Mel B Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Having just returned from a 5 week trip to France I've given the van a very thorough clean and found the toilet was an absolute pain. We have a swivel bowl type and next to it's base and is difficult to clean as the gap is only about an inch wide between it and the side wall. It gets a bit 'mucky' with 'splashes/spray' and drips from our hands when using the towel which is on a rail above the toilet. I'm thinking of getting a piece of white plastic/perspex and siliconing it over the gap so it will just need a wipe over rather than having to get out long handled brush/toothbrush and anything else I can that will fit in the gap to clean it. But that's nothing compared to the area at the back of the bowl itself where the seat and lid attached to a moulded plastic fixing piece which then fastens to the rear of the bowl ... after much messing about trying to clean the nooks and crannies where they are attached to the bowl with a tooth brush and sponge I still wasn't happy with it so in the end I worked out how to remove them all ... well, until then I thought I'd done a fairly good job of cleaning ... yuk!!!! The moulded plastic fixing piece doesn't seal the area so fluid can seep under it and sit there ... festering ... no wonder I couldn't get rid of the nasty niffs ... *-) So, if anyone has a swivel bowl toilet make sure you remove the rear moulded plastic fixing piece, lid and seat and give it all a good clean - I'd recommend wearing rubber gloves - you'll be horrified as to what is lurking there!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 seeing as you are now an exspert, maybe a little business proposition for you in retirement...I'll PM you my address. Probably your old gezzers fault..get him to pee outside in a bush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 My place is on the way down to Eddies so your welcome to call in and give ours a go over as well :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie gibblebucket Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Bet you are feeling flushed with success now Mel :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Every van we ever had I always take the seat and lid off and clean them, and behind the loo, on our return - and during a longer trip - doesn't everyone? If cleanliness is next to Godliness we should be well on our way to heaven when the time comes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Not bothered as inside cleaning is mrs ips's domain, I only do outside cleaning. I will however pass on your concerns :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scramblers Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Tracker - 2012-05-24 11:52 AM If cleanliness is next to Godliness we should be well on our way to heaven when the time comes! Cleanliness is next to Godliness but only in an Irish dictionary (lol) Last year on the way to Spain, the better half was a little too forceful closing the toilet blade and snapped the plastic stem! Consequence, the toilet wouldn't seal - bit of a whiffy journey across the Pyrennes to Sitges. Managed to get a new blade from a motorhome/caravan spares shop just south of Barcelona. Now if you want a mucky job try changing a toilet blade in a carpark after you have been on the road for a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 You've only half done the job Mel, last year I took the bowel off the base very smelly and what fun putting it back together, funny how all those springs and bits of plastic never fit back on where you are sure they came from (lol) Must have on next van - bench loo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 this post great example of why we buy new...dont like sleeping in a used bed either ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 lennyhb - 2012-05-24 7:45 PMYou've only half done the job Mel, last year I took the bowel off the base very smelly and what fun putting it back together, funny how all those springs and bits of plastic never fit back on where you are sure they came from (lol) Must have on next van - bench loo. Removing your actual bowel is probably beyond the call of duty lenny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjmike Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 You don't have to tell me about the state loos get in, but thats another story. I maybe cutting my own throat here but if you want to get a really clean loo its best to use a steam cleaner. This gets all the yuck out from all the crevices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 What I don't understand, given that Mel says she's cleaning the toilet with her toothbrush, is why she's worried about the state of the toilet! Hmmmmm! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-05-24 9:29 PM What I don't understand, given that Mel says she's cleaning the toilet with her toothbrush, is why she's worried about the state of the toilet! Hmmmmm! :-D Indeed.......But you know full well how caravan proud these pikey types are :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Surely in this day and age its " toilet full, change van"? Used to be "ashtray full, change car" as I recall. D with tongue firmly in cheek :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBill Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Hope you used the old mans toothbrush Mel and not yours!