At Gabe’s Pride, we really enjoy our peeps in the RV community! Because we appreciate independence and time on the road, our conversations about cleaning needs cover a lot of ground. We’re thankful for our regular customers! And we appreciate the questions and specific cleaning challenges you bring us at Gabe’s Pride. While we ARE RV and home cleaning experts, gray tanks require a particular knack. That’s why we reached out to the team at Kleen Tank. We urge you to keep in mind that cleaning your gray tank demands time, care and most of all, safety.

Why Does the Gray Tank Stink?

Believe it or not, gray tanks can have worse odors and be more of a health risk than black tanks – especially galley grays. While black tanks are collecting urine, feces, water, cleaning materials and whatever didn’t “agree with you” last night, gray tanks get everything else.

Laundry, Dishes & Heat. Oh My!

Germs, bacteria and mold. All three are living things and all three require something from their environment to thrive. Those are:

• Food
• Water
• Heat
• Shelter

Unfortunately, we can find all of those in your RV’s gray tank. Food particles and a warm, moist environment inside your gray tank make this a perfect breeding ground for germs, bacteria and mold. 

Most people don’t think about Mold

As we discussed in a previous blog, when cleaning your black, the most important ingredient is water! Mold can be trouble enough on its own. However, when mold gets dried out, it can become airborne. Once inhaled, mold can wreak all manner of havoc on your health. Headaches, congestion, cough, and many other symptoms are associated with exposure to mold spores.

So what do you do?

Because gray tanks generally don’t come with an on-board sprayer, using a reverse flush device is the best way for an RV owner to get extra water into that tank to help flush out food particulates. You may also consider using a water meter to prevent tank overflow. It's important to test the water meter before each use to make sure it's working correctly.

To use or not to use an additive.

Tank cleaning companies such as Kleen Tank do recommend using additives for cleaning your gray tank. Traditionally they use a Calgon base solution. This is used to coat the sides and prevent waste from sticking. The Kleen Tank team says “use plenty of water” to keep things liquid and moving both before and during the cleaning process.

Should you choose to use a tank treatment product, consistency is important. Product formulations may be similar but are not identical. For this reason, frequently changing these may create a chemical reaction. Be careful and always read the instructions and use the product accordingly. 

When you’re looking for cleaning tips and tools for your RV or home, check us out our products and blogs. Since we’re part of the RV community ourselves, you may see us during this season’s rallies. Our Eco-Friendly cleaning materials are made right here in the USA. And we’re always happy to answer your home and RV cleaning questions. If you have a question that can’t wait, contact us here!