Can I Use Drano In My RV Toilet – How To Unclog (Explained)

Have you ever wondered if you could use Drano to unclog your RV toilet? Look no more. We´ve got you covered.

Just like your toilet in your home, your RV toilet can be clogged. When this happens, you will want to unclog the issue as quickly as possible so that the toilet is up and running again.

Because RV toilets include different parts than your home, many people are not sure if they can use Drano in their RV toilet.

Yes, you can use Drano in your RV toilet, but only under certain situations. Whereas Drano may be a great unclogging mechanism for some RV owners, it may not be a great option for others. The issue most critics cite is that it can damage the rubber seals that are located on the dump valves or the holding tanks.

It is unlikely for this to happen, but many users would rather air on the side of caution to ensure this does not happen.

In this article, we are going to explain the controversy about using Drano in your RV toilet.

We provide you all the information you need to know so that you can make the decision for yourself. We also provide alternatives in case you don’t want to use Drano.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

About Drano

Before discussing whether or not Drano is safe within an RV toilet, let’s look at Drano specifically to learn what it is and how it works. It is a high-powered clog remover that contains dangerous chemicals.

These chemicals have the ability to dissolve hair, scum, and junk, making Drano a perfect choice for beating tough clogs.

However, you cannot use all Drano products within a toilet. The only Drano product you can use within a toilet is the Drano Max Build-Up Remover.

Any other Drano product can lead to an incredibly unsafe scenario for both you and your toilet.

Whenever we are discussing Drano within an RV toilet, we are only talking about the Drano Max Build-Up Remover. Never use any other Drano product within any toilet, whether it is in your home or your RV.

Can I Use Drano In My RV Toilet? It Depends.

If you do a quick search online about whether or not you can use Drano in your RV toilet, you will find a lot of different answers.

As we mentioned above, some users love it while other users hate it. It can be difficult to get past this controversy to find out whether or not you can use it.

Let’s start with why people are against using Drano. Most users who are against using Drano in an RV toilet are not against it out of fear of it damaging your pipes. The pipes within your RV are durable and able to handle Drano.

RV owners in favor of Drano focus on the fact that it will not damage the pipes. Those who are against Drano do not argue against this claim.

Additionally, RV owners in favor of Drano cite the unlikelihood of it damaging the rubber during the unclogging process.

It is important to note that although there are people on both sides of the argument, most are actually in favor of using Drano in an RV toilet.

Many of these users say they have done it themselves and haven’t had any issues over the years.

What Is Our Take?

Our take is that Drano will not damage the toilet pipes or the general plumbing system. It does run the risk of damaging rubber seals, especially if the seals are old or you use Drano too often.

“However, Drano should not cause any issues to any part of your RV plumbing system if the RV is relatively new, and you only use it sparingly.”

We also suggest using an alternative if you have any doubts or qualms about Drano. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your RV’s plumbing.

This is especially true if you are unsure about the quality of your seals. Just select an alternative if you aren’t sure.

Is Drano Right For You?

So, is Drano right for you? We recommend using Drano to unclog a toilet if the RV is new, the rubber seals do not and have not shown any signs of wear, and Drano is used sparingly.

If your situation meets all three of these requirements, Drano should not cause any problems within your plumbing system.

However, you should probably select an unclogging alternative if you have an old RV, know your rubber seals may cause some damage, or you find yourself needing Drano a lot.

These three situations can result in damaged seals within the plumbing system.

You may also want to select an alternative if you are simply nervous about using Drano. There are tons of other effective alternatives to choose from.

If you are nervous, there is no point in causing anxiety from the usage of Drano. Simply select a different alternative instead.

Other Alternatives For Unclogging Your RV Toilet

If you have decided that you need to use an unclogging alternative, you can select many other options instead of Drano.

These alternatives may not be as effective for tough clogs, but they get the job done for most RV users.

