How to Get Rid of Gnats in RV Toilet? Steps to Obey Perfectly

Gnats swarming around the RV toilet can be an annoying and frustrating problem for travelers. Luckily, there are several effective methods to tackle gnat infestations head-on by targeting their breeding grounds, removing current gnats, and preventing future ones.

With some diligent cleaning, treatments, and RV maintenance, you can make that RV bathroom gnat-free once again! So before those tiny flies drive you crazy, put these comprehensive gnat removal tips to work.

Step 1: Identify the Gnats in the RV Toilet

First, we need to identify what type of small flies are buzzing around the motorhome bathroom. There are a few likely culprits that enjoy the moist, organic environments of RV drain pipes and tanks.

1. Drain flies

Tiny dark flies under 1⁄4 inch long swarming near the toilet bowl rim, drain, or vent pipe may well be sewer flies and gnats, or drain flies. As their name suggests, they breed in the organic buildup inside drain pipes.

2. Fungus gnats

More of a nuisance for houseplants and gardens, fungus gnats are attracted to excess moisture. So if your RV toilet base or pipes have small leaks, they may lay eggs there. Focus on drying out those areas.

3. Fruit flies

Attracted more to fermenting fruits and liquids, checking the bathroom trash, and emptying any bottles or cans sitting around. Wipe surfaces; clean up spills to remove food opportunities.

Now that the gnat type potentially causing chaos around your RV throne has been identified, we can jump into targeted removal strategies.

Step 2: Target the Breeding Ground

To fully clear out an RV toilet gnat problem, getting rid of current adults swarming around is simply not enough. Their eggs and larvae will continue developing in the moist organic breeding grounds and the cycle will start anew.

So to stop gnats at the source, you need to eliminate, clean, and dry out locations where they are laying eggs and feeding larvae. Here is where to focus your attention inside the RV bathroom:

Black tank

The black water holding tank that stores toilet waste is a prime target. Drain flies breed prolifically in the waste buildup and will readily escape through a vent pipe or any toilet seal leaks. Therefore:

• Drain, flush, and thoroughly clean out the black tank with an RV-specific cleaner formulated to digest organic matter, waste, toilet paper, etc. Follow label instructions for best results.
• Use a tank treatment monthly to prevent future buildup and inhibit larvae from maturing inside the tank.
• Check the vent pipe has a well-fitted screen to prevent fly escape while allowing airflow.
• Inspect seals around the toilet base and valves for any gaps or cracks allowing small flies or eggs through into the bathroom area. Repair leaks promptly.

Gray water tank

While less ideal than the black tank, drain fly eggs and larvae can survive in gray water waste too. So to cover all bases:

• Drain and clean out the gray tank thoroughly every few months to remove food particles, grease, etc. An enzyme cleaner helps dissolve any residue.
• Consider installing a gray water filter that can catch debris and prevent future buildup issues.
• Check and seal any pipe or tank leaks promptly.

Check For Leaks Around Toilet Seals That Allow Organic Matter To Accumulate

As mentioned above, if there are any hairline gaps or cracks in the seals around the toilet base, gnat eggs and larvae can squeeze through from the tank/pipes to continue development in the bathroom. Inspect carefully and reseal or replace any failing seals.

You can temporarily plug small gaps with a flexible silicone sealant while ordering a replacement seal.

Look For Standing Water In The Rv Pipes Or Tank

Fungus gnats in particular need damp areas to breed successfully. So if condensation or small leaks are causing puddles inside the black water tank or related piping, that can allow them to thrive.

Carefully dry out all standing water, address the leak, and consider adding RV antifreeze down the toilet when not in use for a while to prevent this issue. An RV mechanic can fully inspect and repair any failing parts if simple efforts don’t resolve damp pipes or tanks.

Inspect Bathroom Drains For Buildup Of Hair/Soap Scum Where Gnats Can Breed

The drains themselves, especially if they get slowed by hair, grease and soap scum accumulating over time, make an attractive spot for drain flies to lay eggs.

