What's wrong with Bleach?

[steve69]

I notice whenever cleaning of waste tanks is discussed, many chemical products are mentioned but no-one ever says they use Bleach - you know - Domestos et al. Is there a reason for this. Personally at the end of a several day or week long trip, I squirt Bleach around the toilet pan and let this run into the waste tank. Not every time - just periodically. What's wrong with that. I'm only talking about an egg-cup full. Surely a lot cheaper than these fancy Blue, Pink and Green Chemicals. I do the same to the kitchen sink and grey-waste tank. Obviously i would never do this with the fresh water tank - just the waste ones. What is the problem?

 

[DBK]

Possible deterioration of rubber seals and plastic. Bleach works by oxidising.

 

[steve69]

Possible deterioration of rubber seals and plastic. Bleach works by oxidising.

Bleach container is made of plastic.....
And I've never known bleach to affect rubber. Metal, yes, but no obvious metal parts.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I notice whenever cleaning of waste tanks is discussed, many chemical products are mentioned but no-one ever says they use Bleach - you know - Domestos et al. Is there a reason for this. Personally at the end of a several day or week long trip, I squirt Bleach around the toilet pan and let this run into the waste tank. Not every time - just periodically. What's wrong with that. I'm only talking about an egg-cup full. Surely a lot cheaper than these fancy Blue, Pink and Green Chemicals. I do the same to the kitchen sink and grey-waste tank. Obviously i would never do this with the fresh water tank - just the waste ones. What is the problem?

Been using it in our toilet for 6 years, and caravan before that with no problems. Just replaced the mechanism but the seals were fine, and the tank is clean

 

[Barclaybasher]

I use bleach in the waste tank - it's sold in plastic bottles ....

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[icantremember]

I use bleach down the sink, basin and shower traps as necessary but not down the loo ... I don't know why not.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

If you use bleach in the loo it kills off any bio products that you use. The bio products rely on bacteria to dissolve the toilet waste, but bleach kills the bacteria.

 

[Reallyretired]

Absolutely avoid bleach in the loo, but if you use the blue muck it probably wont make much difference. Ok in the waste tank though can sometimes make the smell worse, kills 99% as they say , its the 1% that are the nasties.

 

[Richard n Ann]

If you use bleach in the loo it kills off any bio products that you use. The bio products rely on bacteria to dissolve the toilet waste, but bleach kills the bacteria.

Yes our cassette is definitely a non bio zone. And smells great because of it.

 

[maison]

We use bleach tablets for the waste tank. Usually we try to arrange for the tank to be emptied the day before coming home.

We then drop a bleach tablet into each plug hole and, during normal use on our last morning the tablet dissolves as water runs down the plug disinfecting the pipe work and the tank. We drive with solution sloshing around and empty when we get home.

We have done that for the last 12 years with no ill effects and no smells.

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[Boringfrog]

Yup, put some down the sink this Morning, pipework is pushfit and doesn't have any rubber seals.

 

[Speve]

Yup, put some down the sink this Morning, pipework is pushfit and doesn't have any rubber seals.

I think you’ll find push fit does have rubber o rings or it would not seal the joint unless you mean solvent weld?

 

[Boringfrog]

I think you’ll find push fit does have rubber o rings or it would not seal the joint unless you mean solvent weld?

Nope, no seals or welded.....

 

[Richard n Ann]

Nope, no seals or welded.....

It's usually 1 or the other must have forgotten the solvent . Probably alright if it's all down hill and not pressurised

 

[Boringfrog]

It's usually 1 or the other must have forgotten the solvent . Probably alright if it's all down hill and not pressurised

I had a piece of pipe crack and was leaking slightly, had to remove the bathroom sink to replace the 90° joint, removed lots of pipework, none was welded and none leak now, Bürstner quality.

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[pappajohn]

Bleach comes in plastic bottles..... But the kind of plastic used will be formulated to resist bleach.
I wouldn't hazard a guess as to how many types of plastic there are.
As an example, Dish washer liquids come in plastic capsules..... And they dissolve in water.
Battery cases are plastic and they contain highly corrosive acid.

