Reddit mentions: The best rv sewer chemicals & cleaners

I'm sorry if this is long, but

Tarps! If you're going to be in a hot area, you'll quickly find which areas of your RV will heat up the most. If you put tarps in strategic places around the outside of your RV, you can create shade and prevent it from heating up, which means not having to run the AC all the time.

If you can afford it, get a dehumidifier machine and put it in a dedicated spot! I live in a stationary 5th wheel and it gets super humid in here sometimes. If not, they sell these damp rid buckets that you can use for a while before you need to replace 'em--they work pretty well for the most part, but I think a dehumidifier would work best.

You may want to replace the locks on all your storage bay thingies (the ones that open from the outside), those use a stock key most people who own rvs have. To save on propane, you can get a little toaster oven with two burners! or just some standalone hotplates!

Make sure your toilet paper is septic safe (doesn't have to be RV specific! I use Charmin or the walmart version) and that you keep your black water tank

• Partially full of water all the time (like 1/4 the way full) so stuff breaks down properly and you don't get TP clogs
  
• The draining valve never gets left open even if you're permanently hosed into a sewer connection! This causes baaad clogs that are gross and hard to get rid of.
  
• You should use the sewage tank treatment stuff so it doesn't get stinky and everything breaks down properly so you can dump the tank with ease! Definitely get these or something similar in large amounts and probably when you buy your toilet paper. They sell this stuff at Walmart!
  
  Optionaly:
  
• You can replace your bathroom vent so sewage gas doesn't get blown back into your RV in windy conditions. That is not fun!
  
  These kind of tension rods can be used for anything from storing pot and pan lids, to making a little makeshift towel rod in the bathroom or shower.
  
  I recommend finding a good but decently large dish rack to dry dishes on that fits near your sink. I had a hard time finding one that fit so I got two small ones instead! They both sit in both/either sides of my kitchen sink so when I'm done with dishes, they actually don't take up counter space.
  
  Good luck! It's interesting to live in a 5th wheel for sure!

We used this one https://www.amazon.com/RV-Tissue-Digester-19-Thetford/dp/B000GPO6FO

It took a couple of days. Be very careful when it unclogs. Almost every fulltimer has horror stories about black tanks and wearing them!

Once you’ve freed the blockage you might like to use on of the products others are suggesting for doing a clean out of any residue. I prefer the Thetford products but they’re often more expensive than competitors.

Now, about your toilet paper. Septic safe paper isn’t great in RVs but you really don’t need to buy anything special. We don’t. Like lots of others we stick with Costco’s Kirkland paper. The really important thing is to use plenty of water. Most toilet manufacturers recommend filling the toilet 2/3rds with water. This gives a bit of power to the flush. Adding a squirt of laundry fabric softener makes the sides of the pipes slippery and doesn’t usually interfere with enzymes. (FWIW we only use enzymes a couple of times a year).

As long as you use plenty of water and don’t go overboard with tp use you aren’t likely to block up. If you’re boondocking and conserving water try throwing used wet tp into a bag to dispose of later. Please flush the poop paper. Nobody wants that stuff in trash bins.

Hope this helps!

What do you use for your tanks and where are they located? If you are going to use a deodorizer be sure to get one like this, http://amzn.to/UC6pTb ,it is designed to be used in grey water holding tanks.

I use this tight now, but there are many options, including some that you can apparently dig a hole and dump in the ground? Some kind of Eco Friendly stuff. Anyways I use this the last couple times and just dumped it when I got back. It's definitely a game changer for those not looking forward to squatting behind a bush.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-41195-Ultra-Concentrate-Treatment-Formaldehyde/dp/B007H2PH02/ref=mp_s_a_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1541440086&sr=8-31&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=porta+potty+chemicals&dpPl=1&dpID=413mlDzHq7L&ref=plSrch

The grey tank can get more disgusting than the black. They do make a grey tank cleaner specifically made to dissolve grease and sludge that's common in grey tanks, where black tank chemical is specifically made to deal with the stuff commonly found in black tanks.

I had the same problem a couple years ago. I used this stuff and smell went away quickly. I use it a couple times a season and haven’t had a problem since.

Camco TST Lemon Scent RV Grey Water Odor Control, Stops Sink Trap Odors, For Use I...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007JG1W1E/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_rzjkDbP2QXH2Y