subject: Cleaning The Fresh Water Tanks For Your Rv [print this page] The water tank in your RV is where your fresh water supply is located. This is the water than you will use for drinking and bathing while on the road. This water tank really should be as clean as possible. If there is a smell or odd odor coming from this tank then its time to clean it out. This isnt too difficult of a process and can be done in a few hours. While drinking from this tank is possible, it should be noted than many travelers simply take bottle water along with them and use the fresh water tank for other chores like showering or washing dishes.
To properly maintain this tank its best to first drain the freshwater tank. This includes the RV hot water tank as well as the regular water tank. This should be done at the end of every outing. If water is left standing it can be a place for bacteria to grow and multiply. This can be worse if there is a long gap between RV vacations. To drain the tank open up the faucets and let the water run out until it is empty. This will be the same action after the tank has been cleaned. Always open all the faucets and even the showerhead when draining the tank.
Next, clean the tank out with a solution of bleach. Take some regular bleach and add a single cup of it to about ten gallons of water. The RV tank should then be filled to about halfway with fresh water and the bleach added at this point. Again, if the tank holds thirty gallons then add three cups of bleach to the mix. Once the bleach has been added to the half tank then fill the tank the rest of the way. Engage the water pump and turn on all of the RVs faucets. You will now smell the bleach in the running water.
At this time the best way to get the bleach solution throughout the entire RV water system is to take the RV around the block. This will get the cleaning solution to move around and into every little nook and cranny. Once back at home, leave the mixture in the system overnight. This will make sure it gets to everything.
Now comes the time to finally rinse out the tank. Turn the pump on and run everything until the fresh water tank is completely empty. Refill the tank and repeat the flushing process until the tank is clean and shows no signs of bleach in the system. The dissipation of the bleach smell will indicate when its done. Congratulations, you just cleaned out the tank.
