# How to Clean Water Tank



## andy906 (Mar 14, 2012)

I'm sure this question has been asked before but what is the best way to clean/disinfect a motorhome internal fresh water tank?

I have a Rapido 710F that has quite a large tank (unsure of exact capacity)

Any suggestions??


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## maingate (Mar 14, 2012)

You could use Milton fluid but you have to be a little bit careful how you use it.

A too strong solution is bad for Stainless steel and it is best to flush out your hot water boiler as well.

Check the bottle for the recommended strength of solution and do not go above it. Fill your fresh water tank to about 1/3 full with the solution. Pump it through the hot and cold pipework until it comes out of the taps. When it is coming out of the hot taps, your boiler is full of the solution.

Go for a drive and this will splash it around the fresh water tank, return and drain down, or if you like, drain some of it into your waste water tank as it well help to clean it as well. Alternatively, you could put bleach and water into your waste tank and clean it at the same time while driving.

After fully draining the Milton solution, replace with fresh water, flush the hot and cold pipes and have another drive around. Drain off and you have a clean system. 

It sounds like a bit of work but once it is done, you do not need to do it for a long time (as long as you regularly use the van).

You can also buy the Brewers disinfecting solution instead of Milton. I have some but have not used it as I do not need to as I use the van a lot.


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## Deleted member 5759 (Mar 14, 2012)

Couple of cheap 2 litre bottles of Coke, let it slosh about, drain and flush with clean water


Peter


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## maingate (Mar 14, 2012)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Couple of cheap 2 litre bottles of Coke, let it slosh about, drain and flush with clean water
> 
> 
> Peter



Have you been at the Real Ale again ? :tongue:

That is for the waste tank Peter.


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## silverweed (May 17, 2012)

If you use bleach to clean the tank some people can taste it so go to the chemist and buy a box is bicarbonate of soda (a 2 kg box is pennies) and dissolve a cup in hot water and add to tank of water when rinsing out for about 4 hours and then drain


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## activecampers (May 17, 2012)

There are many cheap ways, but the way I use is Cleaning fresh water tank

Zappys Blog has more info.


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## Tbear (May 17, 2012)

Quarter fill with fresh water. Drive around for a bit and empty. Why would you want to put poisonous chemicals in some think you are going to drink from. Unless you have good reason to think your tank is contaminated in some way. Then best to treat that particular contaminant.

Richard


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## Bigpeetee (May 17, 2012)

I used milton but it took a few tanks of water to get rid of the taste, didn't think I over dosed.

Why did I do it, because I thought I should as it had been standing for 18 mts.

Since then I've never done it.

We only put in enough water for our immediate needs ie if we're away for weekend we only half fill the tank and always empty out old water. If we're just out for a jolly, we have old Tesco cheapest water bottles that we bought once when we were short about 17p for 2 litres!! Since then I've refilled and keep 2 as a reserve or to use for tea if the water in the tank more than a few days old. Then we use it for washing up only.

As we use the van all year, it doesn't get time to go stale or get bugs so never bother cleaning water tank.

We use the garden hose to fill, but let the first couple of pipefulls water the garden or rinse the windscreen down before filling the tank.


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## activecampers (May 17, 2012)

Milton can affect stainless steel, so be careful with it as it can damage sink or some hot water tanks

(apparently)


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## donkey too (May 17, 2012)

Just a thought. But, how often do you clean the watwer tank in your house? 

Do you clean it for instance If you have been away for a month and not run the water in that time?

Not many people do I would like to bet. So whats the problem with the Motorhome tank? I have always just flushed with clean water after it has stood for more than a week unused. Thats all.


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## doesmyedin (May 17, 2012)

*Water Tank*

 ... Shift+R improves the quality of this image. CTRL+F5 reloads the whole page.





andy906 said:


> I'm sure this question has been asked before but what is the best way to clean/disinfect a motorhome internal fresh water tank?
> 
> I have a Rapido 710F that has quite a large tank (unsure of exact capacity)
> 
> Any suggestions??



 We have always used the cheap bleach you dont need a lot, cleans the tank lovely, make sure you rinse it well.  Never drink the water out of the tank only use for washing and washing up. Take a small container for fresh drinking water or buy it.  Better to be safe than sorry, dont want to be sick and sat on the toilet for the whole of your holiday.


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## maingate (May 17, 2012)

It should be remembered that when you fill your tank from the tap, the water contains Chlorine which should kill off any mild germs that could be present. An internal sealed tank is a lot less likely to attract bugs in the first place than than a clear plastic bottle in the daylight.

