Nobody wants to see someone else’s nasty sewer hose. Right? So I’ve come up with a secret hiding place to store your my sewer hose and I’ll show you how I did it. You’ll like this project idea, I promise. When complete, you won’t see your sewer hose and it won’t take up valuable space in your storage bin.
Dumping your black and gray tanks is perhaps the least glamourous task you’ll complete as an RV owner. Ninety nine percent of the time, everything goes nice and smooth. Then there’s that one percent. Yup, it happens.
If you’ve ever spilled a little on yourself while dumping, then you’ll understand why some full-time RVers these days opt for one of those composting toilets. I’ve even helped a friend install one in her trailer and thought “hmmm…maybe I could use one someday“. That day has yet to come, so I dump.
As a dumper I’m forced to carry around the unsightly and often smelly sewer hose. As a fellow dumper I’m sure you can relate.
RV Speak: Many RVers refer to the sewer hose as their “Stinky Slinky“. Walk through an RV park around checkout time and you’ll see many a grown man trying to master the stinky slinky? Give him a friendly nod, but don’t shake his hand. I say “man” because in my experience that’s who usually get’s assigned this fun task. In fact, my wife can proudly say that she has never had to do it. If you’re a woman who dumps…more power to you.
How To Hide Your Sewer Hose (a.k.a. the “Stinky Slinky”)
Sewer hoses are awkward, bulky and sometimes smelly things that can take up valuable space in your storage compartments. What to do?
How Most RV Owners Store A Sewer Hose
Storing your hose in your rear bumper is a popular option, but I don’t recommended it. I’ve seen bumpers rust from the inside out over time.
You can also buy a sewer hose carrier like these from Amazon and proudly attach it to your RV. These are typically mounted on the back of the RV or camper for other travelers to admire.
Here’s a better way – Create a secret compartment (Out of site)
I came up with a better way to store my hoses (yes hoses – I keep at least two) keeping them completely out of site and out of the way. I call it the “Disappearing Sewer Hose.” See how it works in this video.
Here are the basic steps to create a secret spot for your sewer hose.
- Find some free space under your RV near a storage compartment (preferably near your sewer dump)
- Pick up a hollow PVC fence post from your hardware store
- Also pick up some end caps and a couple small “L” brackets
- Cut a hole in the side of the storage compartment and slide the fence post in there until about one inch is visible inside (for the cap)
- Mount the “L” bracket below the fence post on the outside of the storage bin
- Secure the rest of the fence post to the bottom of the RV somehow (I bolted mine to other compartments to hold it in place)
- Drill some holes on the bottom of the fence post for ventilation and to allow water to drip out
- Load your hose and sewer connectors inside and put the end cap on
- Optional: Paint your stinky slinky holder a dark color (mine is black) so it remains camoflaged under your RV
Secret Sewer Hose Storage Photos
Here are some additional pictures of the hidden-storate setup on my Class C motorhome. You’re setup may be different based on the type of RV you have and location of things. I hope these pics give you some ideas of what you can do.
I purchased 8 foot vinyl fence posts from Home Depot for around $25 each, plus a few vinyl caps to use as covers. The 5×5 inch fence post is wide enough to store your hose and a couple hose attachments.
I cut a hole in the right wall of the the sewer bay large enough to fit the fence post and painted the fence post black. A bead of sealant was also added around the opening to keep moisture and critters out.
To secure the fencepost to the RV, I installed an “L” bracket on the outside of the compartment and bolted the other end of the post to the frame of the RV. There’s about an inch of the fence post poking through inside the compartment to hold the cap. For the cap I used one of the fence post caps I purchased.
The rear of the tubes sit just under the rear bumber of the RV. This way I can easily remove the spare from the rear of the RV. Caps were added with holes for drainage and ventilation and to keep the cap from coming off I screw a ring bolt through the side that’s quick and easy to remove.
Finally, you’ll notice that I have a second tube that doesn’t connect to the waste water compartment. I use that to store a secondary hose extension that can be added to my short 10ft primary hose. So, I effectively have 25 ft of sewer hose secretly hidden.
Conclusion
What do you think? If you have limited storage space, this solution may work for you. It did for me. If you don’t have a storage compartment to hook into, you can simply mount the fence posts underneath.
Of course, you can always purchase a plastic storage tube on Amazon and mount it under your RV. But if you do, please do us a favor and do NOT mount it to your bumper in plain view. Nobody wants to see it.