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted May 24, 2012 Author Share Posted May 24, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-05-24 9:29 PM What I don't understand, given that Mel says she's cleaning the toilet with her toothbrush, is why she's worried about the state of the toilet! Hmmmmm! :-D ... didn't say it was MY toothbrush did I? There are somethings that I don't tell hubby .... :$ :D ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBill Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Hhmmm must replace my toothbrush this weekend!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Dave Newell - 2012-05-24 10:07 PM Surely in this day and age its " toilet full, change van"? Used to be "ashtray full, change car" as I recall. D with tongue firmly in cheek :D Seems a bit extreme to me. Assuming that the toilet is made by Thetford, wouldn't it be better to have a "Fresh Up" kit always to hand for when the cassette became full? That way you'd get a new sweet-smelling empty cassette and a new unsullied seat and lid (plus some chemicals) each time. http://tinyurl.com/cxlnbc7 OK, this does mean that you might have to a carry a lot of "Fresh Up" kits, and you'd have the full cassettes and a germy seats/lids to dispose of. But, if you left the cassettes around the back of the campsite toilet-block immediately before you departed, I'm sure somebody would take them off your hands. And you could just dump the seats/lids in the campsite's recycling bin along with your old knackered chairs, tables and windbreaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 GOD! you are so Posh Derek! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-05-24 8:00 PM this post great example of why we buy new...dont like sleeping in a used bed either ;-) Agree totally with that judge, :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Mel B - 2012-05-23 10:44 PM Having just returned from a 5 week trip to France I've given the van a very thorough clean and found the toilet was an absolute pain. We have a swivel bowl type and next to it's base and is difficult to clean as the gap is only about an inch wide between it and the side wall. It gets a bit 'mucky' with 'splashes/spray' and drips from our hands when using the towel which is on a rail above the toilet. I'm thinking of getting a piece of white plastic/perspex and siliconing it over the gap so it will just need a wipe over rather than having to get out long handled brush/toothbrush and anything else I can that will fit in the gap to clean it. But that's nothing compared to the area at the back of the bowl itself where the seat and lid attached to a moulded plastic fixing piece which then fastens to the rear of the bowl ... after much messing about trying to clean the nooks and crannies where they are attached to the bowl with a tooth brush and sponge I still wasn't happy with it so in the end I worked out how to remove them all ... well, until then I thought I'd done a fairly good job of cleaning ... yuk!!!! The moulded plastic fixing piece doesn't seal the area so fluid can seep under it and sit there ... festering ... no wonder I couldn't get rid of the nasty niffs ... *-) So, if anyone has a swivel bowl toilet make sure you remove the rear moulded plastic fixing piece, lid and seat and give it all a good clean - I'd recommend wearing rubber gloves - you'll be horrified as to what is lurking there!!! Hi Mel, how did u get the lid and seat off the toilet? We have a round kidded Thetford and it all looked a bit flimsy to pull at! Thanks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Assuming your Thetford toilet is a C-250 model as shown here http://www.swift-owners-club.com/support/oem_handbooks/thetford/c250_swivel.pdf there's advice on cover/seat removal here http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-82092-0-days0-orderasc-.html It's the sort of task that's perplexing at first sight, but actually relatively simple. The MHF advice may be enough for you, but it would be better if Mel could provide more comprehensive instructions so there's no risk of the removal operation causing damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Many thanks Derek, all sorted. For anyone's interest, I just prided the seat/lid mounting (rectangular plastic section) off, complete with lid and seat, by reaching behind and gently lifting the back edge. This will release the whole section for cleaning. The refixing process just requires placement of the mounting over the two lugs and the application of gentle pressure. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minstrel Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 What do all you people use for cleaning the toilet bowl when you're not taking it apart? I've been using Ecover and rinsing it well just before my husband empties it but he thinks it's affecting the efficiency of the toilet fluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 We keep a pack of toilet wipes for the occasional wipe round & through them in the waste bin not down the loo. Don't know about the effects of other chemicals on toilet fluid as we don't use toilet fluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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