I have not cleaned our tank for 2 years now. I did it a couple of times when I first bought it as the van had stood in the dealers for a long time. I drink the water from the tank, it is no different to drinking from the tap at home because we use the van often and I drain down before we get home. Why people think they will be ill by drinking the water escapes me. Believe me, it is impossible to completely avoid water borne bugs. They are in many things, not just the tap. You need to build up an armoury of protection in your immune system. The only way to do this is to take on board the bugs and let your body build the immunity.


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## donkey too (May 17, 2012)

maingate said:


> It should be remembered that when you fill your tank from the tap, the water contains Chlorine which should kill off any mild germs that could be present. An internal sealed tank is a lot less likely to attract bugs in the first place than than a clear plastic bottle in the daylight.
> 
> I have not cleaned our tank for 2 years now. I did it a couple of times when I first bought it as the van had stood in the dealers for a long time. I drink the water from the tank, it is no different to drinking from the tap at home because we use the van often and I drain down before we get home. Why people think they will be ill by drinking the water escapes me. Believe me, it is impossible to completely avoid water borne bugs. They are in many things, not just the tap. You need to build up an armoury of protection in your immune system. The only way to do this is to take on board the bugs and let your body build the immunity.



And I pee in the local reservoir when I am overnighting there. :lol-053::lol-053::lol-053::lol-053:


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## maingate (May 17, 2012)

Chlorine won't kill that pee I bet.


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## Canalsman (May 17, 2012)

maingate said:


> It should be remembered that when you fill your tank from the tap, the water contains Chlorine which should kill off any mild germs that could be present. An internal sealed tank is a lot less likely to attract bugs in the first place than than a clear plastic bottle in the daylight.
> 
> I have not cleaned our tank for 2 years now. I did it a couple of times when I first bought it as the van had stood in the dealers for a long time. I drink the water from the tank, it is no different to drinking from the tap at home because we use the van often and I drain down before we get home. Why people think they will be ill by drinking the water escapes me. Believe me, it is impossible to completely avoid water borne bugs. They are in many things, not just the tap. You need to build up an armoury of protection in your immune system. The only way to do this is to take on board the bugs and let your body build the immunity.



Well said - spot on 

That's the philosophy I follow too ...


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## Deleted member 5816 (May 17, 2012)

donkey too said:


> Just a thought. But, how often do you clean the watwer tank in your house?
> 
> Do you clean it for instance If you have been away for a month and not run the water in that time?
> 
> Not many people do I would like to bet. So whats the problem with the Motorhome tank? I have always just flushed with clean water after it has stood for more than a week unused. Thats all.




DT
The Problem being you don’t drink out of the Cold water tank at home this only feeds the hot water system you drink out of the cold water mains, It would be a bit awkward doing this in a motor caravan.
Alf


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## northernspirit2001 (May 17, 2012)

*as used by NHS*



JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Couple of cheap 2 litre bottles of Coke, let it slosh about, drain and flush with clean water
> 
> 
> Peter



my wife is a nurse on special care baby unit where they used coke to clean NG/gastro tubes that go in and out the little babies! (they progressed to pineapple juice - cos they've got money to burn!)


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## northernspirit2001 (May 17, 2012)

When i first got a MH it got a case of odd tasting water, Milton at the stated dosage for 6h then flushed and it worked fine but I'm in and out of it all the time and find draining after garaging and refilling before an outing tiresome so i carry bottle water (17p/2litre bottle) for drinking and just my water tank for a few days every 6 months or so


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## Deleted member 5816 (May 17, 2012)

basildog said:


> Not quite true !
> Yes that is the case these days but many older propertys have tank fed cold to all but the kitchen sink !



Yes thats True but the drinking tap was the *Kitchen *tap you should never use any of the others fror drinking or teeth cleaning that is why this practice was banned many years ago

Alf


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## Deleted member 5816 (May 17, 2012)

northernspirit2001 said:


> When i first got a MH it got a case of odd tasting water, Milton at the stated dosage for 6h then flushed and it worked fine but I'm in and out of it all the time and find draining after garaging and refilling before an outing tiresome so i carry bottle water (17p/2litre bottle) for drinking and just my water tank for a few days every 6 months or so



you only need to clean the tank once a year at the most even a couple of years should be ok or use ELSIL all the time and never need to clean out
Alf


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## maingate (May 17, 2012)

northernspirit2001 said:


> my wife is a nurse on special care baby unit where they used coke to clean NG/gastro tubes that go in and out the little babies! (they progressed to pineapple juice - cos they've got money to burn!)



I have already recommended this method to barryd with his water problem (online and on the phone) ............

