Do you really need to take out a second mortgage to afford RV toilet paper? Is the specialty toilet paper all it’s cracked up to be, or is it is just a money-making ruse? Will your tank survive regular toilet paper, or are you dooming yourself to the inevitable clog?

In this post, let’s talk a serious look at the question: Do I need to use RV toilet paper?

Why You (Really!) Don’t Want to Use the Wrong Toilet Paper

Here’s the thing: Your RV sewer system is pretty primitive. As I’ve ranted about before, your waste-holding system really isn’t much more than an RV toilet, tank, some pipes, and a valve. If you’re lucky, you might have a macerator pump. The whole system depends on gravity with a dash of good luck.

• Be a Scrooge. Use as little as necessary to get the job done (but done right).
• Don’t wad or ball it. A ball or clump of toilet paper doesn’t break down inside an RV black tank. And it could get lodged behind your sewer valve!
• Drive around, if you can. Toilet paper dissolves best with agitation. If you drive around your RV (or use a portable blue boy tank) before you dump, you’ll help break down the tissue.
• Don’t use wet wipes. I know, I know, toilet paper is what the Neanderthals used, but wet wipes don’t disintegrate like paper. I don’t care if the package says they’re flushable – they aren’t!
• It doesn’t matter whether you’re connected to a sewer drain. You need to use dissolving toilet paper because of your RV’s sewer system, not because of whatever dump station you’re attached to.
• Don’t use the fancy scented stuff. K.I.S.S. Avoid tissues with fragrances, chlorine, parabens, or other chemicals. You don’t need ‘em. And the chemicals could potentially mess around with any helpful microbes in your black tank.
• Water is your friend. Any toilet paper will cause a clog if it isn’t thoroughly soaked and dissolved! Never poop into an empty black tank. Always add a few gallons of water into your black tank before use, and add water as needed! Not to be gross, but you want liquid, not sludge. The stuff should flow like water, not lava. No one wants poop lava. That’s how you keep an RV black tank clean!
• Instruct your guests. If you’re using a trash can for toilet paper or specialty toilet paper, feel free to print off an 8.5×11 sheet of instructions, laminate it, and post it next to the toilet. Your guests will thank you!