Can I clean the toilet with houshold cleaners??

[hoorders]

Hi everyone,

Im getting ready to use the tt for the first time......its a 25ft Salem Lite by Forest River.........I'd like to know if I can clean the toilet and sinks with regular household cleaner, like VIM....or will this damage anything......or will bleech and water be the best bet.

Thanks very much.

 

[Tom]

It depends on what your commode is made from. If it's plastic, VIM will likely scratch the surface and make it tougher to clean next time. You really don't want bleach running down into the holding tank either.

 

[hoorders]

Any suggestions on what can be used thats safe on the surfaces and the holding tank?

I just dont want to get ripped off buying some cleaner at the RV shop that costs 5 times more than it should....and turns out to be the same as something I can buy off the shelf at walmart or something.

 

[cuts_up]

We have a plastic toilet and I use the disposable Clorox toilet scrubbing pads that you put on a stick.  Afterward I rinse the stick, wrap it in a trash bag and store it in the cabinet.  I haven't noticed any scratcheds, but our rv is a 1993, so I don't think a scratched toilet will be a deal breaker at selling time.  

 

[Tom]

Some slippery stuff such as ProtectAll, available in some, but not all Wal*Mart stores.

 

[hoorders]

Ok.....I will just stick to a creamy cleaner.....something that wont be abraisive.

 

[Marsha/CA]

I use a little bit of "soft scrub" on a teflon pad then rinse with a lot of water.  Seems to work pretty well.

Marsha~

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Most any household liquid cleaner will do nicely, e.g. Simple Green or the Chlorox spray.  Just stay away from the abrasives on plastic. 

A coating of a surface protectant such as Protect-All will keep the toilet clean and shiny longer and it only takes a few seconds to apply. Basically just spray and wipe.

 

[BruceinFL]

We use Pure Power in our holding tanks. They also make a product which we use for cleaning, both at home and in the RV, called Micro Power. Check it out here: Pure Power. (We have electric waste valves and the warranty mandates use of Pure Power.)

These products contain good bacteria and enzymes which will not harm your waste tanks..in fact, it's good for them.

 

[wilfreddrabble]

We are full timers with a plastic toilet but steel sinks. We have been using Awesome (costs a dollar at the Dollar Store in a spray bottle) or Simple Green diluted 10 to one on the inside of the toilet to get rid of scale and hard water deposits. On the outside of the toilet, we use an antiseptic bathroom wipe, either Clorox or Lysol or one from the dollar store. We also use these wipes to clean the bathroom floor. Sometimes we'll put some Pine Sol into the toilet bowl, especially when we are dry camping.

No scratches on the toilet yet, inside or out. We don't use a toilet brush or anything at all abrasive on the toilet. On the steel sinks, we sometimes use the cream bathroom cleaners but mostly just hot soapy water and a plastic pot scrubber from the dollar store.

John Alldredge, fulltiming with my wife, Janet for four years in a 22' TT

 

[Ron]

I sure wouldn't put Pine sol in our toilet.  Will upset the natural bacterial action. 

 

[papahog]

What about 409?

 

[Ron]

What about 409?

We wouldn't use it in the toilet.  There are products for RV toilet cleaning that work very well without having a detrimental affect on the waste tanks.

 

[papahog]

Thank you.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I don't think it makes much difference what detergents you allow to go into your waste tank. Moderate quantities won't bother anything and large quantities will kill many or all of the bacteria, no matter what brand it is. On the other hand, the bacteria are self-replenishing from the wastes and quickly too.

 

[carson]

Makes sense to me, Gary...

    I suppose the "Septicity" is important, but it is also a "renewable resource".  ;D

Wow, I can't believe I came up with that; maybe I should check my septicity. 

carson FL

 

[Ned]

Believe it or not, septicity is an actual word, even if my spell checker doesn't think so

 

[shawnc]

Any concern for corroding the sensors if you were to use bleech?  My dad has dumped some in there with water on his way to the campground to clean the tank.

 

[Ron]

Any concern for corroding the sensors if you were to use bleech?  My dad has dumped some in there with water on his way to the campground to clean the tank.

Not a good idea.  While the bacteria will adventually get replaced it isn't immediate and till it does the desired bacterial action is lacking. 

 

[Carl L]

Any concern for corroding the sensors if you were to use bleech?  My dad has dumped some in there with water on his way to the campground to clean the tank.

Ron is dead right.  You tank works as a septic tank.  The bacteria in the tank digests the sewage and paper.  Bleach kills off the bacteria hindering the digestion of the paper making a plugged tank drain all that more likely.  Clearing a plug can be a nasty job.  You want happy, healthy bacteria.