Best RV Toilet For A Refreshing Camping Experience

Factors To Consider Before Purchasing The Best RV Toilet

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A) Types Of Toilets

When it comes to buying an RV toilet, it is essential to consider the different types, including;

I) Macerating Flush RV Toilets

Macerating flush RV toilet uses motor-powered blades to break waste into smaller, more manageable particles. Macerating toilets are ideal for avoiding solid waste buildup when dumping the tank. You can get aftermarket macerators that are installed when leaving the tank.

However, the macerating toilet will save installation time each time you use the RV. In addition, buying the extra macerator may take up the limited space in the RV that you could use to carry other things.

Ii) Gravity Flush

Most common and uses the pull of gravity to make a flush. The gravity flush toilet is in many ways similar to the household toilet. The toilets do not have a water tank at the back but are directly above the black water tank.

The toilets flush the waste now using gravity and water straight into the tank. The gravity flush RV toilet works perfectly if connected to a water pump or directly to a water source.

Iii) Vacuum Flush Toilet

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Similar to a macerating flush, a vacuum pumps waste to liquefy it. A vacuum flush RV toilet uses suction to get the waste into the right place. The vacuum pumps are the best RV toilet options because of the toilets’ limited amount of water. A vacuum toilet can use up to half a liter of water at any time.

So the most water you will need in a vacuum toilet is about a liter and a half. The vacuum toilet saves you massive costs, especially if you are an RVer. RV toilets are pushing the portable camping toilet technology, and the vacuum toilet is at the top of that game.

Iv) Composting Toilets

An RV composting toilet will not use water to flush contents but instead, separate solids and liquids and convert them into humus deposited in the soil. A composting toilet is a genius approach to living the RV life because of the many wins involved. Apart from coming up with hummus that may be helpful in many situations, the composting toilet solves many logistical problems with the RV life.

When you flush composting RV toilets, a trap door lets the solid waste where it will compost. The liquid waste goes to a different tank, separating the solid and liquid waste. This setup reduces the smell of waste mixing, as experienced in most RV toilets. The portable toilet has seen many evolutionary changes, but going back to nature’s way works perfectly every time. The RV composting toilet is arguably more environmentally friendly than the other portable RV toilet models.

New RV toilet models accelerate decomposition by providing heat that evaporates just enough water. As a result, the waste will not foul and will be better handled than mixing it in the same tank.

V) Cartridge RV Toilet/ Cassette Toilet

The cassette toilet is permanently connected to your RV bathroom but has a cassette holding tank that requires emptying when full. The portable camping toilet works by installation and removal every time the tank gets full. When cassette toilets are full, the waste is disposed of using an external toilet. You can use the service doors of stores to access the washrooms when your tank is full. The cassette toilet requires guts, according to some people. The biggest worry is how long the cassette toilet fills up and how easy it is to dump. It takes a shorter time than other options, but the best thing is that you have more dumping options.

Vi) Portable RV Toilets

A portable toilet is used in the cab-over campers and camper vans. Its collection containers are light and small enough to be dumped in residential or public toilets. Therefore, we can classify most RV toilets as portable toilets.

B) Toilet Profile

There are two main profiles in an RV toilet: high and profile. Ideally, high profiles are taller than low profiles. However, the ideal choice for you is dependent on personal preference. Since RV bathrooms tend to be a little tight, taller individuals might prefer a high profile one while shorter individuals a low profile.

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C) Flushing Mechanism

Most RVs have either a foot pedal or hand lever flushing mechanism, and both have a 2 in 1 feature that allows one to fill the bowl and dispose of the waste. However, things are a bit different for a portable or composting toilet. They have a hand sprayer or built-in flushing mechanism for easy bowl cleaning.

D) Available Space

The RV toilet’s length and width are essential when matching a new toilet with the available space. You also want to consider whether you will need room to pull a lever on the side of the toilet or reach behind during the installation process.

Although height is not something many people consider when it comes to a toilet, in-home toilets usually have the luxury of optimal height and more height, but for an RV, every inch counts.

E) Durability

You need to find a toilet that has a durable design that can last for several years after installation. At the same time, a plastic RV toilet is made from a durable material that is easy to clean and less likely to rust or corrode.

F) Ease Of Installation

The best RV toilet should be simple to install because you don’t want to pass through the cost and hassle of finding a professional. However, installing an RV can be challenging to connect to an incoming water source because you need adapters and proper pipe fittings.

Tips On Using The RV Toilet

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A) The Toilet Paper Cross

We are not debating why toilet paper could not cross the road today. Instead, the toilet paper cross is a helpful tip for camping toilets because of the limited amount of water used in the RV. Before sitting on the toilet, ensure you have the toilet paper from a cross sign in the bowl. The two pieces of toilet paper crossing each other will prevent anything from staining the bowl, which would not be ideal given the water situation. The cross will also help the waste pass through easily when you flush.

B) Minimal Toilet Paper

Due to the limited water, you need to limit the amount of toilet paper you use. The more toilet paper you use, the more water you will use. Find toilet paper that easily dissolves in the water to avoid clogging when you are done doing your business. The best thing you should do for the RV toilet is to avoid potential blockages rather than deal with them later.

