Monday, January 24, 2011

Cleaning the Black Tank

Dump
If possible, rinse the tank to get as much residue removed before starting the below processes.

Add to the tank:
¼ cup of Joy
3 gallons of water
Optionally a bag of ice cubes (this creates surface agitation and helps clean the walls)
Drive 1+ hours to agitate the contents.
Dump and flush until you get tired of it or the gauge reads true.

Before Use:
Add 3 gallons of water
Add 1 tablespoon of Rid-X
Take a crap!
Nature will get to work

It may be that you still have a problem with the gauge reading 2/3 or more.  If so, this may be due to dried or nearly dried residue remaining high on the tank walls.  One approach may be to dump the tank, then bring the tank up to about 90% full with warm water and a detergent and let it sit for a few hours, followed or accompanied by agitation by driving.  Dump the tank, then try step one above again.   


An Ounce Of Prevention...
Each time you dump, if water is available, use a hose with a rotating spray end (available from Lazy Daze) or other tank flush mechanism to spray the interior of the tank.  Avoid dumping the black water tank before significant waste accumulation.  If you will be putting the RV into storage, make every possible effort to get the tank fully clean before storing.  If temperatures will be mild, storage is an excellent opportunity to fill the tank with clean, soapy water and let it sit for days or weeks before dumping.