Cleaning the cassette

[kev54]

Recently purchased a third-hand motorhome. It’s really in wonderful nick, but the toilet cassette honks most of the time. What to you do for a really thorough, deep clean?

 

[AndyPK]

Get a new one……!!

 

[kev54]

Get a new one……!!

Not a bad idea, but I’d prefer a less drastic option. Thanks

 

[AndyPK]

Dissemble carefully and scrub the parts with a toothbrush - then replace the seals and lubricate with a suitable compound…..
(I‘m assuming it’s a Thetford of some sort……so you could get a ‘refresh kit’…..?)

 

[Phill D]

You could try filling it with a strong mix if detergent and let it soak for a few days.
If you are able to strip it and clean the nooks and crannies and renew seals that will also help.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Lenny HB]

Citric acid, or white wine vinegar both work far better than the Thetford cleaner.
Best to take the mechanism out and use a Toothbrush on it.

 

[Phill D]

Dissemble carefully and scrub the parts with a toothbrush - then replace the seals and lubricate with a suitable compound…..
(I‘m assuming it’s a Thetford of some sort……so you could get a ‘refresh kit’…..?)

PS. Don't put the tooth brush back in the bathroom

 

[The Wino]

PS. Don't put the tooth brush back in the bathroom

Or if you do use someone else's!

 

[TheBig1]

fill with hot water and a good strong dose of BIO washing liquid. Leave to work for a couple of days. Empty and rinse several times. It comes up very clean. Then lubricate the moving parts and the rubber seal with silicone spray lubricant

 

[The Wino]

Not a bad idea, but I’d prefer a less drastic option. Thanks

I don't know if you realise they do a freshen up kit with a new casette and seat.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Richard n Ann]

Hot water and bleach, do ours regularly, smells wonderful like a swimming baths

 

[kev54]

I don't know if you realise they do a freshen up kit with a new casette and seat.

Yes but hoping to avoid the £130-ish bill unless absolutely necessary

 

[kev54]

Hot water and bleach, do ours regularly, smells wonderful like a swimming baths

Thanks. I worry about bleach though

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks. I worry about bleach though

Yep not good for the seals and wrecks your clothes if you splash it on them.

 

[Spanner]

While replacing the main rubber seal I cleaned ours out although it wasn’t particularly dirty, I first tried Vinegar and hot water then 2 litres of cheap Cola both ineffective! but a couple of laundry pods and hot water left for a day or two (shaken but not stirred ) worked really well.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Stewart J]

Strip mine down after every 2-3 month trip away. Give the body internals a good scrub with a scouring pad, disassemble the operating mechanism give all components a good scrub with a nail brush, silicone lubricant spay on reassembly including the lip seal.

 

[busbuddy]

I use sola-bac for a good clean once a year
But as has been suggested, everything relies on you getting it apart and cleaning it properly

 

[PaulOH]

fill with hot water and a good strong dose of BIO washing liquid. Leave to work for a couple of days. Empty and rinse several times. It comes up very clean. Then lubricate the moving parts and the rubber seal with silicone spray lubricant

Have to back up the Bio/enzyme clean. At first, I had been using a bleach detergent mix (Estrella for those in the Spanish know) and it was ok but left that 'bathroomy' smell. Now I've moved on to the bio (enzyme) solution and it is great! much better that the bathroom smells like a launderette than a urinal! I finished my bottle of blue got with the van last year, so shall be using washing liquid from here on in!

 

[Reallyretired]

Yes but hoping to avoid the £130-ish bill unless absolutely necessary

About £95 from Amazon. The new seat is worthwhile too as often they go quite yellow, especially if bleach has been used in the past.

 

[mapman]

As others have said it needs to be stripped down. Excellent youtube video by a Wildax owner which gives clear instructions. All I needed was some silicon grease and white vinegar. The hatch now operates smoothly. Trying to lubricate it in situ did not work, you need to get it apart.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Puddleduck]

We use bio liquid and very hot water on ours, leave for 3 days, rinse and repeat as required.

I've also been told dishwasher tablets work well but haven't used them

 

[Rogerwyn]

Depending on age you might find the seal is leaking into the base and it’s the base that is smelling, fit a new seal around £15 on flee bay, easy to change and strip and clean the base, only use strong cleaning fluid on the base and not the container a or you will spoil the seals and you will be back to square one

 

[Barryh]

Or you could use the tree branch to wiggle free all the turdy bits technique, as seen expertly demonstrated recently by a French lady.

 

[Ingwe]

Here’s my hopefully, humorous but helpful post on this topic.

The not-so-simple task of changing the Thetford cassette seal.

A five minute job.........yeah right! Having the van second hand since 2015 we had never changed the cassette seal. Last time we were away, I noticed that a bit of liquid was leaking when carrying it to be emptied it so decided I'd change the seal. A new one was ordered costing £12 from Amazon...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk