As a newbie, you probably thought dumping your RV’s holding tanks was the grossest thing since, well, ever. Is that right? Most newbies think the task is repulsive. But once you (or your spouse) get the hang of things, it becomes less gross each time you do it. Every RVer knows, it’s just part of the routine!
When you dump your holding tanks, how would you describe the “yuck” factor? Does it still totally gross you out or does it not bother you anymore? How do you think it compares to changing a poopy diaper? We know, both are pretty crappy…
Please tell us in the poll below, and leave a comment if your opinions on dumping have changed over the years (or months). Thanks!
If you keep your head in the game, take your time, do the black before the gray, and rinse the hose with the available water hose, its nothing.
Never understood all the drama. It’s not like I’m pumping out a porta-potty.
Actually pumping a porta-potty as you say is a lot cleaner than dumping your black tank. I know I’ve done both many times. I used to work for my brother in law pumping potties and septic tanks. Both stink but if done correctly are very sanitary. By using heavy rubber clothes and keeping your hoses clean it’s an easy job.
Happy RVing and hope to see you down the road!
Did the same job in the Navy pumping Shipboard Sewage to the Pier when ariving in port. A lot heavier hoses to handle and a lot more valves to align and pumps to run. RV is a piece of cake.
Friends taught me how to do it on their Airstream. Easy for me. I was a ramper at DFW Airport. Let me tell you about the lav waste in a 747 sometime…
Think I’ll pass. But thank you anyway, Donald. 😆 Have a great day! 😀 —Diane
This activity is old school to me. After working with CHT (collection holding tanks) in the Navy for 22 years it became a routine. Although the system was mechanized using pumps and choppers it still required regular maintenance. Follow procedures, wear gloves and it is a 1,2,3 procedure. Then use a good hand sanitizer afterwards.
I voted “no yuck”. I would prefer to vote “no yuck, yet”. Anything can fail at any time and grabbing that slide valve on our black tank can be awkward. You might say that I keep my fingers crossed a little bit whenever I’m dumping.
Here is the biggest problem I have faced while dumping at a dumping station;
.
I use a dumping station at a state rest area near my town.
It’s amazing how people can just pull away from the “free” dumping station leaving
their waste material on the ground because they failed to use the hose to wash the
area clean.
My “yuck”factor lays at the previous dumper. So many leave a mess. Is it so hard to put the hose in the hole? And then wash down any spillage. Next on the list is the flap you have to push down to insert the hose. Then your foot is in the mess. How about a long handle. I really like the dump at loves. Cleaner and more or less automated.
The yucky part is worrying constantly that I’m accidentally touching “clean” surfaces with “dirty” surfaces.
Zero yuck to what i’m doing… i’m oderless and dry. Any yuck abroad is prior folks who missed the hole and/or flooded the area. If able to dump at home, sealed macerator pump to house plumbing is 100% oder/ick free.
I keep a spray bottle of water/bleach solution in a compartment, along with a box of disposable gloves. I spray the dump area BEFORE inserting the hose. I also spray the end of the hose AFTER the dump. Speaking of gloves…many times I have seen people put on leather work gloves to perform the dump. Yes, your hands may be protected, but what about the gloves themselves? Then the leather gloves are thrown back in a compartment. The gloves, no doubt, have some of the holding tank contents on them.
As I write this, I am reminded of the videos of RV’s going through tunnels that are too low. Air conditioners and roofs are peeled off. I think it would be interesting to see videos of people at dump stations. I am also reminded of seeing one guy, after the hose was disconnected, twirling the hose over his head to remove any liquid. I suppose no one is as perfect as I am (haha)
As a cat person cleaning litter boxes is just as bad. I clean up after my dog, wish everyone would. It’s my poop, I deal with it.
As a retired owner of a plumbing/heating company the general opinion of the techs was “It smells like money to me” Ha Ha! I think the worse thing that can happen (and speaking for a friend 😉) is that you left your gate valve open after the last time you flushed your tank!
BTW, all my plumbers use to say they never wore gloves because it kept them from biting their nails.
I worked 40 years in water treatment including sewage treatment. My first job in it as a lab tech, I don’t think we had a set of gloves on site unless it was in the maintenance shop. I do get a chuckle out of the way some people freak out about it. As a chlorine rep once told me, “It’s bread and butter to me.”
Well, I hook up my sewer hose, I confirm the hose is secured properly on both ends. When it’s time to drain, I confirm the hose is secure on both ends, then pull the black tank valve open and drain, then leaving it open I pour a 3 gallon bucket of water down the toilet and then I close the valve and open the gray water tank valve. Then I add my chemicals and 3gallons of water. Done. If I am on my way home I’ll fill the black water tank 3 times for a good flush. No big deal. I’ve been an owner of a travel trailer for 18 months
As long as the last guy cleans up any mess, it is no problem. I did have one guy complain because I washed down the area, leaving it wet, but when I told him why, he thanked me. I don’t think the guy before me secured his hose, or maybe didn’t use one. I carry 30 feet, three sections, to make sure there is enough to reach.
