Cleaning Grey Waste Tank And Pipes? (1 Viewer)

westy77

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Feb 17, 2014
247
180
Essex
Funster No
30,146
MH
C class
Exp
2008
Hi, we have come back from a week away in the van. While away we noticed there was a bad smell from the grey tank every time the dump tap was opened. Also in the van when one sink was emptied the other would smell. I'm thinking the wind pressure of the water running down is forcing the smelly air from the grey tank back up the other waste pipe. For example I empty washing bowl in kitchen sink the bathroom suddenly stinks.

What is a good thing to put down the sink pipes to clean those and in turn clean out the grey tank that won't cause any damage to pipes and connections?
 

sdc77

Free Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,244
4,550
Weardale, Co Durham
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24,456
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
since 2011
Cheap coke is good for us too. Also leave plugs in when travelling.

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Mikey RV

LIFE MEMBER
Mar 7, 2010
4,849
23,868
Devon
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10,532
MH
Burstner Elegance I821G
Exp
Since 1977
Thetford do a tank/ drain cleaner you just put 100ml down your sink leave foe a couple of hours then rinse with warm water. It's about £5 a litre no damage to seals etc.
 

DBK

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Jan 9, 2013
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Plympton, Devon
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PVC, Murvi Morocco
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2013
You can get sink drains with traps in them but they are larger than the normal ones so you may lose storage space.

Dometic Power Care Tabs are 100% effective in my experience but they are expensive but you don't need to use them every day. They are meant for black waste tanks but if you snip the capsule with scissors and pour the powder down the drains you can flush it down the pipes with a little hot water.

Bio liquid works reasonably well but the Coke trick had no effect when we tried it.

I have seen household drain cleaning stuff recommended but I am not how safe this is for extended use.

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D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
The cheap coke works for us. The cheapest you can find, just make sure it's full fat.

Empty the tank as normal.
Get a couple of 2 litre bottles.
Pour it down all your sinks and the shower drain.
Drive for a while. Between stops or sites is a good tine to do this.
Empty it and you should be sorted.
 
Sep 3, 2013
768
816
Crowthorne, Berkshire
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27,910
MH
1992 RMB Silver Star 670
Exp
One year. A whole one!
I've been trying out this cheap coke method of late and it appears to be doing something positive.

Let's face it, the stuff is useless for anything else and tastes truly awful, so may as well go down the plug'ole anyway.

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Shrimp

Funster
May 27, 2015
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Bedfordshire, UK
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Hymer B584
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We haven't tried the Coke yet but use Washing Soda, dissolve in sinks-mind your skin-let into tank, before next journey or just go for a drive around, leave for as long as you like. Then empty tank. We find grunge keeps coming out several empties later! Travel with plugs in place!
 
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westy77

westy77

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Feb 17, 2014
247
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Essex
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30,146
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C class
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2008
Thank you for the answers guys. I'm going to try the Coke method and washing powder also. We have had the van a year now and have no idea if the pipes and grey tank have ever been cleaned out. Hopefully this will help with the smell while we are camping. So going to try these methods and travel with plugs in.

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Nov 18, 2011
11,857
42,501
Planet Earth
Funster No
18,938
MH
A van
Exp
Over 25 year's
I just used calgon in the Gray tank works for us we gust dilute in hot water and poor down the sink and shower drain then leve till we find a nice road to dump it on :rofl:
 

rupert

Funster
Nov 23, 2014
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caravaning on and off 10 years
well i figured salt, to kill the bacteria, seems better now

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westy77

westy77

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Feb 17, 2014
247
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Essex
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MH
C class
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2008
Just been out giving the van a clean inside after our last trip. Have 2ltrs of full fat Coke down each plug hole (kitchen/bathroom/shower), so 6ltrs now sat in grey tank.

Not sure if to go for a drive in a bit then empty or if to leave over night and drive and empty tomorrow afternoon?
 

CandC

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Jan 22, 2014
196
335
Cornwall
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29,796
MH
Old School :D
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Used to go with the olds! Now I have one of my own :)
Or drive and empty at the same time.....
:getmecoat:
:imoutahere:

Sorry, couldn't resist :D

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westy77

westy77

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Feb 17, 2014
247
180
Essex
Funster No
30,146
MH
C class
Exp
2008
Would be a sticky road lol!

Ok been for a drive and will let it sit over night then drive and flush out tomorrow. Fingers crossed it does something.
 

mjltigger

Free Member
Nov 12, 2014
1,619
2,672
Trowbridge
Funster No
34,213
MH
Autotrail Dakota Max
Exp
2012
I used the household stuff in our tugger with no ill effects but bearing in mind they have an outside waste tank not an onboard tank I don't know if it would be different in a MH.

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TheBig1

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Nov 27, 2011
17,509
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Dorset
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19,048
MH
A class
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many many years! since I was a kid
I used the household stuff in our tugger with no ill effects but bearing in mind they have an outside waste tank not an onboard tank I don't know if it would be different in a MH.
some strong household drain unblockers produce gasses and heat which can blow back out of the plughole if the waste doesnt have a built in syphon trap.
 
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westy77

westy77

Free Member
Feb 17, 2014
247
180
Essex
Funster No
30,146
MH
C class
Exp
2008
Righty, gave it a run today. I filled the fresh tank up before setting out. Then after run I put some water in with the Coke. Then emptied the grey tank. It looked clear coming out, well Coke coloured, but no debris in the liquid at all! When it started running clear I shut the dump tap off and ran the rest of the fresh tank in and then emptied it out. I ran the water (and Coke) through all three plug holes. There was no smell at the time so not sure why we had the smell last week!
 

Shrimp

Funster
May 27, 2015
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Bedfordshire, UK
Funster No
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Hymer B584
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Long time
Thank you for the answers guys. I'm going to try the Coke method and washing powder also. We have had the van a year now and have no idea if the pipes and grey tank have ever been cleaned out. Hopefully this will help with the smell while we are camping. So going to try these methods and travel with plugs in.
Use Washing SODA, not powder!

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Feb 19, 2015
1,776
1,249
Norfolk
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35,161
MH
Globecar Campscout 2013
Exp
Since 2016
Diet conscious family so diet only but seems to have done the trick
 
Apr 19, 2008
1,938
2,916
Kent coast Hythe
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2,211
MH
Rapido fiat based
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brought first van 16 yrs ago
Just leave the drain tap open, the fresh air circulation will dispel bathroom smells. Make sure you close only when laying the motorhome up, this will stop the mice finding easy access.:reel:
 

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