Cleaning a black tank - what REALLY works

[DRVMON]

Oxy clean will clean it out. Note I read somewhere tanks can have a soybean derivative in their makeup. Oxy clean attacks organic material.

[depler]

OldBiscuit wrote: "Clean Black Tank? … Only when New!"

For most of us, that's true … but there are places that will steam clean your black tank to 'new' condition. Squeaky Clean … I've seen it on a used motorhome my daughter bought in California.

I don't need squeaky clean, but if the buildup is large and solid, or if squeaky clean is important to you, professional steam cleaning is a option that always works.
--
Dick

[boyland]

Originally Posted by HJLowell

Flush down 1 box of baking soda.

Then flush down 1 gallon of vinegar

After dumping and rinsing the black tank a few times and adding back about 5 gallons of fresh water.

I flush the toilet several times or activate the rince System if you have one to activate.

Go for a drive and let slush around.
Dump or fill the black tank with fresh water and dump.
This cleans the sides also.

Or
Same procedure but use Simple green.
A quart will do you fine.

And smells go also.


Before every trip.
I start out by dumping the tanks.

I add back 5 gallon or so of fresh water with a quart of Simple green.

Then drive off for a fun trip.

It takes lots of water to flush a little bit of solids and T.P.

Very good advice

[1bigmess]

There are much better things for cleaning than NaHC03+ CH3COOH. I'd use Rid X before I used NaHC03+ CH3COOH. There are more expensive ways to make CO2 and not do much more than that.

[rocket051]

After I fill & flush about 3or4 times I have good luck with Simple Green, bio degradable smells good. Let it soak in there during the 100 mile trip.

[NeilV]

[QUOTE=IC2;5011053]

Originally Posted by botiemad

I believe that pressure washer sprayer is a Jetter as mentioned by Joe (MS Happy Campers). As I mentioned above, a 2700 psig pressure washer and a mediocre quality tank concern me. I may be able to turn the pressure down some, but possibly not enough. All I need is to not have a brown liquid drool down my arm, not a spotless tank.

If that's the real ask then drain the tank with the jacks raising the coach high on the passenger side and then when the flow stops retract those and raise the coach high on the drivers side of the coach so any residual will flow to the passenger side while your working on the valves. This is of course with the slides in the stored position and any loose items that may slide off counters, etc inside the coach taken care of.

An old wet vac can help too. Just clean it out with bleach when your through and just spray some OdoBan into the hose occasionally while your using it and after you've bleached and rinsed it out.

[REDEYE50]

Originally Posted by steve52

Not trying to be condescending. The water is what worked, the Rid-X did nothing.

what if the ridX was left in the tank for a week or so without dumping? do you think that is long enough for the bacteria to work?

[FatChance]

Originally Posted by REDEYE50

what if the ridX was left in the tank for a week or so without dumping? do you think that is long enough for the bacteria to work?

No.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by REDEYE50

what if the ridX was left in the tank for a week or so without dumping? do you think that is long enough for the bacteria to work?

The black tank is a HOLDING TANK. Not a septic system. Treat it as such.

[IC2]

Originally Posted by REDEYE50

what if the ridX was left in the tank for a week or so without dumping? do you think that is long enough for the bacteria to work?

AS the opening poster for this thread, go back to Post 28 yo see how I did my tank cleanup. I didn't reread any further but will say (maybe again) that I had to change out the tank drain valve so was really able to get into the tank itself. No lingering "stuff" and best of all, no small either. So, will Ride-X clean the tank the way I did? Yes. But with that said, the tank is not a septic tank but a temporary holding tank. Ride-X has the same basic ingredients that many folks favorite, Happy Camper but seems somewhat stronger and best of all, lots less expensive and available at any big box store.

[vito.a]

I've cleaned two different coaches that sat for an extended time and the black tanks were terrible.
Trying to use RidX or Ice to clean an RV black tank are a waste of time.

You can have it professionally cleaned, or use Blue Dawn Premium and let it sit overnight. Then rinse and repeat.

[twogypsies]

If you use plenty of water and don't dump until it's full, you won't have an issue with your black tank. Why do folks make it so difficult? It doesn't have to be sparkling clean and stuff shouldn't build up if you use sufficient water. It will break down.

[botiemad]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

If you use plenty of water and don't dump until it's full, you won't have an issue with your black tank. Why do folks make it so difficult? It doesn't have to be sparkling clean and stuff shouldn't build up if you use sufficient water. It will break down.

This is really the only procedure that is effective. I never leave a park, or home without dumping and putting at least 5-10 gal of FW in the tank. The tank emits no odors, the gauges always work. After each outing I drain and flush the tanks until the dump water runs out clear. The professional tank cleaners use a strong detergent and pressure washers to scour the insides. When I first got the RV I did like wise. I have a PW with a rotatable tip and can do the sides and corners of the tank from the commode. Really works well.

[JohnBoyToo]

I have a built in tank flush, but never use it, just do the basics:
Don't be water stingy for #2's
Let tank fill before dumping,
Dump all at once,
and rinse with grey water to clear hose...
then store hose in sealed tub..