By Nanci Dixon
Don’t do these things at the dump station! There are a few important rules of dump station etiquette that are for everyone, not just newbies. I was recently reminded of this…
After a season with mostly full hookups and no need to go to a dump station, I was first surprised by the line… until I realized that it was Sunday and the weekend warriors were on their way back to their day jobs. We have been full-time RVing for so long I forgot about the Sunday line. It was taking a very long time and, not known for my patience, I tried to figure out what was wrong. What I saw was a good reminder.
What not to do at a dump station
- Do NOT flush your tanks when there is a line of RVs behind waiting to dump. It was a long, slow line. As I craned my neck to see what was taking so long, I saw that the RV in front was flushing, FLUSHING their black tank.
- Do NOT flush with a fresh water hose. The fresh water hose will become a harbinger of contaminants and can cause severe illness. Always flush with a different hose, particularly a different color for quick identification.
- Do NOT read the instruction manual when you arrive! It is too late. Read the instruction manual before coming to the station. Even better, ask someone what to do. RVers love to help others.
- Do NOT rinse the sewer hose at the fresh water faucet. Their RV creeped forward and while I thought they were putting their sewer hose away. I realized they had actually rinsed the sewer hose hugged up to fresh water fill faucet. Rinse the sewer hose at the dump station that has the dedicated rinse hose. Note to self: Spray fresh water faucets with disinfectant at the dump station and at the campsite!
5. Do NOT leave spillage at dump station. Clean up the nasties. Rinse area clean for safety and for the next people.
6. Do NOT leave garbage, gloves, rags, paper at dump station. Pick it up and toss in garbage can or take with you.
As the summer season ramps up and more RVs will be sharing dump stations across the country, it is good to remember this proper etiquette and that we want to share the station, not the germs.
RELATED
##RVDT2380
Man, I miss common sense and respect for others.
Management needs to add trash can at dump stations and empty them.
But if the trash can isn’t there, DON’T leave your trash!
We camped at a very nice place in western MA. Sunday afternoon (long line), the owner was at the dump station and he emptied your tanks and did a quick flush on each camper using his hose. Went along rather quickly.
Thanks for the quick reminder why I don’t like to park without full hookups – or if only one day left on the road, I pay the gas to haul our waste water back to the house (where I have full hookup albeit with 20A and a macerator pump)
Thank you, Nanci! 🙂 Great advice that unfortunately needs repeating from time to time. 🤔😯 Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
Don’t get on your hands and knees to hook up the stinky slinky or look under your RV.
Was up late with the family just quietly talking around the remaining hot coals of the evening campfire when we witnessed an old beat up Class C come into the campground, position its dump pipe somewhat near the dump station, and, without attaching a slinky, just let ‘er rip! 😲 Effluent everywhere. Then they beat a hasty retreat.
Next morning a camper using the station actually laid down to look under his RV right at the scene of the crime! 🤢
Sometimes we just need to flush our tanks. I would just be patient for others that needed to do the same.
I understand the long line waiting to dump their tanks. However, I will still flush my black tank. Our camper sits in a storage place, with no way to dump the tanks later. I either flush when I dump, or the tank does not get flushed. One option I have used several times, if there are full hookup sites that are not occupied, I have backed in to one and dumped my tanks there, making sure to leave no mess behind.
If you’re at a full hookup campsite, why do you need to back in to a site that is not occupied to dump? Don’t you dump at the site you occupy, and if not, why not?
Some places have only a few FHU sites and many others with Water & Electric only or Water only.
A lot of the COE campgrounds only have electric and water for most of the spots, with a few FHU. FHU spots are few and hard to get, while the electric/water spots are much easier to get. Just dump on the way out, or use an unoccupied FHU site.
Sorry but we’ll do a quick flush every time we dump.
If someone is in such a hurry that they think we need to leave solids in our tank, they need to revisit a time management course.
Skipping the rinse is akin to saying if there’s a line to the outhouse, you need to skip the wipe. Um, no.
If the dump station isn’t the proper spot to flush, where? At the registration kiosk? The campsite? The fuel pump? Come on people…..
Sunday morning with a line behind you is not the time to flush. Do it at odd hours, or get a FHU site.
@wanderer, I respectfully disagree.
Asking those that do proper tank servicing to do it wrong to appease those that don’t care if they have sludged tanks is absurd.
If one hates Sunday morning lines, they can dump at odd hours, camp where flushing isn’t permitted, get FHU, stay in a motel or avoid the dump all together. But let’s not try to impose tank neglect on others.
All the experts recommend flushing as often as possible and flushing does a great job when used with the regularity recommended.
Having water spraying in my tank while dumping doesn’t add any delay other than hose connection. Is the merits of that seriously worth debate?
I’ve been lucky enough to have a storage place with a dump station but have only used it once. We always have a fhu site and never need their dump station but I agree with Nancy-don’t flush your tanks there. Some advice too: Use Happy Camper- it’s very effective, especially when boondocking.
Please, Please, Please, wear gloves!
I’m not storing my motorhome without flushing the tanks. It’s not selfishness, it’s just part of the process. Flushing tanks only takes a couple additional minutes. We have our process tweaked to minimize the time spent dumping.
When I’m finished dumping my wife drives the MH forward while I gather the hose n things. This allows the next in line to pull forward to begin their turn.
recently I was at a dump station that could be accessed from different directions. There was a line of 4 or 5 waiting on one side, nobody on the other. I pulled into the side with no one waiting and prepared to dump when the guy there was done. I dumped my tanks and was gathering up hose before the next guy was ready. I was approached by guy who was about 3rd or 4th in line came up to me and said I should have waited in line like everyone else.
thoughts?