Can I Use Drano In the Drains In My RV?

by Linda
(Florida)

I want to know if I can use Drano in my sinks to clean the drain pipes and RID-X in my tank.

ANSWER: Hi Linda thanks for submitting your question on our Ask An RV Question Page.

First let me answer your initial questions and then give you some suggestions on alternative methods of unplugging the plumbing in your RV and how to prevent it from happening again.

I would not recommend using any caustic drain cleaners such as original Drano in the plumbing of an RV. Not because of the possibility of it damaging your RV's pipes, but because it could also damage the rubber seals on the dump valves or even the holding tanks themselves.

As far as using RID-X in your RV's holding tank. In the Q&A section of the RID-X website it says "Q: Can RID-X® be used with Recreational Vehicles (RVs)? RID-X® has not been tested on recreational vehicles (RVs). therefore we cannot recommend using it in RVs." So the answer is no again.

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Below are some recommended practices on how to unclog and prevent clogs in RV plumbing. A lot of these suggestions come from other RVers and I have not tried all of them personally.

Unclogging an RV Drain

1. You can use an enzyme based drain opener such as Drainbo Drain Cleaner which can safely be used in RV drains.

2. You can also dump boiling water down the drain to help break up the clog. You may have to repeat the boiling water process several times to totally free up the clog.

3. You may also want to try dumping 3 tablespoons of baking soda down the drain and then dump about a 1 1/2 cups of vinegar in the drain and let it sit for a couple of hours and then use boiling water to rinse out the drain.


4. If all else fails you may have to remove the P-Trap (elbow under sink) and manually clean it out. This is not as complicated as it sounds.

Since I do not know the type of RV you have or how well the plumbing is constructed, I would be hesitant in recommending using a plunger or a Drain King on the drains as these could damage the plumbing.

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Keeping RV Drains Clean

The steps for keeping your RV's drains flowing freely are quite simple.

1. Don't dump grease or oils in your RV's drains.

2. Using Original Liquid Dawn Dish Detergent helps prevent grease and oil from building up in the drains and causing clogs.

3. Treating all the drains monthly with your enzyme based drain opener will also help keep the drains in tip top shape.

I hope that this information has been helpful.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

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