Camco 40074 Flexible Swivel Stik Tank Rinser

If you've ever watched the tank gauge read three-quarters full right after a dump, you already know the problem this tool fixes. Solids don't always leave with the liquid. They pile up under the toilet into a packed mound that no amount of flushing will move. The Camco Flexible Swivel Stik gets in there and breaks that mound apart. It's a stick-type rinser you feed down through the toilet, and it dislodges the stubborn waste deposits and odor-causing particles left behind after the holding tank is emptied.

What sets this one apart from a rigid wand is the 55-inch flexible shaft. A lot of rigs, RV and boat both, don't mount the holding tank directly under the toilet. It sits back a little, or off to one side. A stiff wand jams against the first elbow and stops short of the tank. The flexible shaft follows the bend instead, so it reaches tanks mounted slightly offset from the toilet and actually gets water where the buildup is. Feed it in slow, let it find the path, and don't force it around tight turns.

Hook the tank rinser handle and hose to a water supply, feed the shaft down through the toilet, and turn it on. The swivel action lets the tip rotate and spray in different directions instead of blasting one spot, so you clean the whole floor of the tank rather than drilling a single hole through the pile. The built-in shut-off valve is the part you'll appreciate most. You can stop the water right at the handle without running back to the spigot, which keeps you from overfilling a tank you're trying to empty and lets you work in short bursts.

There's a bit of technique to it. Go in with the water off or barely cracked so you're not fighting backsplash on the way down. Once the tip is clearly into the tank, open the valve and let it run while you rotate the shaft and work it in and out a few inches at a time. Keep an eye on the tank level, especially on a smaller tank, because you're adding water the whole time. You want to be able to dump it right back out when you're done.

Use it after you dump, when the tank is mostly empty and there's room to work. Regular rinsing keeps a mound from ever forming, and it's the first thing to reach for when a level sensor reads full on a tank you know you just emptied. Caked-on gunk on the sensor probes is a common culprit. It works on RV black tanks and on boat holding tanks alike, anywhere a toilet feeds a tank you can't get at directly.

A few habits keep it working and keep things sanitary. Dedicate a hose to tank duty and never cross it with your fresh-water drinking hose. Rinse the wand and the valve with clean water after every use so nothing dries inside them. And remember what this is. It's a mechanical rinser, not a chemical. It knocks the solids loose. Pairing it with an enzyme or bacteria tank treatment after each cleanout is what keeps odor from creeping back. Do both and your tank stays honest about how full it really is.

A little patience pays off. The shaft has to pass through the toilet and down into the tank, so feed it gently and let the flexible design find its own way rather than shoving it through. Work it in and out in stages, giving the swivel time to spray each area before you move on. Rushing it is how you end up cleaning one narrow channel and missing the deposits packed along the sides.