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If you see maggots in your RV toilet, a nest may be forming inside your black water tank. Getting rid of these nests can be tricky because they are often located deep inside the tank and are not always visible.
Here are 7 steps to help get rid of maggots in an RV toilet:
- Flush your black and grey water holding tanks.
- Pour boiling water down your RV toilet.
- Fill and flush the black tank to remove lingering debris.
- Fill your black water tank with freshwater.
- Add a septic tank system treatment.
- Let the mixture sit inside of your tank for 3-4 days.
- Flush the remaining water out of your black water tank.
Maggot infestations can spread rapidly and become a severe nuisance, so if you think you have a nest, you must take these steps quickly. For a more detailed guide for the steps above, keep reading.
1. Flush Your Black and Grey Water Holding Tanks
Flushing your black and grey water holding tanks will clear out many of the maggots and maggot larvae currently residing in your RV.
Maggots thrive in organic waste. If you flush the tanks, you will disrupt their environment, which will force them to move and search for a new place to live.
For this step, you must rinse out any lingering waste and debris. By eliminating the maggots’ food source, you will remove their home and any incentive that the flies have to lay their eggs inside your tank.
Does your RV have a built-in rinsing system? If not, I recommend using a tank wand or tank rinser like the Camco Dual Flush Pro on Amazon.com. It attaches to the outside, which is much easier to access, and the adapter allows you to see when the tank is clean.
Once your tanks are flushed, drain all of the remaining water. If you do not empty your tanks, maggots may hide inside the crevices and begin their breeding cycle all over again.
Rinsing out your grey water tank at the same time will help ensure that there is no cross-contamination from the flies. By emptying this tank, you will remove any other potential homes for them during the cleaning process.
If you are not sure if you are entirely rinsing out your black water tank, please watch the video below for further instruction:
2. Pour Boiling Water Down Your RV Toilet
Once your tanks are empty, pour boiling water down your RV toilet to help eliminate any maggots in your tank and clear out debris.
All larvae that come in contact with boiling water will die upon impact. However, do not use this step as your only form of treatment.
Boiling water will only kill the maggots that it comes into direct contact with and if you haven’t flushed the system first, you will miss most of them.
The boiling water will also help to clear out any maggot egg casings or maggots that are still visible on your toilet’s walls.
To kill the maggots in the bottom of your tank, you must bring water up to a full rolling boil.
Let boiled water sit for at least fifteen minutes before proceeding to ensure you destroy any remaining larvae on your toilet and the bottom of your tank.
3. Fill and Flush the Black Tank To Remove Lingering Debris
After letting the boiling water sit inside of your black tank for fifteen minutes, rinse and fill your black water tank until it is almost full.
Once it starts to reach the top, drain all of the water back out of the tank. Draining the water will help rid of any maggots and maggot eggs stuck inside the tank.
If you have not already done so, this is an excellent time to use the wand or rinser to clear out your black tank as much as possible.
If you still see debris inside your tank, you may have to repeat this step more than once.
4. Fill Your Black Water Tank With Freshwater
After the maggot and larvae are flushed from your black tank, it is time to give it a fresh start.
You will need to add new water and fill your black water tank back up for this step.
By doing this repeatedly, you will remove any lingering maggot larvae, maggot eggs, or maggot excrement that may still be lingering inside of your RV’s toilet and holding tank.
5. Add a Septic Tank System Treatment
To fully overcome the maggot problem, it is essential to fight maggots at their source. This means killing maggots when they are still in the larvae stage and preventing maggot eggs from hatching in your black water tank.
To do this, you will need to add septic system treatment designed with enzymes.
Pre-measured, easy-to-use dissolvable pouches that are safe for use in pipes and tanks.
I suggest using RID-X Septic Tank Treatment Enzymes, which are available on Amazon.com. It contains enzymes specifically designed to treat any lingering maggots and maggot waste and comes in a handy concentrated pack for easy use.
POWERFUL - Fast-acting, triple enzyme formula breaks down waste and tissue to prevent clumping, clogging, and tank residue.
As an alternative, I recommend using Thetford Aquamax Holding Tank Treatment, also on Amazon.com. It is a non-toxic formula that helps to remove maggot eggs without damage to your RV’s holding tanks.
I suggest using these methods instead of bleach because bleach is corrosive and can cause damage to your toilet and the inside of your tank. Your black water tank contains good bacteria that may be destroyed if you use any harsh cleaners.
6. Let the Mixture Sit Inside of Your Tank for 3–4 Days
For maximum maggot protection, I recommend letting the tank treatment mixture sit inside your black water tank for at least 3-4 days. This will allow the enzymes to break down organic waste inside the tank and kill maggots at their source.
If you have any maggots inside your toilet, this process will also kill larvae that have come into contact with the enzymes.
This step is critical.
It would be best if you did not fill the black water tank until maggots have been eliminated. If you fill this area up before maggots are killed, you give them a chance to repopulate your toilet and holding tank.