C) Minimal Flush

When using the RV toilet, it is better to consider that the holding tank is not as big as the residential-style toilet septic tank. The size of the tank is just one reason water should be used sparingly while in the RV. The water that the RV can hold is limited as well. Therefore, you will run out of water if the toilet breaks are too many. If you have newcomers in the RV, you can tell them about a documentary you watched where RVers had to recycle toilet water when they got stuck in the middle of nowhere and could not come out.

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D) Fast Flush

If you want to hack the RV life, you must master the fast flush. The fast flush involves releasing the foot pedal flush for the waste to go with little water. The process consists in stepping on the foot pedal and releasing quickly. Do not forget and do this on the clutch, though. The fast flush prevents the water from flowing for extended periods, saving a lot of water in the process.

E) Maintenance

Maintenance is necessary for all toilets, including the one in your house. The RV toilet needs maintenance, too, given the amount of work and the situation it finds itself in. You do not want any foul smells in your RV because that is where you will spend all your time throughout your trip. Drain the tank correctly and promptly. Avoid unnecessarily letting the tank fill up to the brim when you could do something about it.

F) Talk About The Rules

If you take the RV with others, it is better to be on the same page on everything toilet. Do not just talk about the toilet seat or the tissue-roll direction. Touch base on everything else first. Knowing how to use the toilet will save everyone the vital water in an RV. Comfort is critical when it comes to using the toilet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) On RV Toilets

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1. How Do I Use An RV Toilet?

An RV toilet is used just like a standard toilet. Most come with a foot pedal for flushing and pumping water for the flush. However, they have a lesser storage capacity, requiring an emptying routine. You can use soft-bristle toilet brushes, sponges, gloves, and non-abrasive toilet cleaners to clean the lid and toilet seat area when cleaning the RV toilet.

2. Do RV Toilets Require Special Toilet Paper?

Although RVs may not require special RV toilet paper, RV toilet paper is specifically designed for RVs. The RV toilet paper tends to break down easier than regular toilet paper and may save the trouble of unclogging your toilet and make the cleaning process smoother.

There is a small debate about whether to use RV toilet paper over regular toilet paper or whether the whole argument is a rip-off. You can never count on getting the correct answer in forums because such spaces are highly opinionated.

However, regardless of what one might say, RV toilet paper is designed specifically for use in the RV. Unlike regular toilet paper, RV toilet paper is made with a material that dissolves easily in the black tank or the RV toilet. The toilet papers are tested extensively to dissolve quickly in the holding tanks.

The toilet paper should dissolve easily to avoid clogging, and the best way is to avoid using regular paper.

3. How Do You Fix A Clogged RV Toilet?

A clogged RV toilet can be challenging, but fixing it is not complicated. There are many ways of unclogging a clogged-up RV toilet. Some methods are simple enough for you to do them yourself, while others involve calling a plumber.

Method 1: Before you call a plumber for a camping toilet repair, you can try fixing it by opening the valve and pouring hot water. The hot water will help break down what is causing the clog. You need to let the water sit overnight while it does its magic. Then, you can pour the water in just before you set off so that the water is mixed in properly when you drive around. Many people swear by this method, and you can try it out to see if it works. RV toilets offer you the chance to shake things up when the toilet seems not to be working.

Method 2: Furthermore, some chemicals are specially formulated to fix a clogged toilet, but ensuring they are safe for septic tank use is crucial. You can find tissue digesters that increase the rate of tissue dissolution, leading to a more manageable waste consistency for the RV toilet. You will need to half-fill the toilet, then apply the chemical. Let the chemical sit in the toilet bowl for a few hours, then flush the toilet. Once the toilet is flushed correctly, let the chemical solution further sit in the holding tank. You can drive around to aid the chemical in taking effect in the tank before emptying the tank. This method should work for the different types of RV toilets.

Method 3: The toilet tank wand is one tool that works well for the different types of RV toilets. Even an excellent RV toilet needs the help of one of these at a given point. Regardless of the flush mechanism, things happen. The toilet tank wand will help you quickly reach down an elongated bowl, making cleaning more manageable. The wand will reach the depths of the pipes and do the necessary. The great thing about the wand is that it can connect to the faucet and deliver high-pressure water to help apply the pressure required to open the clogged sections.

Method 4: You can use ice cubes to unclog a clogged-up RV toilet. However odd this method may be, RVers will swear by it. Coming across ice cubes might be difficult, but so is coming across the tools for the other methods. The great thing about ice cubes is that you might find some in most stores along the way, making the method a more viable one than the rest. First, fill one-third of the RV toilet bowl with water. Next, fill the rest of the RV toilet bowl with ice cubes and flush the RV toilet. Once the RV toilet is flushed, drive around to make the cubes effective in unclogging the RV toilet. Keep flushing the toilet with more water; soon, the tank will be fixed.

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4. Can I Take A Dump In The RV?

The RV toilet is made to handle human waste efficiently. Just like regular toilets, RV toilets can handle waste. The toilet bowl acts like your regular toilet bowl, and there is no considerable difference. You can get innovative toilets that have fixed all the flaws that the traditional RV toilet used to have.

