Great tip !

[Night Stone]

Can downy be used instead of Calgon? It was recommended by one of the workers at the RV dealer.

[2Susan]

Originally Posted by Night Stone

Can downy be used instead of Calgon? It was recommended by one of the workers at the RV dealer.

NO NO NO!!

THe worker was "thinking" of Calgon but said Downey instead. NOT the same stuff. Downey or any other fabric softener is a liquified wax. It coats stuff - and if you have a front loading washer you probably know (or should know) that the scummy waxy residue that liquid fabric softeners leave behind is the place where mold finds a happy home and makes front loaders stink!

You are trying to make your black water tank cleaner - helping gravity to drain away more of the nasty stuff in the tank, not create a new hazard for additional stink!

As a side note - don't use liquid detergents that contain fabric softener for the same reason.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by 2Susan

NO NO NO!!

THe worker was "thinking" of Calgon but said Downey instead. NOT the same stuff. Downey or any other fabric softener is a liquified wax. It coats stuff - and if you have a front loading washer you probably know (or should know) that the scummy waxy residue that liquid fabric softeners leave behind is the place where mold finds a happy home and makes front loaders stink!

You are trying to make your black water tank cleaner - helping gravity to drain away more of the nasty stuff in the tank, not create a new hazard for additional stink!

As a side note - don't use liquid detergents that contain fabric softener for the same reason.

Good tip Susan. Ditto on the NO! NO! NO!

[Rebel702]

Makes it easy when they deliver it to your door.

Amazon.com: Calgon Water Softener Powder, 40-Ounce (Pack of 2): Health & Personal Care

[Namchief]

Originally Posted by Rebel702

Makes it easy when they deliver it to your door.

Amazon.com: Calgon Water Softener Powder, 40-Ounce (Pack of 2): Health & Personal Care

Thanks already found it there but love that you did as well.... Prime shipping as well

[FreedomTracker]

Thx for the Amazon tip... previously I have only located the liquid at my local W-mart.

Does anyone know if it make any difference whether to use powder vs. liquid? Price is similar.

[IllinoisCamperCpl]

Will be using this treatment from now on, it only makes sense to help in the coating of the black tank!

[Herk7769]

I prefer the liquid. It is easier to measure and it all gets into the tank.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by IllinoisCamperCpl

Will be using this treatment from now on, it only makes sense to help in the coating of the black tank!

Welcome to the forum!

[10x]

Is it the same amount if you use liquid instead of powder? I mean the 1 cup measurement for each.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by 10x

Is it the same amount if you use liquid instead of powder? I mean the 1 cup measurement for each.

Not sure ! hmmmmm someone surely knows !

[Herk7769]

Doing the laundry is not part of my normal duties, but I fill in in a "pinch."

Does not the powdered bleach have soap in it?

I use PURE UNSCENTED LIQUID Chlorox because all I want in that water is chlorine. Buy a small bottle just for this if nessessary an you will get two applications.

[brokenaxle]

Ok I sort of scanned the posts in here and there are several errors putting calgon and laundry detergent is not the geo method. Also an fyi for anyone that wants to use the geo method go to the link someone posted earlier. The powdered calgon for some reason doesn't work as well as the liquid while using the geo method. Also some campground owners don't like you to use bleach in your holding tanks because it kills the bacteria in their sewage lagoons. With that said I have used the geo method and it does work. I also when using the regular chemicals in my tank occasionally run a batch of the geo method through to clean my tank. I also use it at the end of the season.
I put the stuff for the geo method in the tank after I dump it. Then agitate the contents with my wand or tank flusher. I fill the tank to the top then drain then fill it again and rinse.
I am a seasonal camper and since my camper doesn't move so I need to do it this way to keep my tank from getting nasty. If I traveled on the road I would do this while traveling so the tank gets agitated real well then hit the dump station when you reach your destination.
There was a lot of discussion on another RV web site and the geo method has been researched to death. Another thing if you guys are using Rv toilet tissue you could be wasting money. They also did studies on how t.p. dissolves and they found that Scott's tissue dissolved almost as well as R.V. tissue. Also it allows you to finish wiping before it dissolves.

[10x]

Originally Posted by brokenaxle

Ok I sort of scanned the posts in here and there are several errors putting calgon and laundry detergent is not the geo method. Also an fyi for anyone that wants to use the geo method go to the link someone posted earlier. The powdered calgon for some reason doesn't work as well as the liquid while using the geo method. Also some campground owners don't like you to use bleach in your holding tanks because it kills the bacteria in their sewage lagoons. With that said I have used the geo method and it does work. I also when using the regular chemicals in my tank occasionally run a batch of the geo method through to clean my tank. I also use it at the end of the season.
I put the stuff for the geo method in the tank after I dump it. Then agitate the contents with my wand or tank flusher. I fill the tank to the top then drain then fill it again and rinse.
I am a seasonal camper and since my camper doesn't move so I need to do it this way to keep my tank from getting nasty. If I traveled on the road I would do this while traveling so the tank gets agitated real well then hit the dump station when you reach your destination.
There was a lot of discussion on another RV web site and the geo method has been researched to death. Another thing if you guys are using Rv toilet tissue you could be wasting money. They also did studies on how t.p. dissolves and they found that Scott's tissue dissolved almost as well as R.V. tissue. Also it allows you to finish wiping before it dissolves.

I have used Scott for years, at home and in the camper. It works fine with no poblems.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by brokenaxle

Ok I sort of scanned the posts in here and there are several errors putting calgon and laundry detergent is not the geo method.

While NOT the actual Geo-Method, the Liquid Calgon/Liquid Detergent treatment works for me since we never keep the crud in the tanks any longer than neccessary. Making the liquid slippery enough to completely evacuate the tanks (dumping into the "Blue Boy" or at a dump station) using gravity alone is the goal. When the flush is available we always do a 30 minute turbo-flush.

Here is the "actual" Geo-Method procedure.

[statgeek]

Originally Posted by Wiscampsin

The actual name for the process of putting Calgon in the tank is the GEO method.
Link: https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/

Fantastic. Thanks !

[Pipeman]

I also use the GEO method. I use both the liquid and the powder, depending on what I can find. With the liquid I pour in a couple of caps full. With the powder it's 2 cups, into a gallon pail of hot water. A cup of liquid clothes detergent goes in also.

[RPAspey]

I wonder if my system is much different. I use two of those little "packets" of dish washer detergent each dump. Just throw them in with two big flushes of the toilet and go. the motion during travel mixes them up.

[coderider]

Originally Posted by RPAspey

I wonder if my system is much different. I use two of those little "packets" of dish washer detergent each dump. Just throw them in with two big flushes of the toilet and go. the motion during travel mixes them up.

Do you mean something like this stuff?

http://www.cascadeclean.com/us/cascade/product

[RPAspey]

yes, thats the ones.