After the allotted time has passed, it is safe to fill your black water tank back up.
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7. Flush the Remaining Water Out of Your Black Water Tank
After letting the enzymes sit inside your black water tank for a few days, rinse out your black water tank and refill it with fresh water. This will help remove any maggots that the treatment has killed.
To do this, fill up your tanks and drain them again until no more water comes out of the tank.
If any dead maggots remain after the process, drain and refill your tanks until it is completely empty.
By following these steps, you will ensure that maggots never have the chance to grow inside of your RV toilet and start the process all over again.
Complete maggot removal from your RV toilet is challenging work, but you can do it! As long as you follow the steps, you should be maggot-free soon.
How To Keep Your RV Maggot-Free
If maggots are a chronic problem for you, implementing these preventative methods will help keep maggots out of your RV toilet and help protect you from maggot eggs in your black water tank.
Keep the Water Level in Your RV Toilet Low
Keeping a low water level in your RV toilet is important for preventing maggots from hatching.
When there is too much water in your tank, eggs have a higher chance of developing into maggots that can make their way out of the tank and into your RV.
It is best to stay below a 50% water level at all times.
Keep Your Black Water Tank Flushed Out
Even without maggots, it is important to avoid letting your black water tank get too full. If the tank becomes too full, maggot eggs can develop inside your black water and have a chance to hatch.
Keep your tanks flushed out by running them every 4-5 days.
Maggots are attracted to the waste and bacteria that grow inside your RV toilet. By keeping your black water tank flushed out, you will keep maggots from growing inside and creating a welcoming environment for maggot eggs to hatch.
Kill All Adult Flies Inside Your RV
Along with maggots, you may also see flies in your RV. These flies lay eggs inside of your black water tank and toilet. I recommend keeping fly traps throughout your RV to keep them from reproducing.
Flies are extremely dangerous and can cross-contaminate all of the surfaces inside of your RV. This is especially true if they have been inside your black water tank.
Easy assembly lets you quickly convert existing file drawers into an efficient hanging file system.
I recommend keeping the Victor M380 Fly Magnet Reusable Trap (available on Amazon) in your RV to avoid dealing with this mess again. The simple design allows for flies to get inside but keeps them from getting back out. Plus, it’s reusable, so you won’t be adding to plastic waste.
If you want to make your own RV fly trap, watch the video below for some ideas:
Clean All Surfaces That Have Come Into Contact With Flies
Place a maggot-killing treatment on any surface that has come into contact with maggots and flies. This includes your toilet seat, the lid of your black water tank, and any other surfaces inside of your RV.
- Safe and easy to use
- Cleans, brightens and removes stains from plastic & porcelain bowls
To clean the outside surfaces of your toilet, I recommend using Star Brite Toilet Bowl Cleaner available on Amazon.com. It is specifically designed for RV toilets and will not damage the plastic or seal on your toilet.
Always Make Sure That Your RV Is Clean and Organized
Maggots are attracted to waste, so keeping your RV clean will prevent flies from hanging out inside. Keep all surfaces free of debris and always clean up any food.
Food that is left outside can attract maggots and flies. If you are planning on leaving food outside, make sure that it is in a sealed container. Inspect all food that you are bringing in from outside before leaving it in your RV.
Make sure you sweep up any food crumbs and clean up any spills as soon as they happen. Throw away food into a sealed garbage can and make sure you change the trash every few days.
Replace Your RV’s Toilet Paper Frequently
Maggots love toilet paper, and if you leave it sitting in your tank for an extended amount of time, maggots will be drawn to it. To avoid maggot problems, make sure your toilet paper is used quickly and replaced with new toilet paper.
This may be a nuisance, but it is the best way to ensure that you are not giving flies and maggots another home inside your RV.
Clean Your RV’s Toilet Flange
Maggots can climb their way into your tank opening without difficulty, so keeping it clean is vital to preventing maggots from growing in your holding tank.
Using a standard toilet brush or wand, you can reach any waste and debris stuck in your flange and clean it out.
Maggots also love to live in small crevices and under rims. Keeping these areas clean will make it tougher for maggots to create a nest inside of your toilet.
Store Your RV With an Empty Black Water Tank
If maggot removal is a chronic problem for you, it is best to keep your black water tank empty when you store your RV.
Maggots are drawn to the waste and bacteria that grow inside your black water tank. By keeping it as clean as possible while the RV is not in use, maggots will not be able to grow inside of your tank.
This is especially true if you are storing your RV in a warmer client. The warmer the environment, the easier it is for flies and maggots to thrive.
Conclusion
Making sure you follow these maggot removal steps is an effective and efficient way to eliminate maggots from your RV toilet. It is important to maintain a clean tank and keep it free of any waste or debris.
If maggots continue to reappear in your black or grey tanks after using this method, you may need to consider using maggot treatment in the form of tablets or maggot spray.
I hope this maggot removal guide for RV toilets helps to prevent maggots from coming back.