Does anyone have a favourite way to clean out water tanks? Some use Milton. We have used a vinegar solution in the past, but have lost the recipe.
Happywanderer said
01:33 AM Jun 20, 2012
Add baking soda to the water, let sit for a while, then rinse out. Won't even matter if a little gets left behind.
aussietraveller said
03:08 AM Jun 20, 2012
If you want a commercial product there are several that Camac have I purchased some there a couple of years ago I now flush and empty the water tanks when I return home.
barrie said
03:53 AM Jun 20, 2012
Caravan shops have a product called Tank Clean and is very good cost is $14 used it on mine a few weeks ago
Cruising Granny said
04:21 AM Jun 20, 2012
Carb soda and vinegar with water. Fill the tanks, leave a few days, then drain and flush with fresh water. Use as much or as little as you like. No chemicals. Nothing nasty, and it's CHEAP. The tanks will be fresh and clean with no algae.
jetj said
06:06 AM Jun 20, 2012
Bicarb and vinegar with water is my preferred.
golivers travels said
06:59 PM Jun 20, 2012
Cleaning tanks can be VERY COSTLY!. I went into buy some purifying tablets for our tanks and came out with a new van! They were expensive tablets, and yes I bought the tablets first.
Glenda
neilnruth said
12:43 AM Jun 21, 2012
WoW! and to think I looked at those tablets today in the caravan shop... just as well I didn't pick them up.
Peekay said
05:54 PM Jun 22, 2012
Thanks everybody! We'll give the vinegar and bicarb a go first and save using the commercial big guns unless or until it's necessary. Can't afford a new van just yet - only just bought this one. It's amazing though isn't it? The stickers have barely worn off the tyre treads and we're already talking about "the next one". Mmm. Best stay away from those caravan shops!
Beth54 said
09:13 PM Jun 22, 2012
Cruising Granny wrote:
Carb soda and vinegar with water. Fill the tanks, leave a few days, then drain and flush with fresh water. Use as much or as little as you like. No chemicals. Nothing nasty, and it's CHEAP. The tanks will be fresh and clean with no algae.
In what ratio CG?
Peekay said
05:41 PM Jun 25, 2012
We would like to know this too. My husband is thinking 1 litre of vinegar to 10L water, but has no idea on the bicarb. Maybe a cup?
bruceg said
12:48 PM Oct 1, 2017
Arrrmmm, vinegar is a weak acid and bi-carb is a weak alkali. Mixing them together with water means they just neutralize each other and disappear giving off a fizz of carbon dioxide gas.
What I think the correct procedure is -
* Attack any contamination and corrosion by completely filling the tanks with a 1-2% vinegar solution for a few days, then drain it out.
* Follow up with a 1% bi-carbonate solution for another couple of days to completely remove all the vinegar.
* Then flush with 2-3 rinses of clean water, and leave open to dry out completely.
The low concentration vinegar solution can go down the drain, but it can also be used as a low strength cleaner for the caravan walls and the concrete pad under it. Rinsing the depleted vinegar solution off after the 'second cleaning' will dilute it enough to NOT affect plants or lawns. Bi-carb breaks down over a couple of days and therefore will be at very low strength when poured on top of the vinegar etched concrete to complete the cleaning.
bye.
iana said
12:51 PM Oct 1, 2017
I can further that, the acid solution removes the mineral deposits, i.e. calcium, and the alkali solution removes organic. Citric acid makes a good finish rinse.
Does anyone have a favourite way to clean out water tanks? Some use Milton. We have used a vinegar solution in the past, but have lost the recipe.
No chemicals. Nothing nasty, and it's CHEAP.
The tanks will be fresh and clean with no algae.
In what ratio CG?
We would like to know this too. My husband is thinking 1 litre of vinegar to 10L water, but has no idea on the bicarb. Maybe a cup?
Arrrmmm, vinegar is a weak acid and bi-carb is a weak alkali. Mixing them together with water means they just neutralize each other and disappear giving off a fizz of carbon dioxide gas.
What I think the correct procedure is -
* Attack any contamination and corrosion by completely filling the tanks with a 1-2% vinegar solution for a few days, then drain it out.
* Follow up with a 1% bi-carbonate solution for another couple of days to completely remove all the vinegar.
* Then flush with 2-3 rinses of clean water, and leave open to dry out completely.
The low concentration vinegar solution can go down the drain, but it can also be used as a low strength cleaner for the caravan walls and the concrete pad under it. Rinsing the depleted vinegar solution off after the 'second cleaning' will dilute it enough to NOT affect plants or lawns. Bi-carb breaks down over a couple of days and therefore will be at very low strength when poured on top of the vinegar etched concrete to complete the cleaning.
bye.