When you’re on the road, you don’t have easy access to a water supply, so it’s important to keep your motorhome water tank clean to avoid contamination and the spread of bacteria. Clean water is essential for drinking, cooking and hygiene.
You need it for personal use as well as for maintaining the motorhome. You should keep an eye on your motorhome water tank to ensure that there are no leaks, spills or other problems. In addition to inspecting it regularly, here are five ways that you can keep your tank sanitised and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
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Change the Tank’s Water Regularly
You will likely want to change the water in your tank regularly. Why? Because, even when you’re not driving your motorhome, the tank can collect bacteria and other contaminants.
To replace the water in your tank, open the clean water valve and drain the tank until the water coming out of the valve is free of contaminants. Then, fill the tank with fresh water and close the valve. That way, you have clean water for drinking and general use whenever you need it.
Use a UV Sanitiser
If you have a water tank in your motorhome, you might want to consider a UV sanitiser. A UV sanitiser uses UV light to kill bacteria, viruses and other contaminants in your water tank. It’s a good way to keep your water clean and ready for use. Depending on the size of your water tank, you may need to install a UV sanitiser inside the tank or outside the tank. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when installing a UV sanitiser.
UV sanitisers are ideal for campers and motorhomes, especially when the tanks are buried in the wall. They are simple to install, reliable and relatively inexpensive. They also don’t require any chemicals or additives, so they won’t contaminate your water. UV sanitisers can be used with both fresh and saltwater tanks. You can even find models that are designed to fit inside grey and black water tanks.
Add Chlorine Bleach
If you have a water tank that’s made from plastic, you can use chlorine bleach to clean it. Simply add a few tablespoons of bleach to the water in your tank and allow it to sit for about 24 hours. Then, drain the bleach water from your tank and rinse the tank out with fresh water. While the bleach water is in your water tank, it will kill any bacteria or other contaminants that may have collected inside the tank.
After you allow the bleach to sit in your water tank, you’ll need to drain the bleach water and rinse out the tank with fresh water to remove the bleach. If your tank is made from metal, you cannot use bleach to clean it because bleach will corrode the metal. Instead, you can use a metal cleaning product that’s designed to remove rust and other contaminants from metal tanks.
Rinse with Fresh Water
If you have a water tank that’s made from plastic, you can rinse it out with fresh water. Start by closing the clean water valve and opening the drain valve to drain the water from the tank.
Then, fill the water tank with fresh water and close the drain valve. After rinsing the tank out with fresh water, you’ll need to drain the excess water from the tank and close the clean water valve. This way, you can rinse and sanitise your water tank as needed.
If your water tank is made from metal, you cannot use fresh water to rinse it. Instead, you can use a metal cleaning product that’s designed to remove rust and other contaminants from metal tanks.
Add a Disinfectant
If you want to go above and beyond when it comes to cleaning your water tank, you can add a disinfectant to the water inside the tank. Disinfectants are designed to kill bacteria and other contaminants, so they’ll make your motorhome water tank cleaner and more sanitary. You can add disinfectants to your water tank in one of two ways.
If you have a motorhome water tank that’s made from plastic, you can add the disinfectant to the water inside the tank. Depending on the amount of water in the tank, you may need to add more disinfectant to ensure that the water is thoroughly sanitised and ready for use.
Alternatively, if your motorhome water tank is made from metal, you can add the disinfectant to the water line. This way, the disinfectant will be delivered directly to the water that flows into the tank.
Final Thoughts
A clean water tank is essential when you’re living in a campervan or motorhome. A clean water tank will prevent bacteria and other contaminants from spreading. In addition, a clean water tank is easier to maintain and can last longer. To keep your water tank clean and sanitised, change the water in the tank regularly and use one of these methods to clean your water tank every so often.
Why is it essential to keep your motorhome water tank clean and sanitised?
Maintaining a clean and sanitised water tank in your motorhome is crucial to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all users. Regular cleaning prevents the buildup of harmful bacteria and algae, which can lead to waterborne diseases and foul tastes or odours. It also prolongs the lifespan of your water system components.
What are the primary methods for keeping a motorhome water tank clean?
The primary methods to keep your motorhome water tank clean are:
Regular Flushing: To remove sediments and impurities.
Chemical Sanitisation: Utilising appropriate water purification tablets or solutions.
UV Sterilisation: An advanced method that involves using a UV light to kill bacteria and other microbes.
Filtration: Installing a water filtration system to filter out contaminants before they enter the tank.
Periodic Maintenance: Regularly inspecting and servicing the water system components to keep them in good condition.
How often should I clean and sanitise my motorhome water tank?
Ideally, you should clean and sanitise your motorhome water tank at least once or twice a year, depending on the frequency of usage and the quality of water you are filling into the tank. If the motorhome is in constant use, it is recommended to conduct a thorough cleaning every three to six months.
What are the signs that indicate the need for cleaning the motorhome water tank?
The signs that indicate the necessity for cleaning the motorhome water tank include:
Foul odour or strange taste in the water.
Reduced water flow or pressure.
Visible sediment or discolouration in the water.
Recurring issues with the water system components.
Taking prompt action on these signs can help in maintaining a healthy and hygienic water system in your motorhome.
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I love everything about travel, from seeing new places, learning about new cultures and trying new foods! I believe that travel is one of the best forms of education you can get, I have learnt so much about myself and about the world from travelling all over. Travel is something I feel so passionately about, and I love the fact that we are now lucky enough to have this opportunity to do what we love as much as we can, it’s a dream come true.
Before we started travelling, I worked in local government in administration. I had been in this job for several years and had reached a complete brick wall where I was so fed up, but didn’t know what else to do. The only thing I knew that I wanted to do was to travel, and had wanted to do that for many years.
There were hundreds and hundreds of places on my wishlist that I wanted to go to, and I knew that going on a weeks holiday maybe twice a year if we were lucky wasn’t going to cut it.
After being in lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, and working from home staring at the same 4 walls every day, 2021 seemed like the perfect time for us to take the risk to finally do what we had dreamed of for so long.
It was a hard decision to completely change our lives, but so far it has been the best decision we have ever made!
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