Oops I did not empty the grey water and now it stinks!

[davidathomas42]

As per the title. We got back from France 2 weeks ago and the grey tank was about a third full so I thought no rush I'll do it when I prep for the next trip.

Well got in it today and it stinks! Real old dish water type smell. If I did not have a cold I would have probably thrown up! Which makes me think wow how bad is it without the cold?!?

I then realised that the sink drains are just open pipes to the waste so it will just have been fermenting for the last 2 weeks fuming into the hab area.

I have drained the tank then ran a few more liters fresh water down the sinks with a bit of soap and went for a drive to slosh it round then drained again. Added X2 car air freshners - 1 in the living area and one in the bathroom and that's it for now. Still stinks but am hoping it will calm down now?

Anyone else done this? (For sure I guess) what's my best plan of attact to make it nice again?

 

[Alcemi]

Drain smells don't always come from the tank. We've always been careful to drain down at the end of trips and keep the plugs in, yet were still getting a drain smell. Then realised we hadn't emptied the sink traps - they hold about 100ml of water each. After emptying them, we still had a drain smell - then found there was mould growing on the underside of the plughole - we've now unscrewed the plugholes and cleaned them out thoroughly, so are hoping we've got to the root of the problem!

 

[Viennese]

@Viennese did that suggestion I gave you help with pipe blockage? If not, there could be something on this thread that might be of some help.

Hi Joy, no the hot soapy water didn't work. In the end we had to disconnect the tap from the waste pipe and poke a long stick up, and eventually it cleared. We then put lots of waste tank cleaner down and it's fine now. It won't happen again!!

 

[jezport]

A drop of bleach in each plug hole works for us.
We also carefully blow the water out of the traps during winter storage to stop them freezing.
We use one of these below, they are also good for cleaning plugholes if you fill them with water and then blast the water out into the plughole

 

[EyUp]

Just keep the dump tap cracked open all the time.

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[Sidney]

Just keep the dump tap cracked open all the time.

I can't believe there were 33 other suggestion until we found the obvious solution

 

[JoyJoy]

This may be a bit late to help but at home I use bicarbonate soda, about half a cup and white vinegar poured on top, it fizzes up and clears a lot of gunge away! Cheap remedy?

 

[buttons]

.https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/50-Natural...Spring-Clips-4-Cm/1072269413?iid=311714157587

 

[Bartyfixedit]

We had a smelly van earlier in the year and I went through the same process to no effect. It turned out that the flush water tank in the loo had gone stagnant so check that if you have one.

 

[Dorset Diver]

I recently changed my shower gel to Original Source Mint or Lemon: http://www.originalsource.co.uk/. I simply fancied a change but found that it has a pleasant side effect; a fresh smelling waste and waste tank. My wife (the font of all knowledge ) says it is because for the Tea Tree which is a natural and powerful antiseptic. Whatever, it does seem to work and I like it as body wash. Win Win.

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[Richard n Ann]

We do a lot of dish washing in the sink and inevitably bits of food get washed down the plug hole.. 2 things work, firstly a dishwasher tab dissolved into a cup and washed down with a gallon of hot water will remove the greasy muck from the tank during a drive. Then a cup full of bleach and a gallon of hot water will kill all micro organisms, (again during a drive to slosh it about) leaving the drain smelling fresh.
Bleach is a wonder chemical, I'm amazed how nice and fresh the toilet smells when it's been emptied and a squirt of bleach added, and just a few minutes before it was horrendous.

 

[wizzer59]

I leave my grey waste tap open and my grey waste bucket under it, works a treat

 

[Wildbill]

Just flush with lots of water fill til full pour some bleach down drive around dump then drive runs with valve open
It sounds drastic but it works
Bill

 

[Emmit]

On the subject of Bleach can I give a big UP to those very nice Supermarkets on this side (the french side at the mo) who sell Bleach in TABLET form.

Look out for 'Javel' on the shelves. Saves carrying the liquid stuff and can be popped onto the drainhole and will dissolve as the water runs away. No more smells.

 

[Esperelda]

We currently have a smelly van, presumably due to waste water / temperature (we're in Spain). I've been reading this thread with interest and I really would like to chuck some bleach down the plug holes but I was always under the impression that you shouldn't put bleach down the plastic pipes as it was too harsh?

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[Riverbankannie]

I've been chucking bleach down the plug holes at home for years. All plastic pipes. However I do rinse off the stainless steel parts. You shouldn't allow long contact of bleach on stainless steel and so you should not put bleach in the fresh water tank as some will go through the Truma heater (if you have one) as the heater has stainless steel inside.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Bleach comes in plastic bottles!. It's a myth about it's too harsh or whatever. Our loo and drains have had bleach in them for the last 3 years and our caravan had it for 8 years with no damage to rubber or plastic.

 

[duffs]

So reading this thread, no MH yet but obviously i'm finding everything fascinating.

Grey waste what constitutes grey waste please?

 

[JJ]

Man up you lot...

A little bit of aroma doesn't do any harm... and stops folk from parking too close.

JJ

 

[Doctor Dave]

So reading this thread, no MH yet but obviously i'm finding everything fascinating.

Grey waste what constitutes grey waste please?

Anything that goes down the drains (except toilet - that's classed as "black". It generally goes into a holding tank under the van.

HTH

Edited to add that Zoflora is good if it all gets a bit smelly.

Dave

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[tonyidle]

So reading this thread, no MH yet but obviously i'm finding everything fascinating.

Grey waste what constitutes grey waste please?

Waste water from washing yourself, your pots, etc. Anything other than 'black' waste - which is the contents of the toilet holding tank or cassette.

 

[JJ]

Bleach comes in plastic bottles!. It's a myth about it's too harsh or whatever. Our loo and drains have had bleach in them for the last 3 years and our caravan had it for 8 years with no damage to rubber or plastic.

...but what about the environment?

Just wondering


JJ

 

[tonyidle]

My top tip for no smell is to leave the tank drain open unless it hasn't been emptied or you are pitched.

 

[sedge]

For smelly interiors wherever you may be (home or away) just buy Oust - spray around generously then walk out of wherever you sprayed and leave it alone for a bit to do its thing.

Magic!