...........does he listen????? :mad1:

The youf of today think they know it all. :mad2:

Just like me when I was a youngun. :lol-049:


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## Neckender (May 17, 2012)

Alf 1 said:


> DT
> The Problem being you don’t drink out of the Cold water tank at home this only feeds the hot water system you drink out of the cold water mains, It would be a bit awkward doing this in a motor caravan.
> Alf



You do in North Staffordshire, from 1989 as all tank fed systems must provide potable water, unless you're on a combi boiler then all cold taps are drinkable.

We also drink the water from our motorhome storage tank.
John.


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## Tbear (May 18, 2012)

maingate said:


> It should be remembered that when you fill your tank from the tap, the water contains Chlorine which should kill off any mild germs that could be present. An internal sealed tank is a lot less likely to attract bugs in the first place than than a clear plastic bottle in the daylight.
> 
> I have not cleaned our tank for 2 years now. I did it a couple of times when I first bought it as the van had stood in the dealers for a long time. I drink the water from the tank, it is no different to drinking from the tap at home because we use the van often and I drain down before we get home. Why people think they will be ill by drinking the water escapes me. Believe me, it is impossible to completely avoid water borne bugs. They are in many things, not just the tap. You need to build up an armoury of protection in your immune system. The only way to do this is to take on board the bugs and let your body build the immunity.



Sorry guys but if it had enough chlorine in it to make a difference then it would taste and smell like swimming pool water.

If you keep using it and therefore flushing it through. It will stay fresh. If it get animal poo or similar in it and is kept without oxygen then it will wipe out an Elephant. Just be careful how and where you fill up.

Richard


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## maingate (May 18, 2012)

Tbear said:


> Sorry guys but if it had enough chlorine in it to make a difference then it would taste and smell like swimming pool water.
> 
> If you keep using it and therefore flushing it through. It will stay fresh. If it get animal poo or similar in it and is kept without oxygen then it will wipe out an Elephant. Just be careful how and where you fill up.
> 
> Richard



We are very meticulous about the animal poo in our van.

We keep it in a dedicated top locker. The runny bits used to seep out on to our heads but a bit of silicone cured that. :wacko:


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## sean rua (May 18, 2012)

I suppose we're going a bit off topic, but here's my "worrying" thought:

About twelve years ago, I was at Ascot racecourse and a bunch of "suits" were chatting loudly. OK, the "source" may not be totally scientific, but one of them was a doctor,
and he reckoned to the others that "human wee" in a water tank, say in the top of a hospital or  hotel, would cause terrible health problems.

I couldn't help hearing their conversation as they were well-oiled and laughing and joking about some plumber who got the hump with the clients and, for badness, decided to pee in their water tank.
Apparently, he was caught and prosecuted ( maybe you read about in the papers?).

I hadn't heard about it myself, but this doctor was adamant that the effects multiply out of all proportion when a wee bit of something is added to a tank of water. :scared:

Btw, I'm a bit old-fashioned myself: I generally only drink hot tea or beer! :wave:

sean rua.


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## Tbear (May 18, 2012)

Whats the water the the average reservoir but a mixture of dilute fish poo and sheep droppings:scared:


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## Deleted member 21686 (May 18, 2012)

If you have a shower in your van that you use regularly flushing out is good practice as water that rises above 20 degrees C increases the risk of contracting Legionella's disease.
Over this temperature and the Legionella bacteria increases at an alarming rate particularly if your tank is not clean as the bacteria then lives off this slime in your tank.
When you shower you then breath in the droplets almost invisable to the naked eye and you can contract Legionella's disease Which is like a severe pnumonia that kills people or damages them for the rest of their life.

The old, sick or infirm are particularly vunerable.
Legionella is everywhere and does not become dangerous until it multiplies.

Chlorine, bleach or Milton kills this bacteria.
The longer water stands in this warm condition the the higher the risk.

It is only dangerous when taken into the lungs from a spray head or shower.


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## Skar (May 18, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> It is only dangerous when taken into the lungs from a spray head or shower.



My shower just kind of dribbles onto the top of my head so no worries then?


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## Deleted member 21686 (May 18, 2012)

basildog said:


> What was the optimum growing temperature again ???
> So is this something I could grow as a diy project as mother has a shower ??????



20 to 45 degrees that is why hot water is stored at 60 degrees to kill off the blighters.

HSE - What is Legionnaires' disease?


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## Deleted member 21686 (May 18, 2012)

Skar said:


> My shower just kind of dribbles onto the top of my head so no worries then?



Little or no risk.


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## Deleted member 21686 (May 21, 2012)

basildog said:


> Belive it or not they actually think that your windscreen washer water is a potential risk if you do not use screenwash as legionella loves the mist as you say then enters your car through the vents !!!!!



Yes I've read this also.
I suppose it makes sense.


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