whats up with sewer hoses with bare hands?!

[rfequity1]

So we are in a campground and sitting here at the table watching campers pack up and I've seen two different sites where they just pick up the sewer hose bare handed, let water drain out and then one just threw it in the back of the truck. Then he threw their freshwater hose on top. None of these people washed their hands. They just went on about their business.

What do they think runs through these hoses?

Keep in mind, one of these was the same family that watched their outside TV blaring loud until 9:15PM last night. Yes, it was within the "non quiet" time. So I give them credit, they shut it down by 10PM, but seriously. Why does it have to be so loud that all campsites around you can hear?

Why does it seem like the more I pay for a site, the worse the experience? This is why we started backpacking years ago, to get away from some of this. I am so happy to see families have fun but does no one think about others anymore?

[CRH]

I don't mind doing it bare handed.

[Dennis C]

Maybe I’m over cautious, but I always wear gloves when dealing with sewer hoses, tank dumping, etc. I use hand sanitizer when I’m finished, and I wipe the surface of the handles, lid covers, etc. with Lysol wipes to finish the job. I always keep fresh water hoses and accessories completely separated from those used for sewer duties.

Raw sewage can make people very sick. I’m not particularly interested in E Coli exposure or other nasty bugs…

[richard5933]

Not sure if watching other people's hygiene habits is ever a good idea or one that ends with a warm fuzzy feeling.

I generally dump the tanks with bare hands from start to finish, and then go inside to wash with soap and water afterwards. You'd likely not know that I ever washed if you were watching from across another site.

[Dennis C]

Adding a few more comments:

I also see many people dumping tanks with bare hands.

Last week, I was at a dump station at a state park waiting for my turn. The RV in front of me didn’t get a firm connection with the dump station, and quite a bit of raw sewage spilled out onto the platform. The driver tried his best to rinse it down the drain, including solid matter that spilled onto the concrete. Did he get all the contaminants off of the public surfaces, spigot handles, etc? I don’t know. I was glad to be wearing gloves when it was my turn.

[RickBullotta]

Do you wear gloves on the toilet? Do you wash your hands afterwards? Same thing.

[Jcondon]

Originally Posted by rfequity1

So we are in a campground and sitting here at the table watching campers pack up and I've seen two different sites where they just pick up the sewer hose bare handed, let water drain out and then one just threw it in the back of the truck. Then he threw their freshwater hose on top. None of these people washed their hands. They just went on about their business.

What do they think runs through these hoses?

Keep in mind, one of these was the same family that watched their outside TV blaring loud until 9:15PM last night. Yes, it was within the "non quiet" time. So I give them credit, they shut it down by 10PM, but seriously. Why does it have to be so loud that all campsites around you can hear?

Why does it seem like the more I pay for a site, the worse the experience? This is why we started backpacking years ago, to get away from some of this. I am so happy to see families have fun but does no one think about others anymore?

It may be a Plumbers Convention? We get used to the waste. We call it money!$$)

[Dennis C]

I do not wear gloves when I use the toilet, and I do wash my hands afterwards. That said, I don’t share my toilet with the public. My toilet is cleaned regularly. My risk of exposure to bacteria is quite a bit lower on my own toilet than it is at an RV dump station.

Obviously you can take this type of discussion to ridiculous levels where you’d never eat at a restaurant, never use a public restroom, etc. I don’t think anyone is advocating that, but a I also think that the minor inconvenience of wearing gloves while handling sewer equipment is worth it. I’m not wearing a hazmat suit… it only takes a few seconds to put gloves on my hands.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Do we wear gloves when wiping down after a #2 deposit in the latrine?
POI...Always when at the dump station.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Steamy1]

I use gloves when handling gray and black hoses and fittings. Prior to connecting the sewer hose to either the campsite or dumping station, I spray the area around the opening and perimeter of the inlet with a chlorine/water solution. Then spray the connectors when removing.

Sometimes, I also spray the fresh water hose faucet depending on how high it is off of the ground. Picture a dog lifting his leg.

[rfequity1]

just saw another one. no gloves and this guy I saw him washing out the 90 degree elbow at the water spigot used for fresh water at the site.

