‘Do we really need RV toilet paper?’

That’s a common conundrum faced by most new RVers face in the initial stages of their RV lifestyle.

To be fair, that question is very valid.

You have just spent an arm and a leg on a swanky new RV, and an additional sizeable sum on supplies to stock it with.

RV toilet paper seems like overkill. Why not just buy regular toilet paper from Costco?

If the tank can handle your mess, it should be able to handle regular toilet paper, shouldn’t it?

All these thoughts seem like prudence and logic, until you are hit with a clogged black tank and the dreaded poop pyramid makes an appearance. Eww!

Trust us when we tell you this. RV Tanks need RV Toilet paper. Period.

A few extra bucks there can save you so many hassles down the road.

But if you are stuck with analysis paralysis about it, then this brief primer will help clear your doubts.

To make things easier for you, we have also handpicked what we believe are the best RV toilet paper options in 2020.

So strap in and enjoy the read.

Aqua-Soft Thetford

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Aqua-Soft is a two ply biodegradable toilet paper that breaks down in seconds, making it perfect for use with RV tanks and Marine waste systems.

For the unversed, two ply stands for double layered, which makes the tissue a feather thicker than single layered ones.

This means that it less likely to fall apart as you go about your business. It’s also more absorbent than one-ply tissues.

Once it is in the tank, it dissolves and disappears in seconds. No messy clogs.

It’s far more durable after all.

Also, each pack contains 4 rolls with 396-sheets per roll. Each sheet is the standard 4.2” x 4.0 in size. So no corners cut there.

This translates into more bang for your buck with each pack.

While softness is subjective, Aqua-soft is generally considered by customers to be reasonably soft.

Maybe not the softest one that you can buy, but that’s not really a deal breaker unless you are hung up on it. As long as it’s not scratchy, which it isn’t, it shouldn’t really matter too much.

Overall, Aqua-soft gives you a great mix of features and value for money. Hard to go wrong with it.

Best features

• 2-ply, fast dissolving RV toilet paper
• Perfect for use with RVs and Marine waste systems
• Can be used with regular toilets at home
• Durable and thick
• Reasonably soft
• Each pack contains 1584 sheets making it great value

Possible cons

• Not the softest option out there.

Camco RV Bathroom Toilet Tissue

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

With 500-tissues in each roll, Camco RV Toilet tissue is a budget-camper’s delight.

Each pack contains 4-rolls giving you 2000 tissues at a very affordable price.

If you are looking to stock in bulk, or have a busy RV with family, then this will give you more value for money than other brands.

Coming to the details, this is a 2-ply tissue, just like our #1 pick, Aqua-Soft.

The tissue is extremely soft to the touch and does not contain any added fragrances or dyes.

So if you have sensitive skin down there (who doesn’t? ), then this might be a great pick.

It is completely biodegradable and breaks down in seconds. Absolutely no problems with clogging, ever.

That said, it’s noticeably thinner than other 2-ply tissues. So it may shred up in the middle of things, which in turn, means that you need more tissue for a complete cleanup.

That, to an extent, does negate the price advantage that you get with more rolls in each pack.

But you can’t have it all, can you?

Best features

• 2-ply, fast dissolving tissue paper
• Perfect for RVs, Porta Potty and Marine waste systems
• Each roll contains 500 sheets of 4.5 x 4.0” tissue
• You get 2000 sheets in one pack. Great value
• No added fragrances or dyes. So it’s perfect for sensitive skin

Possible cons

• A feather thinner than other 2-ply tissues

Firebelly Outfitters

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Firebelly Outfitters is one of the top rated 2-ply, RV toilet papers that you can buy.

This family owned, Veteran owned business, proudly manufactures its paper right here in the US of A.

The tissue is softer than both of our earlier picks. Yet, it is durable enough to prevent midway shreds.

If you hate fingers going through the paper in the middle of business, but equally despise that sand-paper scratchy feel on your skin, Firebelly Outfitters is one of your best choices.

It dissolves instantly in the bowl and does not stick to the walls of the tank either, which can cause false sensor readings.

The biodegradable toilet paper is environment friendly and can be used with a variety of portable sewage systems, including RVs, marine, camp toilets and porta potty.

Each roll contains 500 sheets that are 3.75” x 4” in size.

