Black Tank Essentials Every RVer Needs

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After almost 10 years of living in an RV, I’ve dumped a black tank more times than I can count. Unless you’re one of those rare campers who never use their RV bathroom, it’s just part of the routine.

Dumping and cleaning the black tank is never fun, but with the right gear, it’s pretty easy and actually sanitary. Here are the black tank essentials every RVer should have.

This post is sponsored by etrailer.com. They’re my go‑to for everything RV‑related, from campsite gear to hitches and replacement parts. I’ve been ordering from them for years and always get great customer service. I especially love their detailed product descriptions and video tutorials. They make it easy to get the right gear the first time.

Must Have RV Black Tank Gear

These 7 items are the essentials that every RV owner should purchase before their first camping trip.

Sturdy Sewer Hose

The first and most obvious item every RV owner needs is a sewer hose. But, don’t buy just any hose. Buy one that is durable and long. It has to be durable because a small hole can lead to a big mess, and it needs to be long because the sewer hookup at campsites isn’t always super close to the parking area.

I recommend the Camco RhinoEXTREME RV Sewer Hose Set. It comes with 2 hoses for a total of 20 feet, and is made from heavy-duty TPE vinyl, reinforced with a polyolefin wire core.

Elbow and 4-in-1 Adapter

The Camco RhinoEXTREME RV Sewer Hose Set also includes 2 essential black tank accessories: an elbow fitting and a 4-in-1 adapter. Both of these accessories ensure that the hose is securely connected to the sewer outlet.

The elbow fitting on this set is clear, so you can see the waste flowing out of the RV. This may sound gross to a new RV owner, but it is the best way to verify that your black tank is clean.

Sewer Hose Supports

Supports should be placed under the sewer hose to direct the flow of your black tank contents down into the sewer outlet. If you leave the hose lying on the ground, waste is likely to get stuck in the middle of the hose.

The Slunkly RV Sewer Hose Support System is a 25-foot-long cradle with a flexible design that allows you to position the hose around any obstacle. It is collapsible for easy storage.

Gate Valve

A gate valve is a secondary valve that connects to your RV’s sewer outlet to prevent leaks and drips. If your black or gray tan valve fails, the gate valve also provides a way to quickly shut off the tanks.

We use a gate valve, like the RhinoFLEX Rhino Blaster, which can also be used as a reverse flush valve. The Rhino Blaster has a hose connection, so campers can connect a garden hose to backflush their tanks. The clear design allows campers to see when the tank is clean.

Flush Hose

Flushing the black tank is an important RV maintenance task. Most modern RVs have a black tank flush, so all you need to flush your tanks is a garden hose. Campers should purchase a hose just for flushing their tanks.

Your drinking water hose should not be used for dumping tanks, as you may use non-potable water to fill the tanks, and using the same hose could lead to contamination of your fresh water tank.

Many RVers select different color hoses for flushing and filling water, so the two are not easily confused. For example, this Valeterra Flushing Hose is gray while many hoses made for drinking water are blue.

Black Tank Treatment

RV campers need to put chemicals into the black tank before using it.  These products help break down waste and paper and can help with odors. I prefer the drop-in pouches because they are less messy than the liquid treatments.

Gloves

Last, but not least, are gloves. Many campers insist they don’t need gloves to dump their tanks, but they are important protective gear for setting up and cleaning your RV’s black tank accessories.

This is a precaution that helps protect you from exposure to bacteria and other harmful substances found in raw sewage. Camco sells a set of 50 disposable gloves in a mounted dispenser for easy access.

Option RV Black Tank Gear

While the following items aren’t essential for cleaning and maintaining your RV’s black tank, they can make it a little easier for some campers.

Portable Waste Tank

Campers who regularly stay at campgrounds without full hookups should consider a portable RV holding tank. When camping without full hookups, our gray and black water holding tanks will be full within a week. Our portable waste tank allows us to empty the tanks without moving the RV.

The Thetford Titan portable waste tank has a 35-gallon capacity. It also comes equipped with a wash-out port for easy cleaning and a hook to hang it from your RV’s ladder.

Sewer Hose Y Fitting

Some RVs have two separate waste outlets. A Y fitting allows campers to connect two hoses together to a third hose that drains into the sewer hookup. With the Y fitting in place, campers don’t have to constantly hook and unhook sewer hoses at their full hookup campsite.

Tank Rinser

If your RV does not have a built-in black tank flush or you have a clog, a tank rinse can be a great tool. The Valterra Flexible Tank Wand connects to a flush hose and sprays water at high pressure down the toilet to clean the tank and break up any obstructions. The flexible wand is easier to use and maneuver than more rigid models.

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Thanks for reading our guide to RV black tank essentials! Now that you have all the gear, you need to know how to use it all. See our beginner’s guide to RV holding tanks for step-by-step cleaning and maintenance instructions.

Happy Camping!