The Basics of RV Bathroom Maintenance, Part 2

Recently, we posted our tips for maintaining your RV bathroom to prevent odors, leaks, and other expensive and stressful issues in your RV. The bathroom in your RV is what makes RVing special because it gives you the freedom to camp, hike, and experience adventure while having a small piece of comfort from home at the same time. Keeping the bathroom clean and working the way it should ensure that you never have to go without and you can always have that little luxury at the end of a long day having fun.This week, we want to share more tips on how to keep your bathroom in perfect working order, including checklists for before and after your trips, during your trip, cleaning, and more. You can read last week’s post here.
Before You Leave
Before you leave for your trip, you should always perform a check over your whole RV. For your bathroom specifically, we recommend a few specific tasks.
Check your shower hardware and shower pan for any cracks, mold or mildew build up, or leaks. If you notice any leaks, address these immediately. (You can read our blog post about replacing shower parts here.)

Check the seal on your toilet. If you notice any small hardened or dried spots, you can perform a quick fix using plumber’s grease to keep the seal lubricated and prevent odors. However, if the seal is looking particularly ragged, we recommend replacing it immediately. We like this tutorial for a step-by-step of how to do this. But if you need help, you can always take it to Guaranty Service to better help you get it fixed.

Check all the other fixtures in your bathroom, such as your faucet, any pipes, and tile. If you notice leaks, holes, or more, address these immediately.

Ensure that your vent fan works; this can help prevent moisture and odor buildup in your bathroom. If the vent fan makes an odd noise, isn’t working properly, or appears very dirty, it is an easy fix to open it up, clean it, and see if that takes care of the issue. We like this YouTube video for a DIY version.

Perform a deep clean. After you check all the parts of your bathroom, perform a deep cleaning: wipe everything down, sanitize, and ensure everything is dry and free of build up.

Deep clean and sanitize your sewage tank itself. As we mentioned in part 1 of this post, doing so can prevent odors and build up, allowing your sewer system to work more effectively. If you go to step 3 of this tutorial, you can learn more about deep cleaning your black water tank.

Sanitize your entire RV water system. This ensures that your plumbing is working and sanitized and that your fresh water stays fresh. We recommend this article for step-by-step instructions.

During Your Trip
Performing maintenance of your RV’s bathroom during your trip can feel like a drag, but doing so can help make your life a little easier. As well, if you live a full-time RV lifestyle, then doing so is just a part of life! Out on the road, here is a checklist for everything to check daily.
Ensure everyone in the RV understands bathroom etiquette. This includes not flushing anything inappropriate down the toilet and wiping down the shower after use to prevent mold.

Every evening before turning in for the night, make sure that your toilet is clean, as is your shower. Quickly check for any leaks or issues that may have come up during your trip.

Wipe down counters with sanitizing wipes if you desire.

Empty your sewage tank when it needs it. As we wrote in part 1 of this blog post, your black water tank should be emptied when it is ¾ or more full. If you need a refresher, see this tutorial.
After Your Trip
After your trip, you’re probably tired and ready to settle into bed. However, we recommend that, within a day or two of returning home, you perform a few vital tasks to ensure the health and longevity of your RV’s plumbing and bathroom. Once you’re rested up, it’s time to get started!
Thoroughly check your bathroom and hardware for any leaks, damage, or buildup. Try as you might to address and keep an eye on these issues throughout your trip, sometimes things happen. If your toilet seal was looking a little rough before your trip, doing an extra check on it might catch an issue that needs immediate attention

Thoroughly clean your entire bathroom. Perform a deep clean, just like before your trip, to ensure it is fresh for the start of your next trip (so hopefully you just have to wipe away a little dust before you head out on your next big adventure).

Check all your plumbing, including tanks, for issues. Checking all your water pipes, plumbing pipes, and tanks for leaks or issues that you need to address. Doing this now means that, if something needs to be addressed, it won’t be happening a few days before you’re supposed to head out on the open road!

Schedule service if needed. Sometimes after a particularly long trip, it might be time to schedule service for your RV. As we recommended in this blog post about servicing your RV, it’s always worth it to schedule a technician to do a thorough once-over of your RV to check for anything you may have missed.
Maintenance Matters
When it comes to owning an RV, performing maintenance definitely isn’t up there on the list of things you love—and we know that! But if you love RVing, camping, and hitting the open road to find your next adventure, regular maintenance, especially on your bathroom, means you never have to worry about something popping up while you’re out trying to have fun. If you ever experience an issue that you aren’t sure how to fix, or know you need an expert for, don’t hesitate to contact us at our Service Department or Travel Center; just click here.

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