Remove the drain cover or strainer and scrub away any thick gunk or biofilm buildup. For the hardest deposits, let a drain cleaner soak for 10-15 minutes before scrubbing.

Going forward, pour a small amount of drain-maintaining product down each drain on a regular basis to keep things flowing freely. Enzyme cleaners actively digest organic matter, hair, etc. to help prevent future backups. Bleach and baking soda mixtures help deodorize and keep pipes cleaner too.

Staying on top of cleaning the actual RV toilet and bathroom drains means fewer food sources available for gnats if they sneak in through a vent or gap somewhere else. Starve them out!

Step 3: Remove Gnats Currently Present

Once breeding grounds are cleaned up, any remaining adult gnats buzzing about the toilet or bathroom can be dealt with. Here are some tips to actively eliminate the current generation:

Manually Swish Out Adult Gnats With A Toilet Brush

Yep, simply take a toilet scrub brush and repeatedly swish it through the bowl of water repeatedly. The gusts created will temporarily flush flying gnats down toward the tank and pipes to meet their fate!

It may take a few minutes if you have a real gnat infestation, but eventually, they will be flushed away. Give the toilet base, seals, and nearby surfaces a scrub while you’re at it to dislodge any eggs sticking around.

Use A Plunger To Clear Pipes And Dislodge Eggs And Larvae

Take an old-fashioned plunger to the toilet bowl a few times. The suction can help detach gnat eggs and larvae clinging inside upper drainage pipes. It also flushes some mature gnats away.

Follow with a hot water rinse or enzyme cleaner for the best drain-cleaning results.

Apply An RV Enzyme Cleaner To Break Down Waste And Organic Matter

As discussed earlier, using the appropriate toilet chemical treatments goes a long way toward clearing and preventing gnat issues. Products actively break down solids and residue so fewer breeding opportunities exist.

Look for fast-acting formulas containing enzymes and surfactants for cleaning toilet bowls. More involved tank and pipe treatments require longer soak times but kill larvae and digest grease, paper, etc. clogging your system.

Follow all label instructions on timing and amounts, as overdoing some chemicals can damage toilet seals and pipes with extended exposure.

Install A Vent Fan To Make The Environment Less Hospitable

While they don’t kill gnats directly, installing or running an existing bathroom vent fan helps make that area much less welcoming to the tiny insects. It works in a couple of key ways:

• Reduces overall moisture and humidity, drying up fungus gnat breeding requirements.
• Removes odor cues that attract drain and fruit flies.
• Creates air gusts that at minimum make it harder for gnats to fly steadily.

So make it a habit to turn on that vent fan whenever the RV toilet is in use, plus for a while longer just to actively flush the space with fresh air. Combine with other removal tactics for the fastest results.

What to Do for Preventing Future Infestations

Now that current gnats are cleared out and breeding spots are cleaned up, let’s get into maintenance habits that can prevent renewed gnat issues in your RV bathroom long-term.

Use RV toilet Treatments Monthly To Prevent Buildup

As previously covered, using the appropriate tank enzymes and cleaning products monthly (or as indicated on labels) keeps everything flowing freely and reduces organic matter for gnats to feed on. Digesting waste and paper products before they accumulate means larvae cannot fully mature later.

Always follow label instructions so the chemicals have adequate time to work properly in the tank and pipes without damaging any seals or parts. Give treatments some soak time when possible.

Pour Drain Cleaner Down Pipes Weekly

Similarly, using drain maintainer chemicals weekly keeps the pipes gunk and sludge-free for better flow. Look for an enzyme-based one to actively digest built-up gunk, hair, etc. that could slow drainage.

Alternate between enzyme cleaner and bleach or baking soda flush treatment for the best results long term. Just don’t use bleach products too frequently, as it can damage pipes. The enzyme cleaners are gentler for weekly use.

Install Screen At Vent Pipe Opening

Make sure window screen material or similar tight mesh is covering the RV toilet vent pipe outlet. This prevents gnats from escaping from the black tank into the bathroom area, yet allows airflow.

