Long road trips often call for lots of caffeine and water, leading to extra potty breaks. You won’t always find a rest stop when you need to go, so having an RV bathroom can really save the day. Unfortunately, the more you use your RV toilet, the more likely it is to start smelling. Using RV toilet chemicals helps stop and prevent these unwanted odors.
Let’s find out how RV toilet chemicals keep your bathroom smelling fresh and which ones work best.
What Are RV Toilet Chemicals Used For?
No one likes dealing with a clogged toilet or black tank that won’t empty correctly. Additionally, a malfunctioning black tank can cause severe odors that can quickly take over.
RV toilet chemicals help keep your black tank odorless and clean. They work by neutralizing and breaking down waste, giving you a more pleasant dump station experience.
➡ RV dump stations are not a free-for-all. Learn how to correctly and cleanly empty your holding tanks: How to Properly Use an RV Dump Station (And Avoid A Mess!)
What Are the Different Types of RV Chemicals?
RV toilet chemicals come in a few different forms. Depending on the brand, the product will come in either a loose powder, liquid, or powder packet. The type you use depends on the availability and your preference.
Why Do You Need RV Toilet Chemicals?
Neglecting to use RV toilet chemicals in your black tanks can lead to various problems. Build-up can occur on the sidewalls of the tank, even if you routinely empty your black tanks and flush them out. This can damage your sensors, cause horrible odors, and eventually clogs. RV toilet chemicals help to avoid these issues.
➡ Toilet clogs happen to everyone, even RVers! Solve the problem and prevent it from happening again with these simple solutions: RV Nightmare: How to Unclog RV Toilet
How Do You Apply RV Toilet Chemicals
Thankfully, you can easily apply RV toilet chemicals. The process will vary slightly depending on the brand. Generally, you place the chemical in a toilet full of water and simply flush it down.
The directions will tell you if you need to use a specific amount based on your tank size. Be sure to follow up with a few extra flushes of clean water.
What RV Toilet Chemicals Should You Use?
In the end, finding the right RV toilet chemicals will be a process of trial and error. You’ll want to try different options to see what you like best.
Results can vary due to frequency of usage, flushing habits, and toilet paper use. What chemical works well for you might not work well for another camper or rig.
Pro Tip: Always use RV toilet paper in a camper bathroom. It dissolves quickly in water, ensuring your black tank and sewer hoses won’t clog with clumps of toilet paper.
Best RV Holding Tank Chemicals to Use
To help you get started with holding tank treatments, we’ve gathered a few of the top RV toilet chemicals. Let’s see what these chemicals can do.
Happy Campers
Happy Campers has quite the following, and you can easily see why. RV owners love the product due to its odor-eliminating properties. In fact, we’ve been using Happy Campers for our truck camper toilet, and have been very satisfied with the results.
- Not for Sale or Shipping to California.
- ODOR FREE: absolutely no sewer smell
- EFFECTIVE: in extreme hot and cold temperatures (over 100° F)
Happy Campers liquefies solid waste, RV toilet paper, and most household tissue. It continues to work even in extreme temperatures, ensuring odor-free tanks. The product comes in a loose powder form, and you can use one scoop for a 40-gallon tank.
Camco RV Toilet Treatment
The Camco RV Toilet Treatment comes in individual packets filled with potent odor-fighting powder. The powder has a citrus scent to help give you a fresh-smelling RV bathroom. One packet will treat a 40-gallon tank.
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The packet dissolves quickly once submerged. Simply drop it into the toilet and flush it down, and it gets to work immediately. It breaks down waste and toilet paper. It contains no toxic ingredients giving you peace of mind that you are using only the best products for your family and the environment.
Walex Porta-Pak RV Holding Tank Treatment
Another excellent RV toilet chemical product is the Walex Porta-Pak RV Holding Tank Treatment. Similar to the Camco treatment, it comes in individual packets that can treat a 40-gallon tank.
- Country of origin : United States
- Unbeatable odor prevention
- Pre-packaged portion control- no spills
These pre-portioned packets contain no formaldehyde. They won’t stain your toilet, and they work to break down waste and toilet paper. The strong formula gets to work, eliminating odor and build-up immediately.
FAQ: Can You Put Bleach in Your RV Toilet?
Technically you can put anything down your RV toilet, but that doesn’t mean you should. While some people have reported success with putting bleach into their black tank, it can cause some problems.
Bleach works great to kill bacteria, but it can also kill good bacteria that help break down waste. It’s harsh, and when used regularly, it can damage the seals and other rubber components. If you do use bleach, be sure to dilute it to reduce the harsh effects.
FAQ: Can You Use Regular Toilet Bowl Cleaner in Your RV Toilet?
You may get away with using regular toilet bowl cleaner; however, it can cause significant damage. RVs have many plastic components. Even if you have a porcelain RV toilet, you’ll likely have plastic tubing and holding tanks, and rubber seals. Regular toilet bowl cleaner can degrade these parts, causing costly damage and leaks.
➡ While most RVs come standard with either a gravity-fed toilet or cassette toilet, you do have other options. Take a look: A Practical Guide to the 6 RV Toilet Types
Avoiding Problems with the Right Chemicals
RVing means exploring fun new places and seeing amazing sights as you create memories with loved ones. It also means learning how your RV works and troubleshooting problems as they occur.
Nasty smells can put a damper on your trip. Using the right environmentally friendly and biodegradable chemicals can help you avoid toilet problems and odors.
Understanding how your black tank works and how to maintain it is an essential part of RV life. Click to learn More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Your RV Black Water Tank.
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Dalton Bourne
Saturday 30th of October 2021
Thanks for sharing. I used this Star Brite RV Toilet Bowl Cleaner for my Rv and it's very well. The RV's toilet had stains and hard water streaks. Applied and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Came in with soft brush after application and it made toilet look brand new.
Dalton Bourne
Saturday 30th of October 2021
It ensures the cleaning product will break down naturally and won’t hurt the soil when spilled. It’s just another way to ensure our planet’s soil doesn’t come in contact with harmful chemicals.