Keeping Up With Your RV Bathroom Maintenance

Nothing elevates a camping experience like an RV, and no part of the RV is more appreciated than the bathroom. But the price of working plumbing is that you’re responsible for keeping it clean. Keep reading for tips on camper bathroom maintenance!

Prevent Toilet Odors And Blockages

Your RV toilet is a gift, but it’s also fairly high-maintenance. Rather than a cistern or municipal sewer system, the pipes from your toilet go to a holding container called a blackwater tank. If your bathroom starts to smell, this tank and the pipes leading to it are probably responsible. 

Never use residential-style toilet paper or cleaning chemicals on your RV toilet. It’s significantly more fragile than the toilet back home, so only use one-ply toilet paper and RV-specific cleaning products. Never flush anything other than waste and toilet paper, including “flushable” wipes.

Emptying The Blackwater Tank

You’ll need to empty and clean that tank regularly, as well. It’s not quite as hands-on and unpleasant as you might think, but it still needs to be done carefully. Don’t let it fill entirely, but a fuller tank will empty faster. Empty it out at around ⅔ or ¾ full, or if your RV is going into storage for a long time.

Make sure you’re emptying it at a designated dump station. Hook up a sewer hose to the tank valve on one end of the hose, and the dump station on the other. Make sure the tank valve is closed before you detach the hose, and consider investing in blackwater tank chemicals to help sanitize and deodorize it.

Deep-Cleaning The Bathroom

Once again, only use RV-specific chemicals to avoid damaging finishes and seals. You’ll want to scrub and sanitize your bathroom once a week while traveling, as well as right before and right after a trip. Paper towels with a diluted bleach solution should be alright, as well as a glass cleaner or vinegar/water spray to clean the toilet, counter, mirror, and shower.

If you’re still searching for your perfect family camper, check out the selection at Airstream of Utah! We are based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and also serve those in Park City and Provo.