Grey waste tank bad smell through plughole (1 Viewer)

UK Pete

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My waste tank is starting to make a bad smell in the van which is coming up through the plug holes,
what do people do to clean the tank and make it smell acceptable?
pete
 

Snowbird

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Make sure its empty before leaving a site and tip 3 large bottles of cheep coca cola down the plug. Drive home and leave it overnight after the drive, then empty the tank. After you have done this each time you empty the tank tip 1 capfull of bio washing liquid down the plugs.
 

TheBig1

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a bottle of cheap coke if you get a problem, but the occasional capful of bio washing liquid in a pint of hot water prevents it getting too smelly

maybe also consider fitting a trap to the sink waste

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longdog

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This happened to me last summer when it got warm in France and I was using Bio washing liquid too and emptying every 2 days.

The only way that I finally got rid of it was to pour a bleach solution down each plug hole and drive around for a while and now I always use Thetford or Elsan tank clean and I have a sweet smelling grey waste tank.

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scotjimland

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This happened to me last summer when it got warm in France and I was using Bio washing liquid too and emptying every 2 days.

The only way that I finally got rid of it was to [HI]pour a bleach solution down each plug hole [/HI]and drive around for a while and now I always use Thetford or Elsan tank clean and I have a sweet smelling grey waste tank.

:thumb:

also, if you have U traps the smell from the tank should not get into the hab area.. either you don't have any or they are dry.. if the former, fit them.. if the later (assuming they are filled) they may need removing and cleaning as they may be the source, not the tank..
 

phodetheus

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Last week we were trying to work out where a very nasty smell was coming from and realised the same as you that it was coming up from the sink holes. Whilst emptying the waste I vaguely remembered that when I collected the MH we were given a starter kit which included 3 bottles of chemicals Blue, Pink and Green. I hadn't even looked at the green assuming... Well.... I don't know what the hell it was. Got the wife to have a look and turns out thats what we should be using down the sink holes to keep the grey tank from getting nasty.

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Nov 28, 2010
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Why have a grey water tank and leave the tap open?, I see lots of vans doing this with a little container under the drain, as we use our shower in the van regularly I would spend all my time running around emptying the container.
 

keith

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Each time we move I put a small amount of Bleach and bio washing liquid into the last bowl of washing up water, close the drain tap and drive.

7 years on & the tank does not smell as bad as some I have had the unfortunate experience to empty next to.

Before anyone says this will damage the tank or pipes, remember you do the same with the washing machine at home

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maz

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Why have a grey water tank and leave the tap open?, I see lots of vans doing this with a little container under the drain, as we use our shower in the van regularly I would spend all my time running around emptying the container.

1. It helps prevent a smelly waste water tank as water is running straight through before it gets a chance to stagnate.

2. It saves faffing around with draining the waste water tank when you move off.

3. A 'little container' like a builders' bucket will hold around 15 litres of water - more than enough for me to shower and wash my hair in. One trip to empty it while filling up a drinking water container or emptying the toilet cassette doesn't involve much 'running around'.

So now you know why. :Smile:
 
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UK Pete

UK Pete

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Thanks for the answers , i was leaving the tap open at the back , but i have now become paranoid that i will be one of the people that get slagged off by the grey water police:ROFLMAO: for accidently letting the odd trail of waste on the road where the tank has not fully emptied, but hey what the fcuk, i will do the coca cola thing and leave the drain open when empty, and risk the wrath of others that might see a tiny splash come out and assume i am one of the people who drives off draining the whole tank on the road ha ha
pete
 

JJ

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Actually I was joking about leaving the tap open all the time...:winky:

I do though when parked on my own land just as I often drain my grey water out when in the countryside where the water just soaks away into earth.

I reckon these grey water police are those who use their motorhomes on campsites all the time...

Obviously it would be a tad mean to let your grey water run out and into someone's awning. :ROFLMAO:

JJ :Cool:

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Fireman Sam

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[HI]a bottle of cheap coke[/HI] if you get a problem, but the occasional capful of bio washing liquid in a pint of hot water prevents it getting too smelly

maybe also consider fitting a trap to the sink waste

Don’t forget, to avoid fatty-deposit build up, use diet coke.
 

Jaws

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Scotties gave us a tip when we first started out..
Been using it on occasion ever since..

A bottle of fresh orange juice works a treat..

But last year we could not find any, so woman just poured about a cupful of bleach ( Domestos I think it was ) in to a sink full of water and gave it a good stir..
Then when fully mixed pulled the plug so the water and bleach goes down the pipes with whoosh ( sort of thing )..

That worked really well too !
 

Vlad The Impaler

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Why have a grey water tank and leave the tap open?, I see lots of vans doing this with a little container under the drain, as we use our shower in the van regularly I would spend all my time running around emptying the container.

Not if there was a hole in your bucket,dear mousey,dear mousey! ::bigsmile:



Vlad
 

keith

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Why have a grey water tank and leave the tap open?, I see lots of vans doing this with a little container under the drain, as we use our shower in the van regularly I would spend all my time running around emptying the container.

Use a larger container??? :Doh:
 
Nov 28, 2010
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Silly me, I thought the tank was supposed to be the container?

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Last edited:

jonandshell

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Waste tank smells.

Fit some of these-

Link Removed

These came as standard on our Chausson, the spare outlet is blanked off. The unit incorporates a water trap.
Smells gone, and no having to remember to put a plug in or arse about with tank cleaning products!:thumb:
 

Gary1309

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I have just had this problem on our first proper holiday, so I googled for a solution whilst in Asda Bodmin and found these posts. I tried two cheap bottles of cola @ 17p each (Asda price) and a bottle of bio washing liquid £2 and poured in the cola, by the time we got to lands end the smell had almost gone. I drained the cola next morning and have used a measure bio washing liquid twice just to be sure. I can report no smells now. Cheers guys
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Our drains have traps, even the shower and no smells inside, even though the actual grey waste can be quite smelly when emptying. The cheap cola goes in occasionally as it really gets the crud off the inside of the tank if left for a while. You can see why nobody in their right mind would consider drinking the vile stuff.:sicker::sicker:

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Jenowen

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We put a capful of Milton bleach down the sink after emptying the tank. Much less damaging than ordinary bleach. Works a treat.
 
Nov 18, 2011
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every one talking abut waste tank taps didn't know there was such a thing:confused:
joking aside
but we just make up a strong solution from soda crystals pore it down the plug hole and drive around be carful it is a very strong alkali one pack 1kg to 10 litters of water it gets rid of all the grease and crap out the pipes and tank then just stick the garden hose down the plug hole hold in while sum one turns the water on flush till keen both shower and sink once treated and clean just use solution every three months my parents used to do this with her caravan 35 years ago to keep the pipes clean I just do it when I get's a bit of a smell but only two times on this van in a year
 

tambo

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I'm surprised half of you aren't too embarrassed to rock up to the checkout with 17p cola in your baskets:p

I can just hear the comments in asdas staff canteen

" should have heard the excuse this cheapskate gave me today for drinking pola cola" :D

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tambo

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not every one can afford the more expensive ones and low income family's cant afford any thing but that at times
It was a tongue in cheek comment in case you hadn't got that :p

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