That’s a tad smaller than the other brands in this list. But they make up for this by giving you 8-rolls in each pack.

That’s way more than what any of the competition offers. Great value!

Overall, you’d be hard pressed to find a better two-ply tissue option.

Best features

• Two-ply, biodegradable and fast dissolving
• Extremely soft yet durable
• No clogs, doesn’t stick to the walls of the tank either
• Environment friendly and can be used with a variety of camping toilets
• 500 sheets in each roll. 8 rolls in a pack
• Great value

Possible cons

• Each sheet is 3.75” x 4” in size. Not necessarily a con though.

Grentay 4-Ply RV toilet paper

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Grentay takes the whole ‘biodegradable toilet paper’ game to another level altogether.

Their RV toilet paper is completely natural and made from bamboo that is panda-safe.

Bamboo is a renewable grass and for those who are conscious about leaving no footprints out there, this gives you an extra assurance that no trees were chopped to make the paper.

By the way, this is a 4-ply tissue paper, that’s thicker than most 2-ply papers that you might have tried.

The extra thickness means no shreds whatsoever. But it does make it a little slower to dissolve in the tank.

It still, will dissolve completely, mind you.

Only that it takes more time than regular 2-ply tissues. It’s a tiny quibble really.

The paper is extremely soft to the touch and contains no BPA, bleach, dyes, elemental chlorine (carcinogen), fragrance and other toxic chemicals. This makes it baby-safe and hypoallergenic.

Each roll contains 220 sheets that are 4” x 5.5” in size. That’s wider than standard-sized toilet paper.

Each pack contains 12-rolls of this best rv toilet paper.

Best features

• Made from renewable bamboo
• Baby-safe and hypoallergenic
• Contains no BPA, bleach, dyes, chlorine, fragrance and other toxic chemicals
• 12-rolls in a pack. Each roll with 220 sheets of 4” x 5.5”
• 4-ply tissue paper that’s extremely durable
• Very soft to the touch

Possible cons

• May take a little longer to dissolve as compared to two-ply papers

Caboo Tree Free Toilet Paper

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Caboo is considered one of the best toilet paper for RV and marine systems, that’s made from sustainable, renewable bamboo, as opposed to trees.

Their completely natural, biodegradable RV toilet paper is manufactured from bamboo and sugarcane that are non-GMO certified.

No benzene, parabens, chlorine, dyes or fragrances either. Just natural and biodegradable toilet paper that everyone in your family can use. Perfect for sensitive skin as well.

The paper is 2-ply and is reasonably soft to the touch.

Dissolves much faster than the 4-ply variety that we mentioned earlier.

It is not as thick as the Firebelly Outfitters and the Aqua Soft though. So, some shredding might be possible. Again, that’s subjective. But that’s the general consensus that customers have about it.

Each roll contains 300 sheets and you have the option to pick from 12-roll and 24-roll packs.

Overall, for a biodegradable toilet paper, Caboo delivers great value. More importantly, it cuts no corners in the manufacturing process. This is definitely, a clean label product.

Best features

• Made from Non-GMO bamboo fiber that is sustainably grown
• Panda-safe
• No toxic additives, fragrances or dyes
• Chlorine free
• Completely natural and biodegradable
• 2-ply sheet that’s very soft to the touch
• 300 sheets that are 4” x 4”

Possible cons

• Slightly thin as compared to other 2-ply papers

Thetford Single Ply RV toilet paper

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Thetford’s single ply toilet paper is a great option for tanks that get clogged in the blink of an eye.

It is thinner than 2-ply paper and as a result, it gets dissolved in a black tank much faster than most of the other papers in this list.

Also, the single ply design makes it softer to the touch, and hence, gentler on the skin down there.

There’s no problem with the absorbency. Works perfectly every time.

But the caveat is that it can shred and tear a lot easier than thicker multi-layered papers.

Unfortunately, that’s a tradeoff that you’ll have to make if you are looking for faster dissolving rates and softer texture.

Each roll comes with 350-sheets and there are four rolls in each pack, which makes it one of the best toilet papers for RV, if you are shopping on a shoestring budget.

If two-ply paper getting stuck to the walls of the tank is making life hell for you, then this is a possible solution.

