How to Clean and Sanitize Your RV's Water System

RV water holding tanks and plumbing should be cleaned and sanitized before their first use and yearly before the camping season.

To get the job done you'll need plain household bleach, a water supply, funnel, and a gallon jug.

Ready system
Turn off any water heater and entirely drain the RV's fresh water system. After the system is drained, make sure all the water valves and faucets are closed.

Mix the bleach
You will be using ¼ cup bleach for every 15 gallons of water capacity in your system. Divide the capacity of your system by 15. Multiply this number by .25 to find how many cups of bleach are needed. Do not directly add the bleach into the water tank. Using a funnel, add the required amount bleach to the gallon jug and top it off with water.

Pour the bleach
Carefully pour the diluted bleach solution into the empty water tank. Use the funnel to avoid drips.

Fill the system
Fill the fresh water holding tank completely with cold water. After it is filled, open each water faucet one at a time and allow the water to flow until you smell the bleach in the flowing water, then shut the valve. Don't forget the shower, hot water valves, or any hand pumped faucets.

Sanitize
At this point the bleach solution should be in every part of the fresh water plumbing. Allow 12 hours for the bleach to sanitize the system.

Flush
Completely drain the bleach solution from the RV water system. Fill the water tank with fresh cold water. Open all valves and faucets and run the fresh water through the plumbing until the strong bleach odor is gone. Top off the water tank and your system is ready.

Tips
Always drain your water system when not in use and if you live in a cold winter area, make sure all RV water pipes are thoroughly drained to avoid broken plumbing caused by freezing.

Warnings
Be careful handling the bleach. Never allow bleach to contact your skin or eyes. To avoid permanent stains to your clothing and surfaces in the RV, do not allow the bleach solution to splash or drip. Do not use scented bleach.