How To Sanitise A Caravan’s Water System

If you’re like most people, you probably use your caravan at every possible opportunity. And, if you’re like most people, you also want to make sure that the water system in your caravan is clean and free of contaminants. That’s why it’s important to sterilize your caravan’s water system before each trip.

Why Do I Need to Clean My Caravans Water System?

There are a few reasons why you need to clean your caravan’s water system. One reason is to make sure that all the bacteria and living organisms are killed. Bacteria and viruses can cause illness, so it is best to take steps to ensure the safety of your family and yourself.

This is especially important if you’re going to be using the water for drinking or cooking. Another reason to clean your water system is to remove any scale or rust that may have built up over time. This can affect the quality of the water as well as how well your caravan’s plumbing works.

How Often Should I Sterilize My Water System?

You should sterilize your caravan’s water system at least twice a year. However, you may need to do it more often if there is a problem with the water quality. You should also sterilize the system after each time you use it. This will help keep your water clean and safe to drink.

Doing so will help to ensure that your family stays healthy and that your caravan stays in good condition.

But I Don’t Use My Caravan Water For Drinking!

A lot of caravanners don’t use the water from the barrel for drinking water – we never do. We prefer to bring a 5-litre bottle with us for making our coffee. We do however use it for brushing our teeth and washing.

Should You Sterilise your Caravan’s Water System if You Don’t Use it for Drinking Water?

Yes! You don’t want to be adding more germs to your hands instead of cleaning them away when you wash them!

Additionally, if you do not disinfect your caravan’s water system, you may get a ‘biofilm’ build-up.

Biofilm is a microbial and fungal mixture that can form on and inside surfaces and pipes. You may have observed a sticky residue on the interior of a hosepipe; that’s biofilm.

You may be washing your hands and cookware in biofilm remnants if you don’t sanitise your caravan’s water system! Don’t forget about your shower; I’m sure you don’t want to take a shower in bacteria-infested water – YAK!!

Steps to Clean and Sterilise a Caravan Water System

Puriclean, which has been designed for Caravans and motor homes, is one of the best and safest chemical sterilizing fluids available. It doesn’t corrode any metals or damage pipework or plastics.

You’ll need to measure it against your water tank’s capacity with the amount of sterilization fluid you’ve got. For smaller amounts, 100 grams per 90 litres is a good starting point.

1. Start at the Aquaroll

Before anything, remove the pump filter as Puriclean will damage it. Add the Puriclean to your Aquaroll with water and fill to the top. Leave it to sit in the barrel for a few hours, then push it onto its side and roll it around to slosh the mixture around, giving it a good clean.

2. Close Off The Taps and Showers

Close off the shower, main taps, and drain down taps, then switch on the water pump and open your taps to allow the water solution to circulate through the system, passing through the hot water tank, cold water tank (if fitted), and all taps and the shower.

After this step is complete allow a brief burst of water to flow through the taps before closing them again and waiting at least an hour for the Puriclean to thoroughly sanitise the Aquaroll. The longer the caravan has been left empty – the longer you want to leave the puriclean in the system.

We tend to leave ours in overnight to ensure a thorough clean although it’s not always practical so we would say at least 4 hours minimum.

3. Empty and Drain Down the Water Supply

After you’ve finished the above, you’ll need to completely flush the Aquaroll by turning on all of the faucets and the shower. Open up all the taps and shower and run them through until the barrel is completely empty. This will ensure that every water access point is thoroughly sterilised, as well as the entire pipe network.

4. Refill the Aquaroll with Fresh Water

Getting rid of the Puriclean is a must. Nobody likes to drink or wash their hands and discover that the water contains traces of chemicals, but that’s exactly what will happen if the Puriclean isn’t totally removed from the pipes. To avoid this, re-fill the Aquaroll and drain it via the taps and shower.

To be safe, we recommend doing this twice, but you should use your best judgement because it may take a few more flushes. If the water has a faint odour or a weird taste, Puriclean is still present. Rinse and repeat if this is the case.

5. Replace The Filter

It’s an excellent idea to replace your filter right at this point. The manufacturer’s warranty or your caravan handbook will provide you with more information on how often you should replace your particular filter.

Tap water is safe to drink once your water system has been completely sterilised, however, this is a personal decision. If you have a separate tank for drinking water, it’s just as crucial to clean it correctly.

Biofilm can grow pretty much anywhere, so drinking from a different water tank won’t stop you from getting ill. While a whole water system won’t need to be flushed, we recommend using a chemical steriliser and cleaning the tank multiple times to ensure it’s thoroughly clean and safe to drink from.

Knowing how to clean out the caravan’s water tank is an important part of ownership and once you know how it will become part of your annual maintenance routine.

You May Be Interested In: Caravan Servicing: Your Questions Answered

Cleaning Sterilizing the water system using PuriClean

FAQ’s

Can I Use Milton To Sterilize The Water System?

Milton is a good alternative to Puriclean to clean the caravan water system. It is an environmentally friendly product that doesn’t use any harsh chemicals. Instead, it relies on its natural enzymes to break down and remove dirt, grease and grime. This makes Milton a great choice for cleaning the caravan water system – and anywhere else in and around the van!

Can I Use Salt To Sterilize My Caravan water system?

One way to sterilize the caravan water system is by using salt. The salt will help to kill any bacteria or viruses that may be present in the water. It is important to rinse the caravan water system with fresh water after using the salt to ensure that all of the salt is removed.

Salt has been used for centuries as a natural way to disinfect and sterilize things. It’s cheap, easy to find, and effective.

However, it’s important to note that salt can also damage caravan components if used in large quantities, so use it sparingly. Always rinse the caravan water system with fresh water after using salt to ensure that all of the salt is removed.

This isn’t a method we’ve ever tried – but it’s always an option if you have nothing else to hand!

Is it Safe to Drink From a Caravan Water System When it Has Been in the Sun for too Long?

When it comes to drinking from a caravan water system that has been in the sun for too long, there is no definitive answer.

Some people say that it is safe to drink from the system, as the water has been ‘cooked’ and is now safe to consume. While others say that it is not safe, as the heat from the sun has caused bacteria to grow in the water and make it unsafe to drink.

The best thing to do is to err on the side of caution and not drink from the system if it has been in the sun for too long. This is because, even if the water has been cooked, it is possible for bacteria to still be present and make you ill. If you do need to drink from the caravan water system, make sure that you boil the water first to kill any bacteria that may be present.

Does a Certain Type of Filter Affect The Taste of my Drinking Water?

Caravan water systems use filters to clean the water before it enters the caravan. There are many different types of caravan filters available on the market, but does one type of filter affect the taste of your drinking water more than another?

Caravan water systems that use carbon filters are generally considered the best at removing bad tastes and smells from the water, while caravan water systems that use ceramic filters are better at removing particles from the water.

If you’re looking for the best possible drinking water from your caravan, it’s a good idea to choose a caravan water system with a carbon filter and make sure you change them when you complete your system sterilization.

Is There Anything Else I Can Use To Keep My Caravan Water Clean?

Oasis Water Purification tablets are an alternative way to disinfect water and make it safe to drink. They can be used in both caravan and whilst camping situations, and they’re easy to carry with you.

All you need to do is drop a tablet into your Aquaroll and wait for it to dissolve. The iodine will kill any harmful bacteria or viruses, making your water safe to drink. We would only recommend this if you’ve nothing else to hand and need to use the barrel to drink from.

That’s it for today – we hope this post has helped. If you have any other suggestions you have tried drop us a line and we will add them to the post.

Happy Caravanning!