Is Charmin Toilet Paper safe for RV? – What You Need To Know

RV black water tanks can be delicate, so you’ll save time and money by choosing RV-safe toilet paper. The key to picking the right TP? It has to be fast-dissolving.

Is Charmin toilet paper safe for RV? Yes, Some varieties of Charmin toilet paper are safe for RV use. Charmin Ultra Soft’s extreme softness results in rapid disintegration and Charmin Essentials Strong’s 1-ply TP dissolves with ease, but Charmin Ultra Strong is unsafe for RVs.

Read below for more proof that Charmin Ultra Soft is safe for your RV. You can also learn about how to test any toilet paper’s safety before you use it, how to keep your tank clean, and which 3 toilet papers are the very best for RV living.

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What Charmin Toilet Paper Users Say about RV Safety

Sam Kresslein of the “RV Need blog” emphasizes that the softness of Charmin Ultra Soft makes it a fast-dissolving and reliable toilet paper choice for RV life.

Charmin Ultra Soft provides

Comfort: Charmin Ultra Soft is one of the softest TPs on the market.

2. Performance: It is two times more absorbent than other toilet papers. You won’t have to worry about tearing and folding with Charmin Ultra Soft, and less TP will go further for you and your family.

3. RV Safety: Ultra Soft dissolves quickly, and since you can use less than other TPs, you won’t end up with clogging. It is approved by Roto-Rooter plumbers and is certified septic and sewer-line safe.

4. Affordability: While it may appear to cost more upfront, you will find you use much less of it, meaning you need to buy toilet paper less often.

Many RV users have used Charmin toilet paper for years and years with no issues.

Charmin Ultra Soft vs. Charmin Ultra Strong

Charmin Ultra Strong should NOT be used in an RV. This Charmin variety is extremely resistant to tearing, which means it is also slow to break down in the tank.

Another brand to consider is Charmin Essentials Strong. This is a 1-ply toilet paper that will dissolve quickly but may not be as cushy as Charmin Ultra Soft.

Charmin addresses questions about sewer and septic tank safety on their website. Charmin emphasizes that their toilet paper is indeed septic safe, and is “thoroughly tested to ensure it will settle in a septic tank and then undergo biodegration in the tank.”

Charmin offers a guarantee that their toilet paper will not clog up your black water tank, or they will refund you for your purchase!

Always Test for Yourself First!

For all of those people out there who promise Charmin is safe for your tank, there are also some individuals who pledge that Charmin is unsafe for RVs.

Some RV-dwellers claim that they do not allow Charmin in their toilet. One individual says that when they began using Charmin in their RV, their black tank gauge began reading full at all times, even though they had a black tank flush.

The best thing you can do is conduct the “jar” toilet paper test before you introduce any new variety of TP into your RV toilet.

What Is The Difference Between RV Toilet Paper and Regular?

What is the difference between RV toilet paper and regular? RV and marine safe toilet paper is specifically designed with increased dissolving capacity for marine, septic, and RV toilet systems. This is a contentious issue with some RV enthusiasts claiming that RV specific paper is costly and unnecessary with regular tank cleaning.

It seems strange that even RV manufacturers state that regular toilet paper is not recommended in RV toilet systems if this truly was ‘unnecessary.’

RV toilet papers are created with advanced decomposition capacities and have shorter fibers than ordinary toilet paper.

They are also free from the elongated fibers and scents and chemicals that make luxury toilet paper sell so well (while destroying our environment.)

When toilet paper compacts in drain lines, it can cause serious problems in an RV setup with foul odors and backlogged waste, which are one sure way to turn your holiday bad.

The best part of the Marine/Rv brands is that many are environmentally conscious as well. Brands like Scotts are made from ethically sourced bamboo and sugar cane and are 100 percent biodegradable.

Many generic toilet papers use a large percentage of wood pulp and contain BPAs and Parabens and are far from being ecologically conscious (it all lands up somewhere.) look for an RV brand marked FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council) and reduce your carbon footprint along with annoying clogs on your RV vacation.

RV toilets are simply not designed to handle the thicker toilet paper brands of the popular varieties. Your best plan of action is to consult your owner’s manual for the best toilet paper for RVs and spend those extra dollars. There is no price set on peace of mind.

Can I Use Angel Soft Toilet Paper In My RV?

Can i use Angel Soft toilet paper in my RV? Yes, according to the manufacturers, the Angel Soft septic-safe brand can be used in RV toilet systems.

Angel Soft market its line of camper toilet paper as being soft, strong, and septic tank safe. Made to break down quickly, the company aims this septic-safe range to the RV community to prevent clogging and clumping in their RV toilet systems.

There has been some contention about the RV forums that something has been changed in the septic-safe brand, and it no longer breaks down suitably and causes clogs much the same way as ordinary toilet paper.

One always has to beware of people using public forums to create bad publicity for competing brands.

But the philosophy of where there is smoke, there is fire also holds up, and there have been frequent complaints on RV forums. So the rule of thumb is to give your camper toilet paper the shake test.

Fill a jar with water and place a small square of toilet paper inside the water (2 layers if it is a 2-ply brand.) Give the jar two not-too-vigorous shakes and observe the paper.

If the paper begins to dissolve into smaller translucent pieces and particles, it should be safe for your RV. (If you are unsure what to look for, compare the shaken paper with a known RV brand and measure the difference.

Can You Poop In An RV?

Can you poop in an RV? Yes, you may poop in an RV with pleasure, as long as you bear certain things in mind. The only things to go down into your black tank is RV safe toilet paper and your human waste.

