RV motor homes are a moving shelter, comfort station, home and camper. There is not a more liberating feeling than traveling the countryside in your RV and parking anywhere you decide to stop for the night. You may end up in the middle of a campground with all the amenities and creature comforts one could think of, or you may end up in a remote area without any electrical or water hookups. The latter of the two is referred to as “boondocking” or “dry camping.”

When you park a motorhome in an RV park, you usually enjoy the benefits of hooking up to a water source, allowing you to use your water rather freely, as you will not run out. However, while boondocking, you must be very conservative with the water in your fresh water tanks, as it is an essential item to have while camping. The tanks do not hold an endless supply of water, so you must take conservation measures to assure that you are not left with no fresh water to drink, cook with, shower with, do dishes with and flush toilets.

The average fresh water tank on an RV usually holds about 40 gallons. In light of the fact that the average non-camping person in the United States uses about 80-100 gallons a day, it may take a real paradigm shift to ease up on the water usage.

Much of the normal dishwashing can be eliminated by using paper plates and disposable plastic utensils instead of dishes that need to be cleansed. Many people avoid flushing the toilet unless it is absolutely necessary. In other words, after “number 1” let it be … after “number 2,” flush away! Think about bringing bottled water to drink, rather than relying on what’s in your fresh water tanks.

One of the biggest culprits of excess water usage for RV campers happens during showers. A long, hot shower can be very relaxing, but while boondocking, you need to re-think your methods of self cleansing. A very thorough shower can be achieved using very little water. Step into the shower and turn the water on just long enough to soak your body and hair, and then shut the water off. Next, lather up your body and hair with soap and shampoo. Finally, turn the water back on just long enough to rinse yourself off thoroughly. It takes less than two minutes and very little water is wasted. And believe it or not, it is very refreshing!
At Pedata RV Center, we are always looking for ways to help you enjoy your RV motor home experience. If you don’t have an RV, we are the ones that can help you find a used RV to suit your needs, as we have a huge selection of them at incredible discounts. We offer used motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels and campers. But we also offer any information that we feel may benefit our customers. We want to make sure that they end up with the right RV for their traveling needs, and that they have the knowledge they need to enjoy the RV lifestyle.