Cleansing your Motorhome Water Tank (the simple approach)

Involved about cleansing your motorhome water tank? Wish to sterilise the freshwater tank in your camper or caravan? Right here’s what you have to do to make sure protected ingesting water in your van.

Don’t neglect to seize your FREE motorhome pre-trip departure guidelines under

*We work arduous to make this the perfect motorhome journey weblog and street journey web site attainable, filled with useful content material for you. The web site is supported by our readers, so in the event you purchase via hyperlinks on this web site we could earn a commission- at no additional value to you. All opinions stay our personal.

If you happen to discover this publish helpful, you may additionally deal with us to a espresso – we promise to get pleasure from it whereas creating extra helpful content material like this- we would even bask in a biscuit (or two!)

Cleansing your motorhome water tank

One factor I’ve at all times been aware of is ingesting water. Mr WB has spent numerous time within the Center East, the place water just isn’t at all times protected to drink and he’s somewhat obsessive about ensuring we have now protected water.

No less than- I used to suppose it was obsessive till he acquired Legionnaire’s Illness!

Now, I ought to make it very clear that he did NOT get Legionnaires from our motorhome water tank, but it surely was from one other van, which isn’t used very a lot.

So, to keep away from the identical scenario in our van and assist you to keep away from it in yours, you have to clear your motorhome freshwater tanks frequently.

Why cleansing motorhome water tanks is vital

Most water carries micro organism. When that water is saved in a enclosed area (like a motorhome recent water tank) micro organism can multiply rapidly. This turns into even worse in heat temperatures. Legionella is likely one of the essential considerations, however so is E-coli and a number of other different varieties of micro organism.

Sadly, you don’t have to drink the water to turn into contaminated. If you happen to bathe from a contaminated tank, or use the water for cooking or rinsing meals, you may turn into sick. Many of those result in lung situations, like pneumonia and COPD.

Additionally, over time, the recent water system in your motorhome, campervan or caravan turns into contaminated by grime, particles and even bits from the hose you utilize to refill the tank. All of this promotes micro organism and makes the water much less protected to eat.

You too can by no means assure that the water you’re filling your tanks up with is protected to drink both. Once we had been motorhoming in Scotland, we spent a while on the Isle of Skye and it seems a sheep had died within the campsite water provide and had contaminated all of it! Thank goodness we didn’t refill!

Nevertheless, many individuals don’t wish to carry extra water for ingesting, because it eats into area and payload, (1litre weighs 1kg) so retaining the water tank clear turns into the next precedence.

Is it protected to drink water out of your motorhome water tank?

This can be a subject which divides opinions massively. Many individuals solely use the water straight from their tanks for showers/ cooking and many others, preferring to both filter the water earlier than ingesting or boiling it for warm drinks. Listed below are some choices for filtered water:

Others are fairly blissful that it’s alright to drink and don’t fear about it in any respect.

Personally, I do drink from the water tank as I now have an inline filter within the chilly line fitted (so I don’t drink something from the water heater!), however for a few years we solely used our motorhome water tank for showers, enamel cleansing and washing up and used a Lifesaver Jerrycan to drink from, even after we’re going to boil it within the kettle.

Many individuals ask me if the water tastes bizarre with the filter, however no- I can’t style any distinction tbh.

As of late you may add inline water filters to your water system, though I don’t use one in my van, they’re turning into fashionable. You’ll be able to take a look at the Alde system right here however different programs can be found.

How typically must you clear a motorhome water tank?

The query of how typically you need to clear your motorhome freshwater tank relies upon quite a bit on how typically you utilize it and the place you’re. Personally, we clear ours twice a yr, however that’s as a result of we spend numerous time touring Europe in our motorhome.

On the naked minimal you need to clear it totally every year and ALWAYS when it’s been stood for a couple of weeks or extra. That is when micro organism and biofilm can actually begin to develop contained in the tank and make the water harmful to drink.

How do you clear a freshwater tank on a motorhome?

The very first thing to recollect is that no matter you utilize to scrub your water tank will depart a residue, which you’ll then be consuming for some time each time you utilize the water. That is why I don’t advocate a cup of bleach or bleach combination, except it’s both protected for human consumption otherwise you don’t plan to ever drink from the tank once more.

Then you have to choose a product. There are a number of available on the market, and every have their execs and cons (see under).

