Toilet paper?

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vito55

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Mar 24, 2013
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Forgive my indelicacy but I have a question about toilet paper, macerators and RV's. In my current travel trailer we have to, of course, use the flimsy and easily dissolvable toilet paper. My wife now has interest in possibly a Class A, in part because several campers we have met have such with macerators built in. My wife is wondering if with a macerator, you get the option of using better TP, like the Charmin we use at home, or if even in a motor home with a macerator are we obliged to stay with the cheap stuff. Thanks for any advice you can offer.
 
I use the softest tp I can find. I have a small trash can located right next to the toilet and that is where I deposit the tp. It sounds gross and I read about it on this forum thinking I would never do such a thing. But after my last plug up due to tp I tried it and to my amazement it works just fine. The trash can does not smell at all.
 
We always have used (and still use) Charmin, with and without macerators (1st MH had macerator, second didn't, this one has one of each), in all our rigs. It's not always completely dissolved by the time we dump, but we're able to keep it from building up, AND we don't use any chemicals -- just plenty of water. Once in a while I use the sani-flush (by whatever name) rinse connection to work extra out, but that's not needed every time, so long as you leave a bit of water in the black tank after dumping (that is, add 3-5 gallons by flushing or by the rinse connection) to keep things wet and not let stuff dry out and build up.

Addendum: Don't look for a macerator just for chewing things up -- it's primarily there because the particular  toilet doesn't get a straight shot into the black tank. And macerators are easily clogged, too, if you're not careful, even from just too big a wad of toilet paper.
 
There's little reason to use any special toilet paper, with or without a macerator. A search will find lots of prior discussions on the subject. We also have the results of one of our forum-wide TP tests in our forum Library - see here.

Not all class A's have macerator pumps, and I'd think they're in the minority. The main reason for such a pump is because the toilet is not directly over the waste tank, and the effluent has to be 'pumped' horizontally to enter the tank.

We have a couple of macerator pumps on our boat, and have not seen a need for different TP than we use at home or in our coach.
 
Larry N. said:
We always have used (and still use) Charmin, with and without macerators (1st MH had macerator, second didn't, this one has one of each), in all our rigs. It's not always completely dissolved by the time we dump, but we're able to keep it from building up, AND we don't use any chemicals -- just plenty of water.

X2.  Charmin Ultra at home and on the road. Never had any issues.
 
SeilerBird said:
I use the softest tp I can find. I have a small trash can located right next to the toilet and that is where I deposit the tp. It sounds gross and I read about it on this forum thinking I would never do such a thing. But after my last plug up due to tp I tried it and to my amazement it works just fine. The trash can does not smell at all.

This is SO GROSS!
Geeze, this has been discussed I thought to death.  Apparently not.  Buy any septic safe TP that you find you like the best.  There are several people who have done tests on different TP brands and they have their preferendes. 
Holding tank plugs tend to be lumped into one basic thought.  Lack of water.  These holding tanks need a lot of water to help break up poo and TP.
 
donn said:
This is SO GROSS!
Geeze, this has been discussed I thought to death.  Apparently not.  Buy any septic safe TP that you find you like the best.  There are several people who have done tests on different TP brands and they have their preferendes. 
Holding tank plugs tend to be lumped into one basic thought.  Lack of water.  These holding tanks need a lot of water to help break up poo and TP.
There is nothing gross about it. Why do you think it is gross? Nobody uses more water than me and I still have problems with it clogging. This comes not from the type of tp I use but from the fact my valves are broke and the black tank does not drain properly. The price tag to have my tanks dropped and the handles repaired is obscene, providing I can actually find someone who will come out to my site and do the dirty work. Much cheaper and easier to just put it in the trash can. Don't knock it until you know all the facts.
 
[quote author=Rene T]Tom, do you have sinus problems by any chance?[/quote]

I sure would if I was sitting next to an open can of poop  :(
 
Cottonelle Ultra users here. Had two trailers and now a class C. I have had no problems with the toilet paper clogging or otherwise bothering my black tanks.
 
A neighbor couldn't dump the black tank in his new trailer. I made a few suggestions, and he decided to "fish" stuff out from the top (commode). The stuff he was fishing out made him ask his wife if she'd put 'wipes' down the toilet; She had, problem solved and lesson learned.
 
We use tissue because I find you use less than toilet paper on a roll and we only flush poo paper. Lol. I was using the lotion kind because you know, so soft-I've since been told I shouldn't due to the emollient. It works for us.
 
I've heard talk of people that think their poo doesn't stink, but I thought they all drove Prevosts :)
 
FWIW many sailboaters use the 'poop in the trash' method. I figured they had small holding tanks and sailed a long way (long time) between ports  ???
 
I was just talking to my wife about which toilet paper I should get for the motor home last night... coincidence? Hmmmm. :)
 
I guess it's no different than the diaper bucket in the baby's room - no smell until you open that lid!

As far as the macerator, we have one in one of the bathrooms and because of that I tend to only get the RV paper. 
 
RV toilet paper is the pits.  We use any 2-ply toilet paper that's clearly marked "septic safe" because it disintegrates faster than others.  NEVER EVER put wipes, Kleenex, or other non-toilet paper products down the toilet because they do NOT disintegrate based on our Quartzsite toilet paper test.  By the way, a community in England is having a major waste drainage problem caused by disposable diapers and wipes that clogged the waste into a 250-POUND clog that will take months to unclog.

Ardra
 
Kheren said:
We use tissue because I find you use less than toilet paper on a roll and we only flush poo paper.

If you only flush poo paper, what do you do with the tissue?
I would be interested on how fast tissue dissolves. Put a sheet of it in a cup of water and stir it every 1/2 hour or so and get back to us with the results please.
 
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