Enzyme-Based Cleaner

If you have a really tough clog, you will want to use a commercial product that is safe for RVs. Most commonly, you might want to use an enzyme-based drain opener.

These enzymes will eat through the clog without risking damage to your seals or other parts of your plumbing.

Make sure that the enzyme-based cleaner you select is suitable for RVs. Most will be safe, but you want to confirm this fact before dumping it down your toilet or pipes.

Baking Soda And Vinegar

If you want to try an at-home method first, you can dump 3 tablespoons of baking soda down the toilet. Follow up by dumping 1.5 cups of vinegar down the drain.

Allow this concoction to sit within the drain for a couple of hours. Then, pour boiling water down the drain to flush it out.

Baking soda and vinegar will be strong enough to get through most RV clogs. The only downside of this method is that your toilet will not be functioning for a couple of hours, which can be an issue if you are on the road or camping somewhere remote.

Boiling Water

The cheapest way to clear an RV toilet clog is to simply use boiling water. Continue pouring boiling water down the toilet until the clog is broken up.

This may require you to repeat the process multiple times before the clog is freed up. The boiling water method will not be ideal for tough clogs, but it will work for mild ones.

If you use boiling water, you will need to pour it in through the toilet valve. Most likely, you will also need to let the water sit overnight.

Once again, this method will put your toilet out of service for several hours.

Flexible Toilet Wand

You can also use a flexible toilet wand to manually break up any clogs. You can find cheap but effective flexible toilet ones at Amazon or Camping World.

These ones will be able to reach deep into the pipe so that it can break up the clog.

Prevention Tips

Once you fix your toilet clog, you probably want to do what you can to prevent it from happening again.

Luckily, there are some basic tips for keeping your RV toilet free from clogs. Let’s check out some of the most useful tips to keep in mind.

Only Use RV Safe Toilet Paper

The most important tip to remember is that you should only use RV-safe toilet paper. Only select toilet paper that is one- or two-ply and is certified septic safe.

Recyclable and biodegradable toilet papers are the best.

You can select an RV-only toilet paper, but you can also use thin biodegradable papers that are more affordable.

Use Less Paper

Even if you have RV-safe toilet paper, try to use as little toilet paper as possible. This may be slightly less comfortable, but it will prevent the toilet from becoming clogged prematurely.

Most people use twice as much toilet paper as they need, which proves you can probably cut back on your toilet paper usage.

While you are cutting back on paper, try to use more water. Doubling the water content can also help to prevent clogs because it dissolves the paper faster.

This may cost a bit more in water, but it will save you from dealing with a clogged toilet.

Don’t Put Anything Down The Toilet

Aside from your waist and RV safe toilet paper, don’t put anything else down your RV toilet. Although you should not put anything else down any toilet, home toilets are less likely to become clogged from thicker materials.

Simply avoid placing any other materials in your RV toilet to keep it from becoming clogged.

Drop-In Cleaners

The last tip for preventing your toilet from becoming clogged is to use drop-in cleaners. Drop-in cleaners are a great choice whenever your toilet is not yet clogged but hasn’t been cleaned in some time.

Using RV-safe drop-in cleaners can help keep your pipes in working condition.

Final Thoughts

Drano is a powerful tool that needs to be used with caution. If you have a clog in your RV toilet, you can use Drano so long as the RV is relatively new, there is no damage to the seals, and you don’t use Drano often.

In this case, the Drano should not damage the seals or the plumbing.

However, you should not use Drano if your RV is old, has seal issues, or requires the use of Drano often. Instead, use a safer alternative, such as boiling water or a flexible hose, to break up the clog.

These alternatives should free up the clog without damaging the seals in the process.

If you are really anxious about using Drano, just go for the alternative instead. These alternatives are effective, and they don’t run the risk of damaging the seals.

If you want to be safe rather than sorry, these alternatives are a great choice, but you can use Drano under certain circumstances if you want.

References

https://www.drano.com/en-us/explore-clog-basics/how-to-deal-with-a-slow-running-toilet