Carefully seal any gaps or tears in the vent screen with caulk or tape them up with a fine mesh hardware cloth material wrapped around the pipe if needed. Tight screening is crucial to containing RV-holding tank flies.

Check Seals Regularly And Fix Any Leaks Promptly

On a similar note, routinely check the toilet seals and valve connections for even the slightest gaps or cracks. Gnats can squeeze into the tiniest spaces to access damp areas and start breeding.

As soon as a toilet seal appears worn, softened, or otherwise fails to create a tight barrier, replace it. A small gap will only get bigger over time from use and seal compression. So stay proactive on this maintenance aspect.

Always Keep The Toilet Closed And The Bathroom Fan Running

Get everyone in the RV used to keeping that toilet lid down firmly at all times when not actively in use. This alone can prevent fly issues that escape from the tank. But combine it with running that bathroom vent fan every time the room is occupied for a double whammy deterrent.

Together the lid down and constant air circulation make it much tougher for gnats to survive in the bathroom area at all. Just don’t forget to turn off that fan after use so it doesn’t run your RV batteries down needlessly!

How to Seek Professional Help to Remove Gnats in RV Toilet

If you still end up with persistent tiny flies swarming your RV throne room after trying the breeding site cleaning, removal tactics, and preventative measures – it may be time to bring in an expert.

Here’s when and how to get professional assistance conquering RV toilet gnats:

Provide as much helpful detail as possible so the pros know where to start investigating. Information like:

• Type of RV, toilet model, tank/pipe layout if known
• Types of small flies present – drain, fungus, or fruit flies?
• Specific areas the gnats are located – just around the toilet, near vents/drains, or around the bathroom in general?
• What methods you’ve already tried without success – this helps them not repeat what you’ve already done
• How long the issue has persisted

With a bit of background, they’ll know what solutions to investigate first when they arrive to inspect in person.

Schedule An Inspection Or Treatment If The Problem Persists

You may be able to simply have a pest control tech or plumber come check things out first without committing to major treatment if the issue is mild. Especially if you live full-time in the RV.

But have their contact info handy to call back for a full tank treatment, pipe inspection, and seal repairs if basic cleaning attempts fail to knock out every last gnat. Persistent drain fly colonies can require professional strength insecticide applications to finally halt the breeding cycle.

Fumigation isn’t generally an option for live-in RVs, for obvious reasons! So if they evade your removal efforts, don’t hesitate to arrange professional liquid treatments of the black and gray tanks, valves, and related plumbing where larvae-resistant colonies may lurk.

Repair Any Underlying Issues In The Toilet Or Pipes

Lastly, if a full inspection determines your RV toilet parts or related plumbing systems have leaks, gaps, or cracks that keep allowing fly access long-term – get them repaired properly once identified.

Have worn or damaged seals and valves replaced. Get pipe or tank wall cracks repaired. Resolve detached vent pipes. Fix recurring damp areas that can attract egg-laying flies.

Cut off gnats’ ability to squeeze in anywhere, whether through physical gaps letting them reach breeding spots or via micro-leaks that create dampness fungus gnats seek out.

Eliminate odor issues that lure fruit and drain flies by addressing root causes like accumulated organic waste or unsealed toilet lids. Permanently block off all problem feature gnats exploit to invade your recreational vehicle again later!

Closing Thoughts 

With the right combination of thorough cleaning, removal techniques, preventative maintenance, and professional assistance as needed – you can successfully evict those pesky gnats from your RV bathroom once and for all!

Just stay vigilant inspecting for leaks or fly escape routes for the best lasting results. Using the tips above helps reclaim a gnat-free, stress-free, and sanitary motorhome bathroom everyone can enjoy using again without getting pestered by persistent little drain, fungus, or fruit flies determined to drive RV owners crazy!

Don’t tolerate unnecessary swarms of gnats when straightforward solutions exist. Take back control of your black tank, pipes, and toilet seals today for good!