How To Clean Caravan Water Tanks With Bicarb Soda

Hi all.
I have just watched a Utube video of a guy sterilizing his Aquaroll with a bicarb solution,left to soak for 24hrs.

Can the same solution be used to flush sterilize the caravans pipes etc.

Also seen videos of others sterilizing their pipes,by just running their chosen solution straight through the system.Where others leave the solution in the pipes for a number of hours.
Which method is correct?
Many thanks
Pierre.

: Nov 11, 2009

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I'd go with what the caravan makers handbook recommends. I use either Tesco bottle sterilising soloution or Puriclens. It goes into the Aquaroll and pumped into system. I don't leave it in longer than 2 hours. Then drain down then flush and drain through twice.

Aquaroll recommend the mixture of bicarbonate of soda is left in in the Aquaroll for 24 hours.
I've no idea if it is suitable for treating the water system.

Puriclean is added to the water system and left to soak for between 1 and 12 hours then rinsed according to the makers.

Both methods will need a though flushing after treatment.

: Mar 14, 2005

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What ever method you adopt, it is important to make sure that any carbon water filters you may have are removed before using any of teh sterilising solutions.

Not all caravans have such filters but if yours does, its generally the case they only last a season and should be changed.

There is a debate about whether you need a carbon filter, and if all your caravanning is UK site based, I'd tend to suggest a filter should not be necessary, but if you go abroad where there is less certainty about he potability of tap water, a filter might prevent some less pleasant episodes. many people keep a separate water container for drinking water, or use bottled water from the shops.

If you decide to remove the filters, there is usually some way of dismantling the actual cartridge to remove the carbon content, so you can refit the empty cartridge to keep teh system water tight.

Do not be too offended by what you might find in the filter, just remember it obviously been doing its job.

Thanks for the filter info.But is it acceptable to clean my pipes out with a Bicarb mixture,or is something stronger needed.

What ever method you adopt, it is important to make sure that any carbon water filters you may have are removed before using any of teh sterilising solutions.
Not all caravans have such filters but if yours does, its generally the case they only last a season and should be changed.

There is a debate about whether you need a carbon filter, and if all your caravanning is UK site based, I'd tend to suggest a filter should not be necessary, but if you go abroad where there is less certainty about he potability of tap water, a filter might prevent some less pleasant episodes. many people keep a separate water container for drinking water, or use bottled water from the shops.

If you decide to remove the filters, there is usually some way of dismantling the actual cartridge to remove the carbon content, so you can refit the empty cartridge to keep teh system water tight.

Do not be too offended by what you might find in the filter, just remember it obviously been doing its job.

: Nov 11, 2009

: 12,918

: 2,597

: 40,935

Thanks for the filter info.But is it acceptable to clean my pipes out with a Bicarb mixture,or is something stronger needed.

What ever method you adopt, it is important to make sure that any carbon water filters you may have are removed before using any of teh sterilising solutions.
Not all caravans have such filters but if yours does, its generally the case they only last a season and should be changed.

There is a debate about whether you need a carbon filter, and if all your caravanning is UK site based, I'd tend to suggest a filter should not be necessary, but if you go abroad where there is less certainty about he potability of tap water, a filter might prevent some less pleasant episodes. many people keep a separate water container for drinking water, or use bottled water from the shops.

If you decide to remove the filters, there is usually some way of dismantling the actual cartridge to remove the carbon content, so you can refit the empty cartridge to keep teh system water tight.

Do not be too offended by what you might find in the filter, just remember it obviously been doing its job.

Bicarbonate of soda is a traditional approach to cleaning but I cannot say whether it is as effective biologically as Milton or Puriclens. That's why I use either of them depending what's on the shelf. But don't be tempted to over dose or leave the solution in too long as the water heater can be sensitive to some chemicals. I've never gone beyond 2 hours dosing and generally only do it at the start of the season and again later in the year.

Regarding Prof Johns comments about filters and foreign sites. We've travelled extensively in Western Europe and never had any problem with the suitability if site water supplies. After all many of our water companies are European and all work to the same directives. What you can notice though is that they can be more heavily chlorinated (just like Kenfig South Wales) and don't taste nice. Hence the popularity of bottled water. The filters aren't really man enough to deal with this anyway.

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