GEO method question

[Ralph]

I have a Keystone Sprinter 299 RT, 2015. We have a seasonal site hooked up 365 days, no traveling. Only using it on the weekends. I've been dumping the black tank, flushing it with water and putting about 2 to 3 gals of water in and throwing in a pack of holding tank deodorizer/waster digester and cleaner when we leave. I've heard a lot about the GEO method. Does anyone in the forum use it ? Do you still throw in the pack of deodorizer or just use the GEO method instead. Thanks

[therink]

I am at a seasonal site as well and dump about every 3 weeks. We use the camper every weekend. I start the empty tank with 1/2 cup dawn, 2 cups Arm and Hammer "Washing Soda" (found at walmart) and mix with a 5 gal pail of water dumped into the potty. When dumping, I flush a couple times and start process all over again with my 5 gal cocktail. Works great and never any potty odors (except from me of course).
Been doing it this way for years now.

[GaryWT]

When we were seasonal we used the liquid Aqua Chem as I do today. 2-3 bottles last the season so no more than $18. The key for me was we dumped when we arrived on Friday. When our trailer was setup, the maintence guy at the campground suggested it to us. So when we left on Sunday we did nothing and when we arrived Friday we dumped, rinsed and added the Chem with water. Worked great for 11 years.

[Canonman]

Absolute believer in the GEO method. Whenever we pull up stakes we do a thorough flush on the black tank. 2 to 3 fill and drain cycles filling done with the tank flush. Then a cup of granulated soap and a cup of water softener (Borax).
Mixed with a couple of gallons of water and down the tank. Driving mixes things up quite well and the softener coats the sides of the tank so nothing sticks. No smells and super easy to prepackage the 2 cup mixture in sandwich bags prior to traveling.

[Ralph]

If using the GEO method in the black tank, do you still have to put in a product like Aqua-Kem .

[Canonman]

In our previous TT and the new Cougar, we have only used the GEO soap and water softener combination. The real secret is to flush the tank by filling it to full on the first dump then fill and rinse multiple times using the black tank flush thereby rinsing out as much of the solids as possible.
I try to rinse it 2 to 3 times if we are headed home expecting a period of time until our next trip. Fill time is 5 to 6 minutes so if others are waiting at a dump station I will stop at 1 rinse. If we have the luxury of spending our last night with full hook ups then 3 rinses minimum after the initial dump.
We use an inexpensive (Sun) laundry detergent and water softener, one cup of each and mix that with a gallon or so of water. The solution stays in the tank until we go camping and need to dump again. I've given the tank a good smell test and have never found a problem with odor.

[Murphsmom]

If using the GEO method in the black tank, do you still have to put in a product like Aqua-Kem .

We don't use the chemicals.

[CWSWine]

Here is the complete GEO METHOD.


Clean With The GEO Method
The GEO method ingredients

The GEO method is a home-made cleaning technique that’s been around in the RV community since (at least) the early 80’s. Where the name came from no-body seems to know, but the original method is HERE. The original formula uses chlorine, but that can ruin your valves so these days most RVers use a slightly modified method with just 2 common items, both of which you can get at any big department store:

Calgon Water Softener -> This stuff helps to break down water surface tension, clean scum and prevent hard mineral deposits. I’ve used Borax on occasion when I can’t find Calgon and find it works just as well.
Dawn Dishwasher Detergent -> The “original formula” blue detergent is excellent at cutting grime. Laundry detergent works too.

After you dump pour 1 cup of Calgon and 1 cup detergent into the tanks. Leave them in until your next dump. Before driving some RVers will also throw a bag of ice-cubes down the tank to “scour” their walls (we’ve never done this, but others swear by it).

Fun video that guy with way to much time on hands made but good laugh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH6acEmqvcw

Here he is with flushing systems again way over the top
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfTd0Slt_cU

[Cbrez]

We have been using the GEO Method for about a year now and are generally pleased with the results. Odors seem to be well controlled. But it has not alleviated the problem with our sensors. The tank will show 3/4 full when I know we are empty. There are after market products for external sensor systems. Not sure why RV manufacturers are not using them.

