see that the bottom of the pod has dissolved and
will release the RV Digest-It formula.
In high heat, high humidity climates we have heard of isolated instances when the casing around the pods
hardens and causes problems with dissolving. If you experience this issue, please reach out to our customer
support team for additional assistance!
We always recommend that RV tank dumps go through proper wastewater treatment (either an onsite system such as
a septic tank, or into a city sewer access). Our products are not of concern to vegetation, but dumping of waste
is generally tightly regulated, and we recommend always following local regulations.
There really aren’t any treatments that we know of that can promise two weeks of odor control without
re-treatment. There are so many variables that come with this... tank size, usage frequency, water usage, etc.
The analogy we always use is dental care. Sure, you can go two weeks without brushing your teeth. Chewing gum
can cover the smell of bad breath, but you’re going to end up with MUCH bigger problems than smells! You’re
going to get cavities or worse. So, sure, there are some products that claim to provide extra-long odor control
with very little water use, but you’re certainly going to end up with clogs, misreading sensors, and waste
buildup. It’s simply not possible to go two weeks without dumping and maintain a HEALTHY tank.
Yes, since our bacteria are hibernating in spore form they are very resilient and usually basic freezing is not
going to be a problem. When freezing becomes a problem is when the bottle repeatedly freezes and thaws. Go ahead
and give the product a try! We will certainly replace it if the product isn’t working.
Unfortunately, even though our product ingredients are readily biodegradable, for legal and regulatory reasons
we cannot claim that our products are environmentally friendly or ocean safe! We recommend that our products be
used in instances where wastewater will be properly treated, and if used on boats, where the tank will be
properly pumped out following all local regulations.
More often than not, lack of enough water is what causes odors – especially in hotter temperatures. When using
RV Digest-it, we recommend you add between 1-3 gallons of fresh water down your toilet with the RV Digest-It
product.
Also, keep in mind that treating your holding tanks is definitely a 50/50 scenario: 50% the right process and
50% the right products. While you may have been using the right amount of product, your process (in terms of
water usage) may need to be adjusted for the product to work at its best, especially when temperatures rise. We
would highly recommend increasing your water usage moving forward – for example, if you're using 1-3 gallons to
prep your black tank, try increasing your water to 3-5 gallons (if you don't do that already).
It is also important when flushing the toilet to hold the foot pedal down for about 10 seconds, ensuring that
plenty of water is going into the black tank!
No, other products will more than likely kill the active bacteria in RV Digest-It making it ineffective! When
using RV Digest-It paired with The Unique Method, using other products is not necessary!
There are no ingredients in RV Digest-It that would cause damage to your tanks. You can leave it in there as
long as you’d like. We do recommend dumping your tanks every 3-5 days for optimal odor control and to prevent
build up.
We recommend treating your tanks with RV Digest-It after every dump and flush of your tanks. After you dump all
wastewater and rinse the tank thoroughly, refill your tank with 1-3 gallons of water and RV Digest-It.
We do not recommend using RV Digest-It in your freshwater tank.
The enzymes in RV Digest-It are what makes the product work so quickly. The fast-acting enzymes immediately
begin breaking down toilet paper and waste into small pieces. Then the bacteria in RV Digest-It feed off of
these small pieces, breaking them down even more.
You can use more than the recommended amount of RV Digest-It in your tank. There aren’t any ingredients in RV
Digest-It that would cause damage to your tanks, seals, or valves!
RV Digest-It is a product designed to be used regularly (after every dump and flush) that helps prevent clogs
by breaking down waste and toilet paper. The Clean-It Black Tank Cleaner is designed to be a biannual deep
cleaning tool, and Clear-It Black Tank Unclogger is formulated to clear clogged black tanks!
Absolutely! With extensive testing we have found that RV Digest-It will break down even the thickest brand of
conventional toilet paper
We do not recommend using RV Digest-It to winterize your RV. RV Digest-It will freeze during the winter which
will stop the effectiveness of the bacteria and potentially put the plumbing at risk of cracking! We recommend
using a propylene glycol-based, RV-specific antifreeze for winterizing your RV.
In an effort to reduce the amount of plastic that we use in our products, we have changed the container from a
plastic tub to a bag style container. Inside is still the fabulous RV Digest-It you have come to know and love!
There is a light fragrance in the liquid version of RV Digest-It. We also have a tangerine-scented version of
RV Digest-It Drop-In-Pods.
If you are sensitive to fragrance or if you prefer a fragrance free treatment, the RV Digest-It Drop-In Pods
and the RV Digest-It Powder products are both fragrance free.
RV-Digest-It does not contain any biocides. Biocides are substances that kill living things (for example:
pesticide, fungicide, herbicide, antimicrobial, antibacterial). Biocides would kill the bacteria and enzymes in
our products that make them effective.
There is absolutely no difference between our three RV Digest-It versions (liquid, drop-in, and powder) other
than convenience of the pods and the fact that the pod and powder versions will not be affected by below
freezing temperatures (we recommend the liquid not be allowed to freeze)! Your choice of RV Digest-It product
type is completely up to your preference – all three will work equally well in maintaining your wastewater
holding tank!
We’ve decided that the best way to help consumers feel confident about the
products they use is to put the power in their hands. We developed our
Formulated With Trust program with you in mind.
We are proud that 95% of our products are made in the USA using
American-sourced ingredients and materials.
Get support from the wastewater experts at Unique Camping + Marine,
located right here in the USA. If for some reason you don't love the
results, we'll return your money without hassle!