That means no sanitary towels or paper towels and especially no ‘flushable wipes’ that are a menace to septic tanks (and the environment.)

Rather than a handle, most travel trailer toilets have a pedal under the bowl. When you press the pedal with your foot, water runs into the toilet, and a flap opens at the base.

This waste and water flush into the black water tank mounted under the trailer. Chemicals similar to portable toilets help break down waste and prevent odors.

RV toilet tanks are generally emptied from the outside of the trailer.

Test Any Toilet Paper at Home for RV Safety: The Jar Test

This is a great way to find out if your chosen brand of toilet paper will clog your black tank or not.

Here’s how to conduct the toilet paper test:

Get a mason jar or clear glass and fill it halfway with water.

2. Drop-in a few clean pieces of your chosen toilet paper.

3. Seal the top of the glass with the jar lid or with your hand, then give the glass TWO good shakes – no more, no less! If you do it more, the toilet paper will probably dissolve, and you won’t know if it’s safe for your tank or not.

4. Put the jar or glass back down then see if the toilet paper has disintegrated or not. If the sheets are still in large chunks, do not use that toilet paper in your RV!

Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper pass the jar test. However, you should do the test yourself anyways, especially if you plan to use a variety of Charmin that is not Ultra Soft or Essentials Strong.

How to Keep Your Tank Clean

The toilet paper you choose is a big factor in how well your tank will perform. On the other hand, there are other contributors to the functionality and cleanliness of your tank.

Related reading: Do RV Toilets Have Wax Rings? Here Are The Facts

Some people believe RV users will not have any type of issues with any kind of toilet paper as long as they follow the other rules of tank cleanliness.

Be careful of what goes down the toilet. You can place a small amount of toilet paper down the toilet. When it comes to living in an RV, that’s IT! No feminine hygiene products, no baby wipes, no trash. It’s essential to be extra careful in an RV to avoid the labor, stress, or money that will come from a clogged tank.
Liquids, liquids, liquids in the tank. Make sure there are always plenty of liquids in the tank, and after you dump and close your valve, put a couple of toilet bowls of water down the toilet to make sure there’s always liquid in the black water tank. Liquids keep the tanks and hoses open and working.
Clean your tank regularly. It’s imperative to clean the black water tank once every month or two. Remember that cleaning it too often can also introduce problems. With more waste, things can break down more effectively.
Leave the black tank valve closed until dumping time. Of course, leaving a black tank valve open will allow the liquids to flow out, and the solids will be stuck. Be sure to close your valve completely after dumping as well.
Flush the tank after dumping (to get those liquids going again).

Related reading: Where to Properly Dump Portable Toilet Waste?

Does Walmart Have RV toilet Paper?

Does Walmart Have RV toilet paper? Yes, Walmart offers the full range of RV friendly toilet paper including:

Scott Rapid Dissolving Toilet Paper
Camco RV and Marine Fast Dissolving Toilet Paper
Thetford RV and Marine Toilet Paper
Aqua Soft RV and Marine Toilet paper
RV and Marine Toilet Tissue
Camco RV and Marine Toilet Paper
Angel Soft septic Tank Safe Toilet Paper
TST RV and Marine Toilet Paper

3 Best Toilet Paper for RVs to Use

What are the 3 best toilet papers to use in an RV?

1. Cottonelle Ultra ComfortCare Toilet Paper

First up is cottonelle’s ultra comfortcare. This toilet paper is ultimately your best choice because of its many benefits, including:

Thick and high-quality
Shred-resistant
Soft to the touch
Strong and reliable
One of the fastest dissolving toilet papers on the market
Designed to be 100% biodegradable
Free from perfumes and dyes
Three times stronger, thicker and more absorbent than most RV toilet papers

2. Scott Rapid-Dissolving TP

Next on the list is Scott’s rapid-dissolving toilet paper. Although not on the top of the list, there are many benefits to it, including:

Dissolves four times faster than regular toilet paper, so you don’t have to worry about your RV’s black tank
Is extremely absorbent as well as soft and gentle
Is an affordable toilet paper option
Is proven to be septic and sewer safe
Does not tear easily
Comes from a brand does that green and environmentally-friendly products well

3. Charmin Ultra Soft!

Charmin Ultra Soft is RV safe, and promises:

Unbeatable softness and comfort
Twice the absorbency of other RV-friendly TP
No more folding and layering toilet paper
Septic-safety and no clogging
Plumber approval
A longer-lasting roll of toilet paper

What Toilet Paper Is Best For Septic Systems?

What toilet paper is best for septic systems? There are as many favorites of Camper toilet paper as there are brands, but here are five of the best toilet paper for RVs:

Scott Rapid Dissolving Toilet Paper is FSC certified and breaks down four times faster than standard toilet tissues and is unscented.
Cottonelle Ultra CleanCare is paraben, dyes, and scent-free and is strong but dissolves easily in RV or septic systems.
Seventh Generation White Toilet Paper is 100 % recycled with no dyes, inks, or fragrances. Compatible with RV systems and low-flow toilets.
Freedom Living Toilet Paper in RV dissolves in minutes and is 100% biodegradable.
Caboo Tree-Free Bamboo Toilet Paper which BPA, fragrance and paraben-free, and non-GMO verified.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few common questions people often have about toilet paper in RV:

Conclusion

Whatever you do, avoid Quilted Northern Soft & Strong and other ultra-strong, ultra-thick TPs. These options can work with a sewer system, but will not break down fast enough to work well with a black tank.

You might be surprised to see that you don’t need to use those specialized RV toilet papers to live in an RV. You deserve a comfortable toilet experience AND a clean tank, too.