 

[Speve]

If I had discovered that the first thing I would do is solvent weld them all it would only be a matter of time before a leak and would not risk that as you probably wouldn’t discover it until some more serious damage occurred

 

[maison]

Bleach comes in plastic bottles..... But the kind of plastic used will be formulated to resist bleach.
I wouldn't hazard a guess as to how many types of plastic there are.
As an example, Dish washer liquids come in plastic capsules..... And they dissolve in water.

Wouldn’t be much good if they didn’t!

 

[Northernraider]

I thought it caused yellowing of the plastics hence advised not to use on shower and toilet etc

 

[Northernraider]

If I had discovered that the first thing I would do is solvent weld them all it would only be a matter of time before a leak and would not risk that as you probably wouldn’t discover it until some more serious damage occurred

The waste water pipes in my hymer are just push fit sealed also ...no rubber or welds on them either

I've had all the bathroom sink ones dismantled and the ones under kitchen sink and no leaks.

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[maison]

I thought it caused yellowing of the plastics hence advised not to use on shower and toilet etc

You could be right.

One reason we don’t t use them other than in the plug hole where the liquid goes straight to the tank.

We would not let it stand, eg in the shower tray as a cle@ning agent.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I thought it caused yellowing of the plastics hence advised not to use on shower and toilet etc

That figures, this is a photo of our cassette last month when I had it to pieces, you can see where the bleach has maybe discoloured the bottom of the tank where it's been the strongest. I can live with that though

 

[Boringfrog]

The waste water pipes in my hymer are just push fit sealed also ...no rubber or welds on them either

I've had all the bathroom sink ones dismantled and the ones under kitchen sink and no leaks.

German quality there.....

 

[Boringfrog]

That figures, this is a photo of our cassette last month when I had it to pieces, you can see where the bleach has maybe discoloured the bottom of the tank where it's been the strongest. I can live with that though

View attachment 431578

I've tried bleach in my cassette twice in maybe 14 years and both times the cassette started smoking.....so I quickly rinsed it out.

 

[Northernraider]

That figures, this is a photo of our cassette last month when I had it to pieces, you can see where the bleach has maybe discoloured the bottom of the tank where it's been the strongest. I can live with that though

View attachment 431578

I don't mind it discolouring inside it's more the bowl id be worried about ..

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[TheBig1]

not such a big issue with the cassette, but once you have seen a couple of bathroom basins literally fall to pieces due to bleach and toothpaste, you won't want to use it there. It usually destroys around the plug hole first and the bottom of the sink drops out. Similar with shower trays and cassette loo bowls too, but they turn yellow with the bleach first. This is not domestic plumbing as found in houses, this is lightweight plastic for occasional use

No 2 plastics are the same and all have strengths and weaknesses

As for using milton fluid or similar to clean pipes. this too is a bleach compound and does corrode the stainless steel in your water heater

 

[Coolcats]

Bleach container is made of plastic.....
And I've never known bleach to affect rubber. Metal, yes, but no obvious metal parts.

The answer is, it depends: It depends on the type of plastic and depends on the type of Rubber so its a Clint Eastwood "do you feel Lucky" scenario.

Do you actually know what type of rubber you are using on the seals? what type of Glue and what type of plastic.


Welcome to our Rubber Chemical Resistance Chart
Here is the rubber compatibility chart that rates all popular rubber materials that comes into contact with various chemicals. Use this rubber chemical resistance chart to make sure that the elastomer or O-ring seal you choose will be compatible with the particular environment. The chemical compatibility of rubber is extremely important as the rubber can degrade rapidly if the rubber material is not compatible with the environment or media that it comes into contact with.

 

[PeteH]

Thetford, do not recommend it, "bleach—especially undiluted-- can attack some of the plasticizers used to give certain plastics desired properties (like flexibility) which can change the properties of these plastic in undesired ways. (particularly ones related to natural rubbers, such as latex or neoprene) that can be affected by household bleach. ". So you "pays your money"?.

 

[The Coops]

Hydrogen Peroxide is the answer look it up on Wikipedia and you have your answer all bleach contains it and it depends on the strength as to what it damages, what it does to plastics etc if using to sterilise use and rinse well straight away would be my answer do not let it stand in undiluted form!

 

[rosalan]

If you really want to sterilise/clean your system, there are many purpose designed products you can buy. After many years I only use Bio washing capsules which leave the inside of my cassette as clean as when first bought.

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