Start fresh this Spring with a full system cleanse—from the germ seat to the stink tank.
Spring’s arrived (at last!), and everyone is ready to go roaring into the beautiful green scape. But first, you’ll wanna make sure you’ve hit refresh on your bathroom. After all, Spring is supposed to be a breath of fresh air. So here’s a little advice from our think tank on how to start the season with a royal flush.
Scum-Scrubbing Secrets
We all want our bathrooms to be fresh, clean, and germ-free. (We know we’re gonna spend time there.) Still, who wants to be bogged down by hours spent scrubbing soap scum or limescale? No one. So, start with superior cleaners and these stress-saving secrets.
APRIL SHOWERS
Glass shower doors are attractive, but they can be painful to clean. You need a safe-for-glass bathroom cleaner, able to remove soap scum and water spots without damaging the glass itself. A standard glass cleaner won’t cut through the grime. Squirt a little bit of regular bathroom cleaner onto a wet microfiber cloth.
Use the cloth to wipe from the bottom up. Afterward, rinse with water from the top down and dry with a dry microfiber cloth. Continue with the walls, always starting at the bottom and working up before moving onto the floor. (And don’t forget the showerhead and faucet.)
RIGHT ON TRACK
Cleaning shower tracks is much easier with the proper tool: a shower track brush. But with a shower track brush, and a little bathroom cleaner, you should easily be able to wash the grime away from your track. If you have hard water or built-up mineral deposits in your bathroom, you’ll need a cleaner with some grit, such as Gabe’s Pride Cream Cleanser. With a soft cloth and minimal elbow grease, this cleanser is effective and gentle. If you have real natural stone in your bathroom, be very careful with any bathroom cleaner. Most quality bathroom cleaners have acidic properties that may harm the natural stone. A quality cleaner will still be eco-friendly and biodegradable.
RESPECT THE THRONE
Again, having the right tool and cleaners for cleaning your RV’s toilet can make all the difference. Many people make the mistake of using bleach to clean their toilets. Don’t. It may kill
germs, but bleach is not a cleaner. It doesn’t shine anything and can damage the seals. Instead, use a soft swab with a good cleaner. A soft swab holds water, is hygienic, and is easier to get into tight areas. Using a bristle or silicone brush is not nearly as effective as the cleaning chemical drips through. Remember to wash the exterior of the toilet and then rinse and dry it with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.
VANITY OF VANITIES
Cleaning your RV’s sink couldn’t be easier—all you need is an eco-friendly bathroom cleaner with a clean microfiber cloth. Wet the cloth, add a little cleaner, and wash the sink, counter, and faucet. Rinse with water and dry with a fresh microfiber cloth. Mirrors are another part of your bathroom that is easy to clean. Spray and wipe using a clean, dry microfiber cloth and an ammonia and vinegar-free window cleaner.
WIPE THE FLOOR
RV bathrooms tend to be small, so a microfiber cloth and a spray bottle of a multi-surface cleaner are what you need. Spray and wipe with a wet cloth and dry for a film-free, clean floor. You can use a mop if you prefer.
TWO Dumps Then Flush
Let’s get to the nitty-gritty and whatever else that rhymes with. Because (all doo respect, Pam), surfaces don’t get to the bottom of the problem. If you want the cabin fresh this Spring, you gotta dump, flush, and treat your tanks—so your tanks will treat you right!
DUMP THE BLACK TANK
Frankly, it’s a dark place. This tank stores everything that is collected from your toilet. Need I say more? So get those sanitation gloves on when you connect the sewer hose to the waste valve fitting. (Really shouldn’t require much convincing to do that.) Then connect the sewer fitting to the nearest dump station. Open your black water tank valve to dump. When it’s empty, close the valve.
DUMP THE GRAY TANK
The gray tank stores everything collected from your sinks and shower. Unhook your sewer hose from the black waste valve and connect it to the grey waste valve (unless you have a double assembly with one fitting). Then open the gray water tank valve until empty, this will give your sewer hose a soapy rinse. Close the gray valve.
FLUSH THE BLACK TANK
To get a true fresh start, you’re going to want to flush your tank from your toilet to the waste valve of your rig. If you don’t have preinstalled flushing system, then this is what you’ll need. For the toilet, you’ll want to get a tank wand, and ,for the waste valve, a tank flush adapter Also, make sure to always use a gray flushing hose. Something to consider is what type of plumbing you have on each end. Is the toilet plumbed in a straight line or is it off-center? Is your waste valve a straight shot to your tank? If you have straight-line plumbing that goes directly down and out, use
something (like the Master Blaster Tank Wand) that includes a convenient shut off valve and an effective spray nozzle for the toilet bowl and, for the waste valve, an RV Hydroflush® that will break up plugged tanks, clean the tank, pipe, valve and drain hose. If your plumbing is off-center, you’llwant to look for a tank wand that is flexible (like the Flexible Tank Wand) that has a flexible hose with a multijet nozzle for the toilet bowl. Then, for the waste valve, the Flush King will refill and flush the tank at any height or bend of plumbing. When complete, drain the black tank, close the valve, and disconnect the sewer hose.
TREATMENT TIME
The best recipe for unwanted odors is a professional eco-friendly tank treatment (bacteria and enzyme based) such as Pure Power® or Odorlos. Never use homemade concoctions. If you accidentally mix the wrong chemicals into your waste system, it can be hazardous to you or your system. Most tank treatments require one to two gallons of water to two to four ounces of treatment. It is very important to shake the treatment well before use to get the enzymes active. We recommend four ounces at the beginning of the spring traveling season.
SANITIZE EVERYTHING
The valves, the water spigot, and everything that was utilized during the dumping/ flushing process. If you happen to be dumping at a dump station, take your time. You will not want to miss one step by rushing the flushing.
