The RV Tank Care Guide

PURE RV & CO

The RV Tank
Care Guide

A simple routine for clean, odor-free, clog-free tanks. What to do on dump day, how much to use, and how to fix the smells and clogs most RVers run into.
Pure RV black tank, grey tank and unclogger bottles
Free guide from Pure RV & Co · purervandco.com
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Your RV has three tanks

Each one does a different job, and each one needs a different kind of care.

Fresh tank

Clean water for your sinks, shower and toilet. Keep it sanitized and drained before storage.

Grey tank

Water from your sinks and shower. Food bits, soap and grease build up here, and that is where a lot of "mystery smell" comes from.

Black tank

Everything from the toilet. Needs enough water, the right treatment, and a full dump and rinse.

The 3 rules that solve most problems

  1. Water is your friend. Solids need liquid to break down and drain. Add a few gallons of water after every dump, before you treat.
  2. Keep the black valve closed at camp. If it stays open, the liquid drains and the solids stay behind and pile up.
  3. Dump at about two thirds full. A fuller tank flushes out with more force and carries more out with it.

Toilet paper and wipes

Use RV or quick-dissolve toilet paper. Never flush wipes, even ones labeled "flushable". They are one of the most common causes of clogs and stuck sensors.
Dump day

The dump day routine

Do it in this order every time. It takes about 15 minutes.

  1. Put on gloves. Check your sewer hose for cracks and connect it firmly at both ends.
  2. Open the black valve first. Let it drain completely.
  3. Rinse the black tank (built-in flush or a tank wand) until the water runs clear.
  4. Close the black valve. Then open the grey valve. The soapy grey water rinses your hose on the way out.
  5. Close the grey valve. Disconnect, rinse the hose and store it.
  6. Add a few gallons of water to the black tank through the toilet.
  7. Treat both tanks (doses below).

Dump day checklist

  • Gloves, sewer hose, hose support, clear elbow
  • Tank rinse hose (never the same hose you drink from)
  • Black tank treatment and grey tank treatment
  • A few gallons of water back into the black tank
  • Valves closed before you drive away
How much to use

Doses, straight from our labels

Measure with the cap. More is not better for a routine treatment.

BLACK TANK

Pure RV Black Tank Treatment (STINKSTRIKE)

4 oz
for the very first treatment of a black tank
2 oz
after every dump, per 40 gallons of tank

Pour into the toilet after you dump and add water. Re-treat after every dump, or every 3 to 5 days while you are using the RV. Up to 16 routine treatments per 32 oz bottle. It also works in the grey tank: 2 oz down a sink or shower drain.

GREY TANK

Pure RV Grey Tank Treatment

1 oz
per 40 gallons of grey tank
2-4 oz
for heavy use

Shake well. After dumping, with the valve closed, pour into any sink or shower drain and rinse in with a little water. Grey tank only, never the toilet or black tank. Up to 32 treatments per bottle.

CLOGS

Pure RV Black Tank Unclogger

8 oz
per 40 gallons, into the toilet or tank
30 min
routine sit time. 48 to 72 hours for a stubborn clog

Use after dumping and rinsing. To keep things moving, use 8 oz weekly or after heavy use. 4 doses per 32 oz bottle.

Troubleshooting

Where is that smell coming from?

Find where you notice it, then work down the list.

You smell it... Most likely cause What to do
When you flush the toilet Black tank low on water or due for treatment Dump, rinse, add water, treat with 2 oz black tank treatment
Near the kitchen or bathroom sink, or the shower Grey tank buildup from food, soap and grease Dump, then 1 oz grey tank treatment down the drain. Scrape plates before washing
Outside near the hookups Loose or cracked sewer hose, or a leaky cap Check the hose and seals. Replace a cracked hose
Only on hot days Heat speeds up breakdown and gas Treat after every dump and dump more often in the heat
Tank sensor reads full when it is not Paper or waste stuck on the sensors Dump, rinse well, use the Unclogger with a long sit time
Slow flush or tank will not drain A "pyramid plug": solids piled under the toilet Unclogger, 8 oz per 40 gallons, wait 48 to 72 hours, then dump and rinse

The 5 mistakes we see most

  1. Leaving the black valve open at camp.
  2. Not adding water after dumping.
  3. Forgetting the grey tank. It smells too.
  4. Flushing wipes or regular household toilet paper.
  5. Putting a grey tank product in the toilet. Use the right product for the right tank.
Storage season

Before you park it for winter

  1. Dump and rinse both tanks completely. Waste left in a tank all season is what you smell in spring.
  2. Run the Unclogger through the black tank if it has been draining slowly, then dump and rinse again.
  3. Drain the fresh tank and water heater, and winterize your lines if you will see freezing temperatures. Follow your RV maker's steps.
  4. Leave the valves closed and the caps on.
  5. On your first trip back, start the black tank fresh: water plus a 4 oz first treatment.
The right product for each tank
RV Tank Treatment Starter Kit
RV Tank Treatment Starter Kit, $69.99
Black Tank Treatment + Grey Tank Treatment + Unclogger, 32 oz each. One of everything in this guide.
Shop the Starter Kit, $69.99 →
Free guide gift: 20% off your first order
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Questions? Email mendy@purervandco.com and a real person answers. Always follow the directions on your product label. Pure RV & Co, 2139 N University Dr #2279, Coral Springs, FL 33071.