[Bunker]

I do the glove thing, but I wipe everything with Clorox wipe before and after use as others have noted. I also try to leave things better than I found them.

I was amazed to see MANY people using the dump station method of “close enough” this summer. Literally pull up, don’t use a hose, open the black tank and let it dump on the ground. Then they would use the black rinse hose to wash it down the hole, mostly. Mind blowing to see. I guess the solved the need for gloves.

[Jcondon]

Originally Posted by rfequity1

just saw another one. no gloves and this guy I saw him washing out the 90 degree elbow at the water spigot used for fresh water at the site.

As a plumber I can tell you one thing. Y’all don’t chew your vegetables enough.

[ITSNO60]

I have mixed feelings about gloves. I keep a box with my sewer stuff but I don't always use them. My thinking is cross contamination/transfer happens just the same whether wearing gloves or not. Whatever you touch with the gloves gets the transfer, like compartment doors, entry door and water spigots. Sure gloves can prevent contamination of cuts on your hands but if you don't have cuts, and you wash up good when finished, I don't see an issue. I always wash up and I also have a cannister of antiseptic wipes in with my sewer stuff, I don't walk into the RV to get one, it's a dedicated container for sewer stuff kept in the outside compartment. The drain hose goes in a tube underneath with vent/drain holes. I also carry a spray bottle of water and bleach 50:50 and I try and remember to spray the potable water spigot at a site when we first arrive, I have seen too many folks connect their black water flush hose to the potable water spigot or rinse their hands at the spigot after putting the drain hose away, there could easily be cross contamination on the valve handle and threads.

[cazual6]

Short answer: Like all things, there is a proper way of doing things.

Long answer: When I first started the RV Life Style, I wore a hazmat suit, metaphorically speaking. And I am a germaphobe to a degree. Once I understood the proper way of handling it, you can do it with bare hands. You never touch anything that would be exposed to the contaminants.

My process:

-Connect hoses as normal.
-Open gray tank for a few seconds to test for leaks
-Close gray tank
-Open black tank while at the same time, opening clean-out
-Leaving running until clear
-Close black tank while keep water through the clean-out, do other tasks such raising the stabilizers etc, something that takes a few minutes.
-Open black tank again while water still running, repeat until water is clear.
-Close Black tank, let water running for 30 seconds to have some water in the black tank
-Open gray
-Disconnect from RV side use a hose with nozzle to spray into hose.
-Spray Lysol into hose
-Rise off end for good measure
-Spray Lysol from the other end
-Wash hands

Viola!

[Mollysdad]

Gloves.
But I used to use the heavy rubber gloves that looked like they'd stop anything. But I tossed them in the bumper storage with the hose, and I began to think some stuff might have walked inside the gloves.
Now I use the Nitrile gloves from Harbor Freight and toss them each time.

On the other hand, during my work years, we'd often be coiling cables that had laid on the ground for a week, sometimes while eating a sandwich. I always thought my anti-bodies were doing pushups in my system and germs feared me.
I don't get sick either!

[JCWDCW]

Originally Posted by RickBullotta

Do you wear gloves on the toilet? Do you wash your hands afterwards? Same thing.

Exactly

[Life is a Highway]

There are two camps

1: Did you grow up on a farm working with your hands with farm animals , machines and field dirt

2: Did you grow up sheltered living the beautiful life of a protective bubble

Gloves are ok they are a protective layer for scrapes and cuts from sharp sewer plastic connections.

Just wash your hands afterwards or use hand sanitizer. I always carry a solution of dawn and water and wash out the hose while it’s hooked to the sewer pipe. Then spray off the ends with simple green all biodegradable

[Hittenstiehl]

You want people to think of others and be sanitary, my goodness one thing at a time here folks. I'm extremely busy thinking of myself.[emoji4]

[richard5933]

Thinking of others and leaving things better/cleaner than you found them? Certainly.

Wearing gloves while dumping my tanks? Sounds like a personal choice to me.

Years of shoveling horse and cow manure and wading through a free stall barn have given me a pretty high ick tolerance.