Toileting and the overnight stay

Assuming you can dump tanks on arrival. We can't do this when returning home from a trip unless there is a dump station along the way.

djgarcia wrote:
Wall Marts.

That would be Wall Warts.

If you don't choose to have water in your fresh water tank when you are traveling, then just buy 4 1 gal plastic containers and put them in the shower. Now you have all the water you need to use the "john" when on the road or just an overnight stay at Wall Marts. When you get to your camp ground and are hooked up to sewer, use the remaining 1 gal containers for cooking or coffee:)

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Why do folks make rving so complicated

Keep a jug of rv anti-freeze next to toilet and use it to flush with

Sorry respectively disagree. For me it is not complicated it is what I choose to do. :C

Why do folks make rving so complicated

Keep a jug of rv anti-freeze next to toilet and use it to flush with

2gypsies wrote:
Can't imagine why you'd buy a porta potty to sit next to the RV toilet. It is perfectly o.k. to use the RV toilet and just flush with a little water from a jug or anti-freeze. It's not going to hurt a thing. You're not running water through it. You're just dumping a little water into the black tank. It's not going to fill up in a couple days. If it freezes then it'll thaw when reaching warmer weather. Then continue using it until full. Then dump as usual.

The bowl is filled with antifreeze. There is no water in black tank. I am not going to stock up with jugs of antifreeze to flush the toilet. And, well bottom line, let's just say I don't want anything 'sticking' to the bottom of an empty black tank and stinking every time the toilet blade is opened.

Also I don't power drive south I take my time so it's usually more than a couple of days. It's what works for me. And merely offered it as a suggestion to the OP as to how I run winterized.

Nonsense, all of it. Use the RV facilities day and night. Take a quick shower in the morning if you like. RV likes to be used, it is not a museum.

Can't imagine why you'd buy a porta potty to sit next to the RV toilet. It is perfectly o.k. to use the RV toilet and just flush with a little water from a jug or anti-freeze. It's not going to hurt a thing. You're not running water through it. You're just dumping a little water into the black tank. It's not going to fill up in a couple days. If it freezes then it'll thaw when reaching warmer weather. Then continue using it until full. Then dump as usual.

toedtoes wrote:
I'm going to repeat that since the OP is in Michigan AND the question is whether to use the toilet for an overnight on an upcoming trip (meaning it is winter), that the "use Walmart's toilets" recommendations is due to

winter travel

and not that RV toilets shouldn't be used for overnight stops or dumping issues.

Perhaps more enlightenment on traveling through winter weather would be helpful for the OP

- a simple "use the toilet and have fresh water in the tank" recommendation could backfire on them if they don't know winterizing procedures, etc.

If OP's MH is winterized:

This is what I do when the MH is winterized and traveling from the North and heading south for the winter. I winterize with antifreeze.

Since all the 'lines' are filled with antifreeze AND there is NO water in the black tank, NO you should NOT use the toilet.

I bought a porta pottie like this. Same as the RV toilet. Has a cassette type holding tank. Fits right next to the MH toilet in the bathroom.

Depending on how many people are going to use it will dictate how ofter it needs to be dumped. the cassette comes off like a suitcase and you can either dump it when you stop at a CG, rest stop bathroom, etc. No smells. And you can buy ones with larger holding tanks.



OP: Since you are stopping at Walmart the first night.
BEFORE it comes time to for you to 'go'.....go inside Walmart and pick up a porta-pottie they usually have them in the RV supplies section for around 50 bucks! Might be an off brand but they all work the same.

I will not use rest area/public washrooms while traveling when my MH is winterized. IMHO the porta-pottie is the answer until I hit the warm weather of the south and de-winterize! :C

I'm one that would recommend against using the toilet while traveling, but by that I would mean "vehicle in motion". This recommendation wouldn't be based on my own experience, but instead that of a friend who's wife to this day hasn't forgiven him for a certain mishap that took place because of his "idiotic driving".

Was the advice because of winter weather?. Unless you're worried about freezing issues I can't imagine why you wouldn't use the toilet in the rig. That's what I thought it was there for. If the concern is freezing up, that is something you would need to explore further as different rigs handle the cold very differently.