First-time RV owners and seasoned campers alike may wonder if RV toilet paper is really necessary. Perhaps you’ve heard horror stories of clogged sewage systems, or have been using your household toilet paper in your recreational vehicle for years without issues. How do you know if RV toilet paper isn’t just a marketing sham?
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What is RV toilet paper?
Simply put, RV toilet paper breaks down faster than the regular toilet paper you use in your home. It is sometimes branded as marine toilet tissue and is specially made for RV and marine sanitation systems. Because it breaks down so fast, it also tends to be economical. Unfortunately, it can also be less comfortable — most RV toilet paper is very thin.
Why is RV toilet paper necessary?
Even if you have an expensive, top-of-the-line RV, its sewage system is less robust than the plumbing in your home. Using toilet paper that breaks down quickly can go a long way toward ensuring you do not experience any clogs. A backed-up RV septic system is something you never want to have to deal with.
There’s another reason you should use fast-degrading toilet paper. In your home, wastewater goes into a septic tank in the backyard where it seeps back into the ground, or into a wastewater treatment plant via a sewer system. But in an RV, it goes into your black tank. If your toilet paper doesn’t degrade, it can stay at the bottom of the tank, holding odors and attracting moth flies and other insects. Using RV-friendly paper ensures that when you drain your black tank, there’s nothing left in it.
How to tell if toilet paper is RV-friendly
It’s possible the toilet paper you are using at home is already RV-friendly. There’s an easy test you can perform to check if your preferred product can be used in your RV. Just fill a jar with water and place a few sheets of toilet paper inside of it, then wait 3-5 minutes. If the paper hasn’t begun to break down, you shouldn’t use it in your RV. Alternatively, you can close the jar and shake it to save some time. The toilet paper should start to break down in a matter of seconds. If not, try a different toilet paper.
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So is RV toilet paper really necessary? Yes! Unless your idea of the perfect camping trip is one that involves a clogged septic system — then, by all means, use your Charmin Ultra Soft toilet paper.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.