Best features

• Soft, single-ply RV toilet paper
• Dissolves much faster than two-ply
• Better option for tanks that get clogged easily
• Gentle on the skin
• 350-sheets and 4 rolls in a pack

Possible cons

• Can shred easily unlike stronger 2-ply paper

Scott Rapid Dissolve

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Scott is a brand name that you’ll encounter frequently while looking for the best toilet paper for RV.

They offer a gamut of fast dissolving tissue papers. But the rapid dissolve version breaks down 4 times faster than anything else on the market.

Septic safe, marine waste system, RV, porta potty, camping toilet, this is hands down the best choice for all types of portable sewage systems. It dissolves in seconds and will not gum up the tank, ever.

A lot of customers are surprised to discover that this is a single-ply tissue paper, because of how thick it is. Definitely feels like a two-ply and also holds up like one.

It does not shred as easily as normal single-ply paper. Maybe that’s because of the quilted texture that it has.

To add to this, it is very soft to the touch and provides great absorbency for an efficient clean.

Each roll comes with 4 counts of 231 sheets each.

If you have an old sewage system or your black tank gets clogged easily with normal tissue paper, give this a shot.

Best features

• Single-ply paper with a quilted texture
• Dissolves 4x faster than any other RV toilet paper
• Soft to the touch
• Great absorbency
• 231 sheets in a roll and 4 rolls in a pack
• Great choice for tanks that get clogged easily

Possible cons

• Slightly pricier than Scott’s regular RV toilet papers

Plushi Paper

Last update on 2021-09-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Plushi’s toilet paper is a great choice for families with kids who are still learning to how to use toilet paper rolls. Or for families with seniors, or members who have physical limitations.

It comes with a covered, pop up styled dispenser can be attached/hung on the towel rod.

This allows them to gently tug and pull out the precut sheets of paper one or two at a time, instead of over exerting and pulling out wads of paper that they cannot use. (Fewer chances of a clog)

The paper itself is incredibly soft and fast dissolving.

It is made of a blend of short and long fibers sourced from virgin wood pulp, which means that it is completely biodegradable. There are no added chemicals, scents or unwanted stuff that can irritate sensitive skin.

Right from babies to pregnant women, everyone can use this safely.

It is advertised as 4-ply, but it is in fact as thin as regular 2-ply paper. You’d have to fold it and club the halves to make it thicker.

If you are looking at a thicker paper for strength, then you might want to consider the Grentay 4-ply option that we have reviewed earlier.

Plushi will be a better pick if you are looking at a softer RV toilet paper, with the pop up dispenser.

Best features

• 4-Ply RV toilet paper
• Comes with a pop-up styled dispenser
• Perfect for kids or seniors
• Can easily pull out one or two precut sheets
• Fast dissolving
• Perfect for RVs and Marine sewage systems

Possible Cons

• Not as thick as standard 4-ply paper. You’d have to fold it in half if you are looking at really thick toilet paper.

Do you need RV toilet paper?

Let’s start off by addressing the question that we started this article with.

Do you really need RV toilet paper to use the restroom in an RV?

The answer to that is yes, most of the time.

Here’s why.

The waste, both liquid and solid from your toilet gets collected in a tiny tank called the Black water tank that is located under the RV carriage.

It can be directly under the toilet or a little further, connected with a narrow pipe.

The only contents that reach this tank have to be fast disintegrating in nature. Else it’s a recipe for clogging.

Like they say in RV lore, ‘Be careful of what goes in’.

Regular toilet paper, Cleenex, Tampons and diapers are not fast disintegrating.

Some of it can lie in the water for hours, sometimes days, forming lumps.

These lumps then get stuck to the walls, gunk up and clog the tank.

That’s not a situation any camper ever wants to be in.

In an old RV, you’d be caught unaware with a pile of s**t in the restroom. No warning whatsoever.

In a new one, there will be sensors that detect the level of the waste in the tank and send out a reading, when it’s time to empty it, or when its clogged.

Regular toilet paper can even block these sensors at times, sending out fake readings, which is extremely annoying.

RV toilet paper is also called septic safe toilet paper. It is designed with biodegradable materials which dissolve instantly when it comes into contact with water.

This allows you to use your RV restroom regularly, without worrying about the tank getting clogged.

What if I am in a remote town and cannot find RV toilet paper?

A simple way to test whether the toilet paper that you can find is RV safe, is to throw a couple of pieces of it into a mason jar filled with water. Close the lid and shake it gently for 5-10 seconds.

