Motorhome alphabet: chemistry in a camper
Various medications can be found in almost every RV store. Recently, some of them have begun to actively advertise themselves in various ways. This is not surprising, because the beginning of the holiday season is the best period (and in fact the last moment) for purchasing such products.
Most campers and trailers have a cassette toilet on board, which is usually emptied through a hatch on the outside of the vehicle. What should be used to eliminate the unpleasant odor from the cassette and speed up the decomposition of the contaminants accumulated there?
Use liquid/sachets/tablets. One of the most popular products is Thetford toilet liquid. Available in the form of a concentrate, 60 ml of product is enough for 10 liters of water. A bottle containing 2 liters of liquid costs about 50-60 zlotys. How to use? After emptying the cassette, simply pour some water into it (a liter or two) and add the required amount of liquid. That's all. Aqua Kem Blue (that's the name of the product) effectively kills unpleasant odors, has a strong dehydrating effect, prevents the accumulation of gases and promotes the dissolution of feces. In practice, you just... don't feel anything.
Another solution is Dometic tablets. Their operating principle is absolutely the same. Pour some water into the empty cassette and drop one tablet into it. That's all. Within a few minutes the drug “decomposes” and begins to act. Emptying the cassette later does not cause any problems, and we do not have to put on a gas mask - all odors are effectively neutralized.
What about toilet paper? Both Thetford and Dometica offer specialist papers designed for trailers and campervans. It does not clog toilets, is easily flushed and dissolved, and also makes emptying the tank easier. Usually it costs about 10-12 zlotys for a package of 4 rolls, but “experienced” caravanners recommend buying “regular” paper with a large amount of cellulose. According to their advice, the effect is exactly the same.
We can immediately assure you: when using the above chemicals, there is no smell, no leaks, no fumes. The whole process consists of opening the hatch on the outside of the camper/trailer, removing the cassette and moving it to a place where we can empty it. Newer campervans make it even easier to transport the cassette thanks to the retractable handle and wheels – just like with larger travel bags.
Once there, simply unscrew the drain and pour out the waste. What is important is that if we hold the cassette skillfully, we will not have any contact with feces or dirty water.
The Thetford brand also offers extra fluid that can be added to toilet flush water (100ml fluid per 15 liters of water). Its main task is to disinfect the toilet itself and provide a pleasant smell in the toilet. In addition, it maintains the "base fluid" while removing gases and speeds up the decomposition of paper and feces. Price: approximately 42 zlotys per package (1,5 l).
Briefly about sachets: if we don’t want liquid or tablets, we can add a sachet to the cassette. Its effect is exactly the same, it costs about 50 zlotys per package.
On board campers you will find large or even very large tanks for clean and domestic water (sewage). We must take care of both systems to avoid the development of bacteria, viruses and microorganisms.
In the latest issue of our magazine you will find, among other things: an offer of a special powder that protects clean water thanks to silver ions. It is tasteless and odorless and contains no chlorine. Retains water for up to 6 months. The package costs about PLN 57 and contains 100 ml of product, of which 1 ml is enough for 10 liters of water.
You can take care of the gray water tank in the same way. Certinox Schleimex powder allows you to remove dirt, plaque, grease and algae, and also effectively neutralizes unpleasant odors (of course, water from the shower and kitchen is mixed in the tank, which in combination with used body wash and dishwashing detergents can give a really “unpleasant result”) . The cost of the package is 60 zlotys.
RV stores also offer other useful chemicals. For example, we are talking about Thetford bathroom cleaning liquid, but it can be successfully used on all plastic surfaces. Cost of 500 ml of product: 19 zlotys.
Do you have Melanin cookware? You might be interested in a cleaning product. Non-damaging, provides shine without polishing and is dermatologically tested. It costs approximately 53 zlotys.
And finally, a little curiosity. In the offer of one of the stores we found a toilet cover with bright patterns, intended mainly for children. However, given the cleanliness of some public toilets, this will be beneficial for everyone. The package contains 30 pieces of product and costs about 22 zlotys.
