For many years, campers sitting around the campfire have been stating that adding ice to the blackwater holding tank will help to keep it clean. Is that actually true though?

The Theory

 The theory is that the addition of ice to a black water holding tank before dumping it will move around in the tank as you are driving down the road on your way to a dump station. Supposedly, the ice will rub against the waste and toilet paper in the tank and knock it free. The ice will then melt and when the black tank has been dumped, everything will be peachy.

Ice in a dirty baking dish for cleaning purposes
Ice in a dirty baking dish for cleaning purposes

The problem is that even with the motion of the RV going down the road, the results will be similar to placing ice in a large, dirty glass baking dish while driving. Yes, the ice will move around a bit with the movement of the vehicle but certainly not enough to mechanically scrub the baking dish clean or your holding tank. 

Generally, the motion of the vehicle will be on relatively smooth surfaces.

RV driving down a dirt road with ice in the black water holding tank
RV driving down a dirt road with ice in the black water holding tank

Even if the RV is going down a dirt road with washboard bumps on it. This will still not create enough movement of the ice in a holding tank to knock anything loose. It will float on the surface of the water slowly melting. As this does not do anything to clean the tank it is unnecessary.

 It will certainly not do any damage to the black water holding tank. If you do have some leftover ice while camping and are not sure what to do with it, you can add it to the black water holding tank so that it adds additional water to the holding tank.

The Solution 

A high quality RV holding tank treatment
A high quality holding tank treatment

Plenty of water and a high quality holding tank treatment are the keys to a well maintained and odor free black tank. We recommend Unique Camping + Marine RV Digest- It and RV Digest- It Plus.

 Over time it will break down the waste and toilet paper (even non- RV specific toilet paper brands) and allow it to flow out of the holding tank and into the dump station. 

A high quality holding tank treatment will also have the added benefit of keeping the liquid level sensors in the black tank functioning properly.

The Takeaway 

So the next time you hear such advice around the campfire, encourage whoever says this to put some ice in a dirty baking dish and go for a drive. Then ask them if they feel if their baking dish is clean. Our assumption is that it will not be clean, as we have tried this for ourselves in baking dishes and our clear holding tank. Then recommend they use a high quality bacteria and enzyme based tank treatment that will actually break down waste and toilet paper.

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