Any RV toilet paper or septic safe paper will break down into tiny fragments within than time. Some might take a little longer. But a minute is the most it should take for RV toilet paper to break down completely.

If it doesn’t, then you cannot use it in your RV toilet. Simple.

Your options are to either put the toilet paper in the trash can, or head out to a campground toilet for #2.

How to select the best RV toilet paper?

Selecting the best toilet paper for RV is about so much more than the rate at which it dissolves in water, isn’t it?

Here are some of the factors that campers consider while they shop for the best RV toilet paper.

Comfort

Comfort tops the priority list for most people.

Irrespective of whether the paper disintegrates in 10 seconds or a minute, you can’t really use it if it feels like sandpaper, can you?

That said, RV toilet papers in general are quite soft, because of the fast dissolving, natural materials that they are made out of.

But some of them, might have a slightly rough texture which makes it scratchy when used to clean. Can be doubly annoying if you have skin problems, or are using it for a baby.

This is mostly the case with thicker varieties of paper, unbleached ones, or ones made of recycled materials.

In this list, we have clearly stated the softness of each toilet paper brand that we have selected.

Other than this, look for paper that does not have any fragrance, dyes, chlorine or other added chemicals.

Strength/Durability

The softer the paper, the thinner it is.

The thinner it is, the more likely it is to rip/tear or shred.

Not only is that gross, it can also be very annoying to have your fingers go through the paper in the midst of a cleanup.

If you prefer a thicker variety of paper, go for two or four ply. It may not be as soft as single ply, but you can be rest assured that it won’t tear easily.

Type of RV toilet paper

Believe it or not, there are different types of RV toilet papers.

• Single-Ply: Each sheet of the toilet paper is made of a single layer of fabric. Hence the term single or one-ply. These are cheaper than the rest and also softer. Naturally, these are also the easiest to break down in the tank. The flipside is that they aren’t as durable as multi-layered ones. If you have an old RV tank that clogs up quickly, this might be your best bet.
• Two, three or four ply: Two ply paper has two sheets of toilet paper bonded together using natural adhesive. The more the number of plies, the thicker the paper.
• Luxury toilet paper: These can be single or multiple layered and come with added essential oils and fragrances that can mask unpleasant odors. It works for some, while others prefer fragrance free varieties because they are more economical, and hypoallergenic.
• Unbleached: Unbleached toilet paper or brown toilet paper is made of recycled materials. It’s as environment friendly as they come, but may not be angel soft to the touch.

Biodegradable

Biodegradable toilet paper is environment friendly and should be the only available choice really, given that the RV lifestyle is about sustainable living.

Most brands these days, manufacture biodegradable toilet paper that’s either made from recycled materials, or from renewable materials like bamboo.

But there are still a few brands that use old school paper made from virgin wood pulp sourced from trees.

Watch out for this while you shop.

Hidden ingredients to watch out for

A lot of toilet paper manufactured using old school methods may also contain hidden ingredients or chemicals that you can do without.

Here are a few that you need to watch out for.

• Elemental Chlorine – Used to be added during the bleaching process to turn the paper white. But has been banned since 2001.
• Formaldehyde – Is used to strengthen and increase the durability of the fiber
• Petroleum Mineral oil – Is mainly used in the fragrant varieties
• BPA – Known for causing endocrine disorders. Is typically found in recycled paper.

Absorbency

There is no measurement to gauge absorbency by.

But you’d want the best RV toilet paper to be very absorbent.

This will reduce the amount of paper you use for a single cleanup, and will translate into savings over a period of time.

Quantity

The average size of a sheet of toilet paper is 4” x 4”. Some can be a little smaller or bigger depending on the brand.

Each roll can contain anywhere between 250-500 sheets. Single ply rolls contain more sheets per roll than two or four ply packs.

Each pack can contain anywhere from 4 to 12 rolls.

If you have a family RV with multiple people, it might be beneficial to look for packs that offer value for money, like the Firebelly Outfitters or the Camco RV toilet paper.

Closing thoughts

That’s it fellow campers.

We hope that this article helps you narrow down on the best toilet paper for RV and also helps prevent a messy clog or poop catastrophe in future.

If you feel that we left out on anything, or you have something to add to this, give us a holler in the comment box below.

We’d love to hear from you.