Taking a shower, cleaning the dishes, and washing your hands are all activities that you do not think twice about when you are at home. But when you are living in an RV, the only source of water is the fresh water tank, which you have to keep full and clean.
Since the tank is the only thing sustaining your daily water needs, you should keep it in top condition at all times. In other words, the RV freshwater tank should be sanitized and cleaned to get rid of any bacteria, germs, or parasites.
In this way, you can protect yourself and your family from E.coli, Giardia, Naegleria, and plenty of other water-borne bacteria.
Here is how to sanitize your RV’s fresh water tank and make it germ-free.
The Preparation
Cleaning and sanitizing the RV water tank is as easy a job as any. But you have to be very careful and follow the right procedure. Otherwise, you would waste your time and get no results.
To begin, you need to find a place with readily available fresh water. Otherwise, refilling the tank and draining the excess could pose a problem.
Next, you should have all the necessary cleaning products on hand, before beginning the job. You don’t need anything special, just the usual chemicals to kill off unwanted bacteria, germs, and algae.
Once you have readied yourself, it is time to begin the sanitizing process.
How To Sanitize Your RV Fresh Water Tank
-A durable water hose to drain the tank and refill freshwater back after sanitization. But before you buy, make sure you are spending money on a drinking water-safe hose. It is usually mentioned on the packaging. If not, you can ask the hardware store attendant to help you out.
– A bucket or pail should also be kept nearby because you will need one to mix the cleaning solution.
–Rubber gloves are also necessary to help protect your skin against harsh and abrasive chemicals.
-The cleaning agent is also necessary as without it you can’t sanitize the RV freshwater tank. You can use any product you like off the top of the shelf. If it is bleach you are using, ensure it is unscented.
-Buy a sponge or a lightly abrasive cloth to clean the tank’s surface.
Next, close the shutoff valves leading into and out of the freshwater tank. You don’t want water to enter the tank while you are doing the cleaning and you don’t want it to leak into the RV fixtures. The cleaning agent should stay in the tank and it should not have any exits. Otherwise, your hard work will go in waste.
So, before adding the chemicals to the tank, completely drain the freshwater tank and then move to the greywater tank.
Why should you drain the greywater tank? After all, it is quite unhygienic, to begin with and there is no point cleaning it!
Well, the greywater tank will hold the sanitizing solution (bleach) and run it through the RV’s plumbing system. That’s why emptying the dirty water tank is a must before starting the cleaning process.
Chlorine bleach is the best way to sanitize your RV’s freshwater tanks. But you need to add it in the right amount, or you could risk harming the RV’s plumbing system.
As a standard, add one ounce of bleach into the tank for every eight gallons of freshwater. But mix the agent with water or else you will damage the plumbing.
Here you should use the bucket/pail you bought at the hardware store. Add the recommended amount of bleach into the pail and add wat to dilute the solution. Once the two have mixed evenly, pour the solution into the RV’s freshwater tank.
Once you have added the sanitizing agent to the tank, add some more water inside to allow the solution to work its magic. Then, open up the faucets, showers, and other fixtures briefly to run the bleach through the RV’s plumbing.
Also, it helps if you slosh the cleaning agent around to allow it to reach every area inside the freshwater tank.
Once the tank is empty, run fresh water through it and repeat the draining process. Remember to run the water through all the faucets and showers to refresh the plumbing system.
If you can still sense the smell of chemicals in the freshwater tank, repeat the rinsing process again until the smell vanishes.
Next, drain the greywater tank and let all the cleaning solution exit the RV.
That’s it! You have sanitized and cleaned your RV’s freshwater tank!
FAQs
How much detergent should I add to the tank for cleaning?
For every 5 gallons of water in your tank, you should add 1/3 cup of detergent.
How long should I let the water pump run during the flushing process?
You should let the water pump run for about 10 minutes after adding the detergent, and another 10 minutes after flushing out all of the detergents from your tank.
Is it normal for the water to have a slight chlorine smell or taste after sanitizing?
Yes, this is completely normal and will subside over time. Be sure to flush out all of the sanitizer from your tank before using it.
Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by travel. I inherited this passion from my parents. Since my college years and to this day, I have had a passion for traveling in a motorhome. I am here to share my experiences with you.