[gearhead]

Are y'all calling the Baraxo I see on the shelf at WalMart a water softener? I thought that was a laundry detergent.
Today I bought a jug of liquid Calgon water softener. I think it said to use a quarter capful per washer load. How much do you put in a 55 gallon black tank?
If you Google: geo method, you will find a web site. But it's not clear on the water softener issue, to me anyway.

[Canonman]

Are y'all calling the Baraxo I see on the shelf at WalMart a water softener? I thought that was a laundry detergent.
Today I bought a jug of liquid Calgon water softener. I think it said to use a quarter capful per washer load. How much do you put in a 55 gallon black tank?
If you Google: geo method, you will find a web site. But it's not clear on the water softener issue, to me anyway.
Yes, Boraxo is a water conditioning agent. We use calgon or whatever is the cheapest. A cup full with a cup of powdered laundry detergent mixed with a couple gallons of water. Have not used liquid so can't say if a 1/4 cup or 1/2 cup. But like the web page says, too much is not going to cause a problem while too little will be ineffective.

[Murphsmom]

I believe Boraxo is a laundry detergent, while 20 Mule Team Borax is the water softener. We have always used powdered Calgon, but couldn't find any on our last trip so bought a store brand. It seems to work just fine. I add the cup of softener to about a quart of warm water and shake it up before pouring it into the tank. Liquid Calgon would work fine, but it's a lot more expensive to use.

[Clark]

The geo method has worked really well for us for about 5 years and has been a whole lot cheaper.

[gearhead]

Thanks folks....all good info....

[Litre]

We used the geo method in our last trailer. We'll use it in the one we're picking up tomorrow. We use our toilets as toilets when camping. Never had an issue with smells. No need for chemicals. Cheap and easy to do. I swear by it!

[LarrySharon]

Does liquid fabric softener do the same? thx This GEO method is new to me and sounds great.

[GT2400BH]

Liquid water softener, liquid laundry detergent, and liquid diswashing detergent all work too. The key points are water softener and detergent. I prefer powder because it's cheaper by volume and weighs less by volume. I have plenty of cheap water on hand to hydrate it and pitch it down the commode and drains.

I coped that from this link about It

https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/

[Cbrez]

Liquid water softener, liquid laundry detergent, and liquid diswashing detergent all work too. The key points are water softener and detergent. I prefer powder because it's cheaper by volume and weighs less by volume. I have plenty of cheap water on hand to hydrate it and pitch it down the commode and drains.

I coped that from this link about It

https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/
Thanks for posting the link. We have used the GEO method for about two years, but relied on second hand info. Great to see an article from the person who developed the method.

[Larry1013]

Am I right in reading some of you use 1 cup of blue Dawn liquid dishwashing soap? Seems like a lot and maybe lots of suds?

[Cbrez]

We use Rain Drops water softener and laundry detergent. Dawn and the suds may not be a bad thing, but we just stay with the method as described in an article we found a while back.

[Murphsmom]

Am I right in reading some of you use 1 cup of blue Dawn liquid dishwashing soap? Seems like a lot and maybe lots of suds?
I use about a cup of the powdered water softener and a couple of really big squirts of Dawn...probably about a quarter cup, added to a quart or two of warm water to dissolve the powder. Then add it to the tank along with about five gallons of water. Works well for us.

[tech740]

Could this stuff be added with less water? We have a family of 5. Without full hook ups black tank space is preciouse.

[jsmith948]

Could this stuff be added with less water? We have a family of 5. Without full hook ups black tank space is preciouse.

Don't know - but - water is your friend. Without adequate liquid in the black tank, the solid waste will clump up right at the tank inlet. We have a 38 gal tank and ALWAYS put 3 or 4 gallons of water in after dumping.