Opt For Natural RV Cleaning Products & Save Your RV Tanks
Using natural RV cleaning products is a great decision when it comes to protecting your RV holding tanks. For example, you certainly do not want any chemicals mixed with your freshwater tank’s drinking water. In addition, you want to maintain a balance of good bacteria and enzymes to break down waste in your black tank. Using toxic cleaning products can upset this balance, cause clogs, and release unwanted smells into your RV. Gray tanks are not so critical of toxic cleaning materials, but you don’t want to use anything that can cause them not to drain or erode your tank.
So, whether you are using a homemade RV cleaning products recipe or working with store-bought natural cleaning products, be selective. Here’s how to use natural RV cleaning products in your rig.
Natural Products for Black Tank Cleaning
Keeping black tanks clean is a fine balance. The products you use can be like those used with septic systems and tanks. Septic tanks are closed systems that release water back into the groundwater system. Because we are in an RV, our septic system is closed too – only releasing the sewage when we have a dump station or sewer connection. You will want safe products. These products are good to use around your toilets as well since those products can end up in your black tank.
These Non-toxic Cleaning Products are Great for Black Tanks
If you are purchasing an RV cleaning product you will want to stay away from synthetic chemicals, products that will persist in the environment long after you are gone. Be careful of those that claim they are ‘green’ products without verification. Look for these types of labels:
- 100% Natural
- Biodegradable
- Third-party certified green
Easy, Natural Rv Cleaning Product Ingredient Ideas
Here is a list of natural cleaning ingredients. These are non-toxic RV cleaning ingredients you can use to clean your bathroom and kitchen. They will help disinfect your shower, tub, counters, and other surfaces without the use of harsh chemicals. The other nice bonus is all these natural cleaners are very inexpensive.
- Baking soda is good to use where you want a nice shine like on refrigerators, faucets, shower heads, stove tops, and microwaves.
- Borax mixed with a little water provides a stronger disinfecting option so you can use it in high germ potential areas.
- Distilled white vinegar is great for cleaning windows and removing soap scrum, grease, or strong odors.
- Lemon juice is good for cleaning windows, inside the refrigerator, wood items, and floors without leaving streaks.
- Salt sprinkled on top of thick spills is a great scrub to break up the mess.
Recipes for Homemade RV Cleaners
You can use any combination of the natural ingredients above (except vinegar and baking soda – they cancel each other out) to create your own homemade RV cleaners. Here are a few mixtures you can use anytime.
Clean a glass coffee pot. Put water, ice cubes, and salt into the pot and swirl. This scrubs coffee stains out immediately.
Remove wine spills. Immediately cover the wine spill with a pile of salt. Let it sit for an hour or two. Soak the spot in cold water for 30 minutes and then wash the spot clean.
Get rid of mildew. Moisten the stained spot with a mixture of lemon juice and salt and sit it in the sun. Rinse and dry.
De-ice your steps. Sprinkle rock salt on your stairs and the walk area in front of your rig, just enough to get through but not enough to damage plants and animals.
Turn down the flames. If your firepit or BBQ flames get too high, throw on some salt. It will reduce the flames and calm smoke without wetting your coals like water.
Make an all-purpose cleaner. Mix equally a half cup of white vinegar and a half cup of water with one teaspoon of lemon juice.
Polish furniture. Mix a quarter cup of white vinegar, three-quarters cup of olive oil, and one tablespoon of lemon juice.
Clean the oven. Mix a quarter cup of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, and a quarter cup of water (enough to make a paste). Spread it in your oven and let it sit overnight. Wipe with a damp cloth the next morning.
Warning About Using Toxic Cleaning Products for RVs
It is important to note that there are a lot of products you should never use to clean your RV because they are harmful to waste management and to your tanks.
- Antibacterial cleaners and disinfectants. These will kill the beneficial bacteria that help your black tanks.
- Chlorine Bleach. Too much bleach will also kill the good bacteria in your tanks. You need the good bacteria to break up the sewage.
- Chemical Drain Cleaners. Also, a product that kills bacteria and can cause costly tank repairs.
- Methylisothiazolinone. Say that several times fast! This is a synthetic chemical that also has antimicrobial properties and is found in a lot of cleaning products.
Just remember, when you choose a cleaning product, your tanks do not filter out the chemicals or toxins. These toxic cleaning products will either destroy the balance in your tank or they will wind up back in the natural environment. The closer you can get to all-natural RV cleaning products, the more you will not only be taking care of your tanks, but you will also be protecting Mother Nature.