As soon as chosen, right here’s what you do:

• Shut all faucets and valves (together with the new water tank drain and reduction valve)
• Add your chosen cleansing product (ie- Puriclean). Pour it into the recent water tank directly- you would possibly want a funnel.
• Fill system utterly with recent water from a hose or utilizing a bucket.
• Activate faucet FURTHEST away out of your recent water tank to get the answer all via your system. Let the water run from the faucets for 10-15 seconds after you hear the water pump (or till you may odor the cleaner), then shut
• Depart in a single day. Alternatively, you may drive round for a short while, to get the combination into all corners. Simply remember you’re driving with a full tank and the car could also be heavier than you’re used to.
• Subsequent day, absolutely open all faucets, which permits the cleansing product to then run into your gray waste tank and clear that too. I additionally pour some cleansing product/ resolution down the drains within the kitchen and toilet.
• Utterly empty the freshwater tank, then refill with clear water and EMPTY absolutely once more via the faucets to scrub out all of the pipes.
• By the tip, you shouldn’t be capable of odor the cleansing product any extra. If you happen to can, refill and empty many times till the faucet water not smells.
• It’s a good suggestion to alter your water filters now too, so the entire system is clear and able to go, though in the event you’re going into winter storage you would possibly wish to wait till the brand new season.
• Moreover, you may clear your gray waste tank and bathroom cassette/ black water tank with the under product (BUT don’t put this in your recent water tank!):

Motorhome tank cleansing merchandise

Like most issues in relation to cleansing your motorhome, there are a number of merchandise you may select from.

Most of them work in very comparable methods, so it’s principally a matter of selecting the product which sounds greatest to you.

What’s Puriclean?

Puriclean is likely one of the most well-known motorhome tank cleaners. It’s very easy to make use of and works very successfully to eradicate micro organism, viruses, bio-film, algae, and fungi.

It has a dual-purpose formulation which each cleans and sterilises in a single go, so no have to do two therapies. It cleans the complete motorhome water system: tanks, pipes, pumps, hoses and faucets and may apparently even be used to “take away stains from many home gadgets equivalent to glassware, plastic tableware, tea and occasional pots and chrome steel gadgets equivalent to vacuum flasks”.

One 400g tub cleans a tank of as much as 270 litres and the combination doesn’t odor, foam or hurt any elements within the water system. It may be difficult to know when the tank is flushed, so I might do it a minimum of twice to take away the entire formulation earlier than you utilize the tank usually.

Are Aquasol and Puriclean the identical factor?

NO. Aquasol and Puriclean are NOT the identical issues. Puriclean cleans and sterilises the tank, whereas Aquasol disinfects water while it’s within the tank ready for use.

We add Aquasol to our water EVERY time we refill. It’s protected to drink or use in bathe.

Can you utilize vinegar, bleach or acid to scrub your water tank?

I’ve seen some posts and movies on Youtube discuss utilizing citric or acetic acid to scrub a motorhome water tank because it restricts the expansion of micro organism and prevents algae rising.

We’ve by no means executed this, purely as a result of the acetic acid we all know of is hazardous to eyes and pores and skin. Many individuals use it as a weed killer. You will get a milder dose (vinegar is just 4% acetic acid) however I query how efficient this may be!

So no, I don’t advocate utilizing vinegar or citric acid to scrub your motorhome water tank. If you happen to do select to, you’ll want one litre of cleansing vinegar for each 100 litres of water.

Some individuals additionally point out utilizing bleach. Once more, family bleach/ chlorine bleach could be hazardous if consumed and I don’t really feel the chance is price utilizing it, particularly when there are different merchandise available on the market which do an incredible job. I strongly advocate you utilize a type of.

If you happen to do select to make use of bleach, remember it might injury chrome steel, which many motorhome scorching water boilers are produced from.

Do you have to sterilise a motorhome water tank?

Sterilising and cleansing a tank are comparable, however not fairly the identical factor. Cleansing is extra ‘washing out’, whereas sterilising is actively making an attempt to kill all of the micro organism.

One of many causes we like Puriclean is it cleans AND sterilises on the similar time, making the entire course of a lot simpler.

Tips on how to take care of your motorhome water system whereas travelling

Listed below are some tricks to preserve your water tank clear whereas on the street:

• Change the water frequently (a minimum of each three/4 days).
• If you happen to don’t naturally use this a lot water (in the event you’re travelling solo or naturally frugal), then simply fill the tank midway every time so it’s not standing within the tank too lengthy.
• If you happen to’re motorhome wild tenting and wish to keep off-grid , you may fill the tank full however be sure you add chemical compounds (we do that each time anyway, regardless of whether or not we’re wild tenting or on campsites).
• Use a correct meals grade hose to fill the water tank, and preserve it devoted JUST for this job. Maintain the hose in a protecting bag to cease the ends coming involved with different issues. See our different motorhoming necessities right here.

Can you allow your motorhome with water in it?

Water doesn’t retailer nicely, though many plastic bottles say it’ll final for a couple of years. However stagnant water will begin to get micro organism and slime very quickly- scarily rapidly. I at all times advocate you drain your water system down except you’re utilizing it once more inside every week.

I hope you discovered these suggestions helpful. I do know the considered catching one thing nasty out of your motorhome water system could be worrying, however utilizing a correct food-grade hose and cleansing out your system and tank frequently ought to preserve all the pieces protected.

Final replace on 2024-07-03 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photographs from Amazon Product Promoting API

Sharing is caring!