As long as you maintain the waste tank as frequently as possible, you will not experience clogging or rancid smells. The black tank requires frequent and timely maintenance to serve you well. When the holding tank is full, empty it and give more waste.

5. How Do I Empty The RV Toilet?

Dumping an RV waste tank is one of the easiest things to master. The process is straightforward as long as you do the right thing. Each black tank will have a connection point for a sewer hose to allow the passage of waste from the tank to the appropriate dumping point. Note, appropriate. Before handling the hose or starting the process, wear some latex gloves for obvious reasons. Nothing terrible will happen, but taking precautions when handling waste is better.

Once your hands are protected and ready, hook the sewer hose to the RV and the opposite end to the sewer connection point. Ensure that the sewer hose is securely attached to both ends to prevent any leakages due to openings. Once you are sure the hose has no leakage points, it is time to dump the waste into the sewer.

Pull the valve of the hose and allow the tank to drain completely. To ensure the black tank is clean when you are done, flush the tank to drain it further. Some RV toilets have a system allowing water from the grey tank to access the black tank. If your RV has this option, you can use the grey tank water to ensure the economical use of the critical RVer resource. Once you dump the waste, close the hose valve and detach the hose from the black tank. Rinse the inside of the hose and release the water into the sewer before disconnecting the hose from the sewer.

Ensure you buy a long hose to make your sewer access easier.

6. Should The Black Tank Stay Open Or Closed When Connected To A Sewer?

You should keep the black tank open when connected to the sewer at no point. The goal is to have all the components of the toilet get released to the sewer. If the valve is open, you may drain the liquid waste and leave it behind the solid waste. You do not want that to happen to you.

There should always be liquids and chemicals sloshing around in the tank to dissolve the solid waste. When the liquid waste leaves behind the solid waste, you may end up with the poop pyramid, which is unpleasant. To avoid such situations, you can use an RV macerator to make things more manageable.

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7. What Is An RV Macerator?

An RV macerator uses an electric motor to reduce the solid waste into small pieces released as the liquid waste is released into the sewer. A macerator is a valuable tool for anyone using an old RV toilet. As you go uphill, the macerator helps the contents of the RV toilet to even out.

RV macerators are ideal because they can be installed as an aftermarket component. You do not have to buy a macerating flush toilet if you do not have one. You can install the macerator instead. The macerator is mainly connected to the tank when emptying the RV toilet.

8. Can I Use The RV Toilet While Driving?

You do not have to stop the vehicle to use the RV toilet. The toilet is designed to function even when the RV is in motion. Good RV toilet brands will not limit you from using the toilet as the vehicle moves on the road.

That being said, safety must always come first when using the RV toilet. When on the toilet, you are not strapped to the seat, which poses a considerable danger to you in case of anything. It might be appropriate to say that sh*t happens in this situation.

9. What is the best product for an RV toilet?

When choosing the best product for an RV toilet, there are a few important factors to consider, including size, ease of use, and durability. One product that stands out is the Camco 41541 Portable Travel Toilet.

This portable toilet has a 5.3-gallon holding tank and a flush tank of 2.5 gallons, making it ideal for extended trips. It’s also lightweight and easy to clean, which is essential when traveling in an RV. The Camco 41541 is designed specifically for RVs, boats, and camping trips, so it’s perfect for those who love exploring the great outdoors.

10. What Type of Toilet is used in RV?

The most common type of toilet used in RVs is a gravity-flush toilet that operates similarly to a residential toilet. These toilets use water to flush waste into a holding tank beneath the RV.

The water used to flush the toilet can come from a separate water tank dedicated to the toilet or from the same supply as the rest of the RV. This type of toilet is convenient because it requires no electricity or complicated plumbing.

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11. How do I Keep my RV Toilet Fresh?

To keep your RV toilet fresh and odor-free, there are several things you can do. First, use a toilet cleaner that is specifically designed for RVs. These cleaners are formulated to break down waste and keep your toilet clean without damaging your RV’s plumbing system.

Avoid using harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia, as they can damage your plumbing. You can also use a deodorizer to help eliminate unpleasant odors. Some RVers prefer to use natural deodorizers, like vinegar or baking soda, to avoid harsh chemicals.

12. Can you Use the RV toilet without Water?

No, you cannot use an RV toilet without water. The toilet relies on water to flush waste into the holding tank, where it is stored until it can be emptied. If you are camping in an area with limited water access, you may need to conserve water usage or bring additional water with you.

Using the appropriate amount of water when flushing the toilet is essential to prevent clogs and damage to your RV’s plumbing system. If you’re unsure how much water to use, check the manufacturer’s recommendations for your specific toilet model.

Final Take on the Best RV Toilet

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RVers primarily love the connection with nature, hence the constant boondocking and camping. However, nature comes calling too, and you better have an excellent place to answer the call. You can choose from many great options to get some pretty decent toilets.

Knowing what emptying the toilet entails is one factor most people consider. Whether the toilet is compatible with your vehicle is another factor you should not overlook. You can enjoy your ride knowing you have the right RV toilet if you have to visit.