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Is urine considered GREY water?

The water from the shower goes straight to your gray water tank, and urine should go to the black water tank.

familytravelfever.com - Can I Pee In The RV Shower? (Gray Water Tank Questions)
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Can I Pee In The RV Shower? (Gray Water Tank Questions)

NOTE*** The content on this page may contain affiliate links, we may make a commission. And, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. More information: disclosure page. If you aren’t familiar with RVs, the difference between black and gray water tanks may get confusing. Sometimes, whether it is okay to pee in the shower is a question that’s you might ask. In general, you should not pee in the RV shower. The water from the shower goes straight to your gray water tank, and urine should go to the black water tank. However, sometimes urine ends up in the greywater tank. You know, like if you have kids showering in the RV. In this case, you will just need to add extra cleaning steps to keep your gray water tank clean.

Where can I Dump my RV’s Gray Water Tank?

AnnaLeeRose – stock.adobe.com.

As a rule, greywater should be dumped in the correct receptacle for disposing of gray and blackwater. This means you should dump your tanks at a dump station, into the sewer line or septic system. On occasion, you will see some campgrounds have a separate gray water system that you can dump your greywater. Some campgrounds allow campers to dispose of their gray water to a dump station dedicated for it. If the campground does not have a dump station, many other places such as private RV parks, wastewater treatment plants,m truck stops, and rest areas have dumpstations. If you have a cleanout that is accessible at your house you can dump the greywater there. Pro Tip: Do not empty your gray water into a storm drain. Although gray water is less toxic than black water, it can still pollute water sources when dumped improperly. Another place to dump your gray water is into a grassy area. Just make sure it is allowed to dump there first. Grass and plants act as filters for your gray water before it goes to the rivers and streams.

What Happens When There’s Urine in Your RV Gray Water Tank?

Dmitrii Iarusov – stock.adobe.com.

Urine can make your gray water tank smell.

It is important to note that although gray water is the “cleaner” water tank, there are still hair, lint, soap residues, and sometimes urine that can make it smell. You should keep your grey water tank clean and empty. When you are at full-hookup site, keep the grey water tank connected and valve open.

Otherwise, dump your tanks every 2-4 days at the campground dump station.

Most gray water tanks do not have a flush system as the blackwater tank does. You can still clean the tank by adding dish soap and baking soda down the sink. Then fill the tank full before opening the line to flush it.

How Do I Stop My Gray Water Tank from Smelling?

To keep your gray water tank from smelling, make sure to keep as mush dirt and food particles out of the line as possible. You need to clean your sinks and drains properly. Since odors originate in sinks and drains, it is best to begin odor prevention at the source. Here’s a list of tips you can try. Keep grease out of the sink. Carefully wipe all dishes out with paper tower before washing. The gray water tank might emit a foul odor as a result of oil and grease.

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Use a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the shower drain every time it smells. It has a pleasant scent and disinfectant characteristic that lowers the odors. For your bathroom and kitchen sinks, pour some orange soda on the drain and rinse with water. After emptying the gray water tank, put spoonfuls of baking soda on the sink. Then rinse down the drain with hot water. Use a mesh strainer to prevent bits of food from going down your gray tank. Scrape down the plates you used after eating to remove food particles that can clog your sink drain. Try the Geo Method – a mixture of water softener, laundry detergent, water, and bleach for cleaning the interior walls of the tanks.

How do I clean my RV gray water tank?

makasana photo – stock.adobe.com.

Cleaning and maintaining your RV’s gray tank is a relatively easy process. It entails using a cleaning agent, draining and rinsing the tank, and treating it on a regular basis. Following these steps proves to help a lot in reducing bad odor. Start by filling your RV’s gray water tank halfway with water then add your preferred cleaner. You can use Dawn dish soap and backing soda. Drive to the nearest dumping station. The water will splash around the gray tank as the RV moves. This can be helpful in removing any buildup. Empty the tank into the dump facility. Simply attach one end of your sewer hose to the dump station hole and the other to your gray tank valve. Open the tank valve, and let it flow. Rinse the tank thoroughly by using a flush valve or a tank rinser. Put some treatment as it breaks down residue like grease and soap scum, which helps avoid clogs and odors in the tank.

Why Does My Gray Water Tank Still Smell Even after Cleaning?

If you have cleaned your water tank but it still stinks, then chances are, there might be underlying problems in the valves or pipes.

If the smell persists, check the following:

Leaking valve – check all the valves for holes or openings that may be the source.

Clogs – check your drains and pipes for clogging.

Poor plumbing design – while this is hard to check, if the smell persists, it might be better to ask a professional to check your plumbing system.

Important Questions to Ask About Gray Water Tanks

We know you still have other concerns about how to keep your gray water tanks in good working order. Here are some of the most often asked questions.

How do I know when my gray water tank is full?

A tank holding sensor is standard on most RVs, and it will warn you when your tanks are about to fill up. Another indicator is when you notice that the water from your sinks and shower drain is backing up once it’s full. On certain smaller travel trailers, you cannot notice until your drains stop draining.

Related reading: Why won’t my RV shower drain?

How accurate are the RV water tank sensors?

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The accuracy of your tank monitors depends on how clean they are. It’s usually due to residue build-up that connects the sensors when the RV holding tank reads incorrectly. Use anti-grease detergent or an enzyme-based treatment to ensure this doesn’t happen.

My grey water tanks sensor reading full

My black water tank sensor is constantly reading 3/4 to 1/2 full even after being dumped. However, the grey water tank sensor generally works better overall.

How often do I dump my gray water?

In general, you can figure you will need to dump your grey water tank every 3-5 days. If you are boondocking and relying only on your freshwater holding tank you can last up to 7-10 days with very careful water use. How often you dump your gray water depends on how much water you use every day. It also depends on how many people are using water in your RV. Some may dump often, some may not, especially if they are using outside sources like in a campground. The rule of the thumb is to always check the gauge of the tanks.

Can I use bleach to clean the gray tank?

Do not use bleach as it will harm your RV’s seals and gaskets, as well as destroy beneficial bacteria that aid in waste breakdown. However, I do add a cup of bleach to the freshwater holding tanks every couple of months. The city water has chlorine in it but you can sanitize the tanks better by adding a little bleach. However, you want to flush this water before using it.

Is it okay to leave the gray water tank open?

When you are at a campground with full hookups you should leave the gray water tank valves open. This will allow the water to drain continuously and you will not need to remember to open the valve and dump the tank. If you are not hooked up to the sewer, leave the gray tank valve outside the RV closed. After flushing the black tank, flush the gray tank to clear any solids trapped in your sewer hose. You won’t have enough water to flush out the sewer hose if you leave this valve open. Finals Thoughts on Whether You Can Pee in the RV Shower or Not Dealing with backwater and gray water tanks can be confusing if you are new to RVing. Ensuring that you are taking care of it will help prolong its life so you can use it for more years. Having said that, we all know that it is normal for some people, especially kids, to pee in the shower and they do it all the time at home. However, when in an RV we have to take extra precautions when doing so. Getting urine in the gray water tank increases the possibility of your tank developing foul odors. If you found this guide helpful, you may want to check out our other resources about RV living/renting.

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familytravelfever.com - Can I Pee In The RV Shower? (Gray Water Tank Questions)
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