Chemical-free Drain Purge

RV mechanic works with a hose in a sink drain

ink and shower drains will plug up over time — it’s a fact of life whether living in a stationary home or RV. Hair, crud from dishes and hands, and other debris, always collects in the drains — usually resulting in a slow flow of water or even a total stoppage. Strainers will capture much of the debris and should be cleaned on a daily basis, but even so, the drain will plug up, oftentimes sooner than expected. You can minimize the frequency for cleaning the drains by using a strainer in each sink and shower; Camco offers a strainer three-pack (No. 42273) for less than $8 on Amazon (https://amzn.to/30rbk1r). It’s also best practice to always wipe off dishes, utensils and pots/pans before washing — and never pour oil from cooking and fish cans (for example) down the drain.

RV owners may be tempted to use a liquid drain cleaner, but such chemicals do not fare well with holding tank chemicals and can impact seals. While it’s possible to use one of those barbed probes to pull out the gooey stuff — a job that is messy and usually stinky — the easiest solution is to simply flush the drains with water. It seems too simple to be true, but it works like a champ.

mechanic uses a hose with a standard metal nozzle to flush a sink drain

A standard-type metal nozzle works best for flushing drains. These nozzles are available in just about any hardware or home improvement store and matches up well to sink drains. It only takes a few short bursts of water to clean the drain.

RV mechanic works with a hose in the shower drain

The same procedures are used to flush the bathroom sink and shower pan drains. Just make sure to remove the strainer in the shower, which may require a small screwdriver to pry it off. It only takes a few minutes to get the job done..

the smallest strainer in the Camco three pack sits in a drain

The smallest strainer in Camco’s three-pack works perfectly in a bathroom sink. These strainers have a fine screen that captures quite a bit of hair and debris. It’s best to tap the strainer into a paper towel every day to remove collected stuff that can plug drains.

Actually, we should say “pressurized water,” because you’ll need to use a standard-type metal nozzle with a lever (no need to get fancy here). Hook up the hose to an outside faucet (and test it for leaks before dragging it into the RV), then pull out the strainer from the drain. Insert the nozzle into the drain and stuff a towel around the gaps; microfiber towels work great. Pull the nozzle in short bursts, allowing water to enter the drain. Do this a few times and the crud on the sidewalls of the drain pipe and any debris causing a clog will be flushed into the holding tank. When flushing a double galley sink, have someone hold down the strainer (if it’s the type that seals the drain) or use another towel to provide a seal. You’ll only forget this step once after getting sprayed with water.

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