How to use an RV dump station the first time: step by step

Last verified: October 23, 2026

Disclosure: Some links on this site may be affiliate links; see our disclosure. Not affiliated with any RV maker, chemical brand, or dump station operator. Wear disposable gloves, and never use a dump station's rinse (non-potable) water for drinking or for filling your fresh tank.

New RVers ask this more than almost anything else: what order do the valves go in, and how do you do it without a mess while someone waits behind you? The short answer is hose on first, black tank first, gray tank second, so the soapy gray water rinses the hose on its way out. Here's the whole routine, with sources.

Before you pull in

Bring: disposable gloves, your sewer (wastewater) hose and fittings, and hand sanitizer. A separate garden hose just for rinsing is optional. Leisure Travel Vans' dump guide lists the same short kit. [1]
Save some gray water. If you've been camped with the gray valve open, close it the day before you leave so there's gray water in the tank to rinse the hose after the black tank drains. [1]
Let the black tank fill up. Leisure Travel Vans says it helps to have the black tank at least about two-thirds full before dumping. [1] The City of Springfield, Oregon says to keep black valves closed and dump when the tank is more than half full. [2] Dumping a nearly empty black tank leaves solids behind; see black tank won't drain.
Check the station's rules and hours. City and park stations differ. For example, Bremerton, Washington's free station posts weekday-only hours and says staff can't help with dumping. [3] Cody, Wyoming's station is self-service with no staff on site. [4] Check the operator's page before you go, and see winter closures in cold months.

At the station: the order

Pull up with your drain outlet on the station side. Set the parking brake.
Connect the sewer hose to the RV first, then put the other end into the station's inlet. [1] On Cody's station, the inlet covers open with a foot lever that holds the hose in place when you release it. [4] Elsewhere, weigh the hose end down or hold it so it can't pop out.
Leak check (optional but smart). Leisure Travel Vans suggests opening the gray valve for a moment and closing it again to check the connection for leaks. Spilled gray water is far better than spilled black. [1]
Open the black valve and let the black tank drain completely. [1][2]
Rinse the black tank if you can. If there's a rinse-water source and no one is waiting, now's the time. [1] Springfield says to use a tank-flushing device, not a potable water hose. [2] If your RV has a built-in black tank flush, Airstream's method is to close the valve, run the flush a couple of minutes, then open the valve so the water rushes out; he does this twice, then lets the flush run with the valve open until the water runs clear. [5] Keep the hose you use for flushing separate from your drinking-water hose.
Close the black valve. [1]
Open the gray valve and let it drain completely. This flushes the hose. [1][2] Then close it.
Disconnect at the RV end first. Hold the end up high and work the leftover water down the hose into the station. [1]
Rinse the hose and the area. Use the station's rinse hose (non-potable) on your sewer hose and any spills, then store the hose. [1][3][4] Cap your RV outlet.

Got a macerator pump? The order is the same, but Leisure Travel Vans warns to remove the cap from the end of the macerator hose first, and not to let the pump run dry for long. [1]

The rinse-water rule

Most stations have two water sources. Bremerton's non-potable water is for "rinsing of messes ONLY" and not for fresh-water tanks or drinking. [3] Cody has a green potable hose and a separate red non-potable hose for cleaning only, to avoid cross-contamination. [4] Never put the hose you use on the sewer side into your fresh tank, and never put your drinking-water hose near the sewer inlet. If the water isn't clearly labeled potable, don't drink it.

What not to put in your tanks

No formaldehyde. California's Department of Toxic Substances Control says formaldehyde can kill the bacteria that septic systems need. Many campground and RV park dump stations drain to septic systems. It advises choosing deodorizers without formaldehyde and picking biodegradable (enzyme or citrus-based) products. [6]
No bleach in the tanks. Springfield says not to use bleach or formaldehyde in a waste disposal system, and to use enzyme- or bacteria-based products and treatments the manufacturer recommends. [2]
Keep the black valve closed while you camp, even on full hookups. Thetford warns that leaving it open drains the liquid and leaves a "pyramid" of solids. [7]

Where you can't dump

Springfield's rules spell out what's true everywhere: dump only at a designated dump station or approved sewer inlet, never on the ground, never in a storm drain, and never in pit or vault toilets. [2] Storm drains often run straight to rivers and lakes without treatment. Not sure where to dump on your route? See truck stop dump stations (Pilot Flying J, Love's, TA) and the interstate index.

We don't list dump fees, hours, or which stations are open here because they change. Confirm with the station operator's official page before you drive in.