I used to do this professionally on aircraft. My little trailer pales in comparison and is so much cleaner/easier. The one thing I will add (trained employees on this), once that valve opens you do not need to be standing anywhere near it. The hose will stay on or it will fall off, either way I’m not getting a poop shower. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the hose fall off an airplane and the operator is standing in the waterfall of, well, liquid poop thinking they can do something about it. With that said I have never seen a hose fall off an RV. Plenty of leakers but none falling off. WEAR GLOVES and FFS DONT DRINK OUT OF THE RINSE HOSE!:! (that includes washing your dishes).
To make sure I have a secure connection, I pull the gray tank handle FIRST for a few seconds, then close it. This way any leaks, hose action or connection failures are found before dumping the black. I also use a cap that has the garden hose outlet so I can unscrew that first to make sure I don’t have any surprises behind the 4” cap.
We have a built-in macerator and I run the contents of both tanks through it each time I dump. A short hose runs from the valves to the macerator and I leave it connected all the time. The hardest part of dumping is making sure that the hose, which expands while the macerator is pushing material through it, is empty. I generally make three passes to empty most of the gray water caught in the ribbing. The most onerous part of dumping is rinsing the tanks when we return home from a trip.
I elected a little yucky and it is only the smell and wearing a face mask with a little after shave takes care of that smell. The grand kids diapers were way worse with leakage up the back out the legs and God only knows where else. I’ll take the little yuck please.
My DH, also designated dumper agrees with you.
I think that the “yuck factor” comes not from my RV or my process for dumping the black and grey tanks but from dealing with the messes left behind by inconsiderate slobs that don’t clean up after themselves. Things like rinsing off the area around the dump portal, coiling up the rinse hose (if applicable), and throwing away or taking their own trash with them if no trash can in the area. Dropping things like disposable gloves or sterilizing wipes on the ground is inexcusable. Not rinsing down the area if there is a spill is inexcusable.
Most RV owners are considerate. The few that aren’t leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth….considering the topic I guess I should apologize for that graphic word picture. 🙂
You’re excused, Bill. 😉 But thank you for the very valid points! Have a great day! 😀 —Diane
This guy gets it!
I think the yuck factor is somewhat based upon experience. With 50+ years of RVing I’ve done it so many times I don’t think much about it. But on our latest RV we have a macerator which makes the job quicker.
Yuck from prior people emptying and not leaving the area clean. I check my connections by pulling the grey tank first and letting a bit out, and shut the valve. If no leakage then empty the black followed by the remaining grey tank.
How interesting that there seems to be thousands of articles on dumping holding tanks, AND here I see that the vast majority don’t think it is such a big deal. I agree, no big deal. Then why all those stinking articles?
No yuck for us, we started using Happy Camper a couple of years ago. Before that it was the tablets, a total waste of money for us. The RV park that we go to here on the central coast ( California ) is very good about keeping their sewers nice & clean !
Its no problem for me as my husband does it, but he picked answer # one. He says to tell you that he also changes the poopy grandchildren diapers. This all came about because he doesn’t seem to have as good a sense of smell as I do.
Hook everything up, then double check the connections. Splash the grey tank (10% at most) so you know the hose won’t fall off when water hits it, and then close it. Dump your black tank. When that’s done, flush the toilet a few times and dump the rest, then treat your black tank. Dump the remaining 90% of your grey tank to flush the hose and when you disassemble everything, spray it down with some Lysol spray and seal the ends together. Bingo, bango, bongo! The only time this evolution gets messy is when you don’t follow these steps.
Hahaha. After 47 years of taking care of the most ill people, this is an easy and simple chore. A still working RN.
Composting toilets take all the yuck out of the process.
I worked the last 36 years of my career up to my elbows in “stuff”. My molded fiberglass trailer has a cassette toilet I empty in a restroom. No problems.
I feel obligated to shamelessly link to the BEST article on dumping EVER…on a site you’ve never heard of!
https://www.rvtravel.com/camping-at-the-dump-station/
Not too bad for us, but observing others can really put a LOT of “YUCK” into it. Sure we have had a few accidents, but after raising three kids, and being senior citizens, we have seen and done a lot worse. About the worst we have seen was the 5iver in front of us at a dump station, when he just propped the dump cover open, then just opened the dump valves and let it all fly into the drain pit. Did not even attempt to use the available hose to wash it down, just got in the truck and drove it off with the valves both still open.