Sanatizing the Water Tank?

[68 Suburban]

I want to make sure the water tank on the trailer I just purchased is clean. Is there a way to sanitize it? Thanks

[overlander64]

Many years ago, I was taught to use one gallon of bleach for a thirty-gallon tank - - drain the gallon of bleach into the tank then fill with water - - run the pump until the smell of chlorine is evident at each faucet - - top off water tank with water and allow to stand for at least three hours. Drain the tank, and this is a new technique that I picked up - - dissove half a box of baking soda in about half a gallon of boiling water and allow to cool - - drain this solution into the tank and fill with water - - allow the pump to pump water through the lines until there is only a trace of chlorine odor at each tap - - this reduces the residual chlorine odor. After at least three hours of sitting time, I make a final flush of the system with clear fresh water.

Don't follow my lead, however, and leave the bleach solution in the tank - - I did this in 1999 and had the "pleasure" of taking a bleach water shower the first night we dry camped on the 1999 Wagon Wheel Caravan.

[68 Suburban]

But I love the smell of bleach! Thanks for the advise.

[Edie]

From Full-Time RVing by Bill and Jan Moeller

Sanitizing a Used RV’s Water System

1. Flush the system by putting four tea-spoonsful of dishwashing detergent for each ten gallons of water into the tank.

2. Fill the tank, then open every tap in the RV and run the soapy water through until the tank is empty.

3. Refill the tank with clear water and drain by running the water through all the faucets.

4. Put a strong chlorine mixture in the tank: 2/3 of a cup to ten gallons of water. Dilute the chlorine in water before pouring into the fill pipes.

5. Open each faucet individually and allow water to run through it until a chlorine smell is detected. Repeat the running at hourly intervals until the chlorine smell is immediately evident when the faucet is opened; it may take several hours of repeating this procedure for this to happen.

6. When the smell can be immediately detected, empty the tank by running the chlorinated water through the faucets, then flush the system with fresh water until no chlorine taste remains, or use the baking-soda solution described below.

7. Drain the system and flush it by using the tank drain and faucets. To remove any remaining chlorine taste and odor, dissolve ½ of a cup of baking soda in one gallon of very hot water. Be sure all the baking soda is dissolved. Pour the solution into the tank and let it stand for eight to ten hours or overnight. Use the faucets and tank drain to drain the tank, then flush the system twice with fresh water.


I highly recommend this book to every RVer, full-time or not.