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It’s important to keep the toilet in your RV clean. But beware, cleaning an RV toilet differs from your home toilet.
To avoid damaging your camper toilet and plumbing, we show you step-by-step how to clean an RV toilet the right way and keep it smelling fresh!
What Do You Clean RV Toilets With?
It’s important to use the correct cleaning supplies for your RV toilet. Not only do RV toilets come in different types of materials (often, RV owners don’t know what it’s made of), but any cleaner you use in your toilet will empty into your black water tank.
Because of this, you need to make sure you use safe, non-abrasive toilet bowl cleaners that work on many different surfaces and are effective. That may sound like a lot to ask out of a camper toilet cleaner!
So, what cleaner is safe for RV toilets?
Thetford Aqua Clean RV Toilet Cleaner
From the maker of some of the best RV toilets on the market, today is a safe and powerful solution for cleaning RV toilets – Thetford Aqua Clean RV Toilet Cleaner.
The reason I prefer this cleaner is that it’s one cleaner that does it all! This gentle and effective cleaner is perfect for your RV toilet bowl, countertops, sinks, showers, and tubs. Essentially, it’s one bottle to handle the majority of my cleaning.
Other benefits include:
- Won’t scratch any surfaces
- Works great on plastic, fiberglass, and porcelain surfaces in RVs, on boats, and anywhere really
- Removes hard water and iron stains, soap scum, and more
- Safe on your toilet seal
- Bleach-free
- 100% biodegradable
Thetford Premium RV Aqua-Clean Kitchen and Bath Cleaner
Price:Clicking this link to make a purchase may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.
Non-Abrasive Bowl Brush or Sponge
The only other thing you’ll need to clean your RV toilet is a non-abrasive bowl brush or sponge. Really, any bowl brush will work as long as it’s a soft-bristle brush. And if you use a sponge, be sure it’s non-abrasive and won’t scratch the toilet bowl.
If you’re looking for ideas for a stylish and safe toilet bowl brush, check out this brush with soft silicone bristles (that are super easy to clean) and a heavy-duty aluminum handle.
POPTEN Toilet Brush and Holder Set
Price:Clicking this link to make a purchase may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.
How to Clean an RV Toilet Bowl
With the proper cleaning supplies, cleaning your camper toilet is as easy as 1,2,3…
Step 1: Spray Toilet Bowl With Cleaner
Spray the inside of your toilet bowl evenly with cleaner. Let the bowl cleaner sit for 5-10 minutes to allow it to break down any stains and build-up.
Step 2: Scrub Bowl
Next, we will want to use our non-abrasive bowl brush or sponge to scrub the toilet bowl clean. If you have a plastic toilet, it’s even more important to use a soft-bristle brush or non-abrasive sponge, as they tend to scratch easily.
Step 3: Rinse With Clean Water
After scrubbing, simply rinse the toilet out with a few flushes. The cleaner will flush down to your black holding tank and help break down waste in there, as well.
Important: Do NOT use concentrated cleaners, scouring powders, or other harsh chemicals, as they may ruin the toilet, damage the toilet seal, and even void any warranty you might have left on your toilet.
How to Keep Your Toilet (And RV) Smelling Fresh
Since a camper toilet works differently than a home toilet, there are several tips we can follow to ensure that not only the toilet stays clean and fresh, but the RV bathroom and the entire vehicle itself stay fresh, as well.
Clean Your Toilet Regularly
To keep your toilet as clean as possible and to make subsequent cleanings easier, you’ll want to ensure you regularly clean your RV toilet.
How often you clean depends on how much the toilet is used, but most RV owners benefit from a quick cleaning at least once a week during trips. If you’re full-time or using the RV daily, every few days can help keep odors and buildup under control. Even if the toilet looks fine, a light weekly cleaning keeps it working properly and protects the seals over time.
Making this part of your normal RV care routine keeps maintenance quick and gives you an early warning if something changes, such as a weakening seal or a slow leak. Catching those small issues before they grow saves time and avoids more expensive repairs down the road.
Use Plenty of Water in the Black Tank
Keeping enough water in your black tank is one of the simplest ways to prevent odors and clogs. After every dump, start with a few gallons of fresh water in the tank so waste doesn’t stick to the bottom. Each time you flush, hold the pedal down a little longer to let more water flow in. A well-hydrated tank helps break down waste, keeps sensors working more accurately, and makes dumping much easier.
Clean Your Black Tank Regularly
When an RV bathroom starts to smell, the issue often traces back to the black tank. A toilet that’s sealing and holding water properly should keep tank odors from rising into the bathroom. Smells usually become noticeable when the bowl seal dries out or leaks, the vent system isn’t working correctly, or the bathroom fan is running while you flush and pulls air up from the tank.
Even though a good seal should block most odor, keeping the black tank clean still matters. Regular cleaning helps waste break down, keeps sensors working (though they can be finicky still), and reduces the chance of buildup that can cause clogs or lingering smells after dumping. Using plenty of water and occasionally rinsing or flushing the tank fully keeps it working better over time.
Use Drop-In Packets
Of course, you can’t keep it clean ALL the time, but you can keep it smelling fresh between cleanings using drop-in packets. These special black tank treatments help break down waste in the tank and remove odors. Plus, they are super simple to use – just drop one in your toilet and flush!
Camco TST MAX Drop-Ins
Price:Clicking this link to make a purchase may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.
Turn The Bathroom Vent Fan Off When Flushing
Your bathroom vent usually does a great job of removing unwanted odors from your bathroom, but when you flush your toilet, it essentially sucks the foul odors and fumes out of your holding tank and into your bathroom. So, continue to run your fan, but shut it off during the flushing process.
If there’s still a problem even after shutting your vent fan off, check out our guide to fixing an RV toilet that smells when flushed.
If your toilet is (or gets) clogged, check out our guide on how to unclog a camper toilet.
Any instructions/advice on replacing seal in toilet? Water slowly drains when not in use.
Depends on the toilet. But, if you haven’t already, try cleaning the seal first and rubbing some petroleum jelly on it. Then make sure the seal is properly set. Wear gloves, put a finger down the hole, and run it around the inside edge while pulling up to ensure it’s sealed tight.
This is exactly how you clean a toilet at home! I needed to know how to clean the pipe leading to the tank. It is gross and I am sensitive to smell. I was hoping for special tools, cleaners, and techniques to get the pipe cleaned.
We cover that in our black tank cleaning guide here: https://camperfaqs.com/how-to-clean-out-rv-black-water-tank
Essentially, use a handheld flexible tank rinser like the Camco Holding Tank Swivel Stik Rinser.
On a side note, if your toilet valve is properly sealed and the bowl has water in it, there is no way for any smell to get into your bathroom, unless when you flush you have the vent fan running. Or there’s some other issue that you might need to look into.