By Cheri Sicard
The folks from Wandering Weekends have produced one of the most useful and practical videos we’ve posted yet. Especially if you buy special RV toilet paper.
If you are among this consumer subgroup, stop what you are doing and watch the video below. You are about to start saving money, my friends!
The question of what toilet paper is safe for RVs, or whether or not you actually need special, usually MUCH higher priced, toilet paper for RV or marine waste systems is common.
To be sure, RV and boating supply stores make a lot money off the special paper, and not just once, since toilet paper is a product you have to keep replenishing.
I am going to put in a bit of a spoiler alert. Special toilet paper for your RV is not necessary.
Yet it always amazes me to see people, even experienced RVers, spending extra bucks on it.
So what’s the best?
But when it comes to the question of what is the best RV toilet paper, there is more to consider than just how quickly it breaks down. Although that is of paramount importance.
Besides testing how fast the various toilet papers broke down, the video below also takes the time to review them, starting with the softness and thickness.
They also cover the cost of the various papers in the experiment. Let’s face it. Price is probably the most important reason to determine whether or not you actually need to buy a special RV toilet paper.
Yes, most RV toilet papers are substantially costlier than most regular toilet papers.
The great experiment
The video reviews eight types. Three of them are special RV or marine toilet papers and the others are popular and easy-to-find brands: Scott, Cottonelle, Angel Soft, a Kroger brand and a generic no-name TP.
To create this experiment, our hosts took four squares from each of the different brands and put each in a small dish with blue water. Meaning they had a little RV black water treatment in the water.
They then shook it up and waited 30 minutes for the water and chemical to do their things. (As a side note, the Wandering Weekends team did a follow-up video comparing various black water chemical treatments and how they combat odor.)
The results of the toilet paper breakdown completely surprised the hosts and will likely surprise you, too. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, so you’ll just have to check out the video for the results.
But, it was enough to make the video hosts switch brands. You may find you want to as well.
##RVDT1924
So, unfortunately, I can’t find Great Value Everyday Soft at any Wal-Mart or online anywhere. It states, “Out of Stock” everywhere. Did they change the name of it to like “Soft & Strong” or something?
I did this experiment some time ago with bamboo toilet paper made by Reel. The paper is soft and breaks down quickly. It’s a little more expensive, but saves trees and the company installs toilets in India. Win, win, win.
I have done EXACTLY this experiment with the RV paper I use and the paper at home, the RV paper disintegrated much more quickly. Unfortunately I’m out tent camping and don’t have the names right now, I’ll try to remember to update when I get home.
I thought it was a awesome test & it was good experiment. I believe that all of them will brake down eventually! However in our motor homes it needs to do that ASP, so it has less of a chance to get hung up on the probes that let us know the levels of the tank. As most of us have found out those probes should have NEVER been used in the first place. Its so frustrating not knowing how full your tanks are! So head on over the Wallyworld & get some of that everyday cheepo TP!
Snoopy
We adopted the Mexican model. Small covered trashcan and liner next to the toilet and no worries about tank sensors or the like
Same here … No odor, no worries!
They finally mentioned at the end of the video that some TP packages say “Septic Safe”. However, they didn’t discuss if or how that applies to the issues. I’d like to know.
A lot depends on your plumbing. Many rv’s have the tank located directly below the toilet and some don’t. On those that don’t, using a heavy t.p. can hang up in the elbow and create a clog. Add in that too many don’t flush using much water and you’ll have problems.
How about the “portable “ bidets?
We use installed bidets at home and use far less paper. Maybe?
If the paper doesn’t break down in the holding tank, it will breakdown somewhere along in the chain of sewage processing. The important thing is that it comes out of the tank when dumped and using enough water is a big factor there. Even butt wipes should not be a problem as long as they come out of the holding tank. Sewage treatment facilities have the ability to process whatever comes through the pipes and septic tank based systems should have any solids pumped out of the tank regularly anyway.
Sewage lift stations are somewhat common here in Florida. Those pumps can grind solids, but, butt wipes, which do not break down, and other feminine products can jam the pumps before the sewage even starts to travel to the treatment plants. The newer septic systems have filters in them and the yard needs to be dug up to clean them much too frequently if such products are flushed – earlier than the annual pumping. I am much too familiar with such situations.
Very informative. Thanks.
Thank you for the video. I did a test using Charmin Soft which we have used both in the house and the RV for years. It passed the test, breaking down after the post-30 minute agitation. Good to know! As always, the more water in the tank the better.
I just make sure that the paper is septic tank safe. Not all paper is, and that’s the stuff that breaks down more slowly.