Smelly grey water waste

[Mamma J]

Hi. When we empty our gray water at the end of the weekend we get a nasty smell that comes into the van after driving off. Is there anything I can use to flush the smell out. I don't want to use bleach. Thanks in advance

 

[M-J]

Lots of products on the market from the likes of fenwicks and elsan. I recently used elsan tank fresh which seems to have done the job.

I have also heard bio washing liquid also works.

 

[Mamma J]

Great. I have some pink stuff i use to clean the loo. Bio washing liquid sounds good. Thanks.

 

[M-J]

Great. I have some pink stuff i use to clean the loo. Bio washing liquid sounds good. Thanks.

I don’t think the pink stuff will do the job

 

[Manic]

Put the plugs in sinks and shower, that helps

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[Boycie]

Before I travelled up to the Lymington Rally from Cornwall I emptied 8 litres of cheap cola 17p for 2 litres from most supermarkets. It cleans the tank and the smell is gone.
As quoted put your plugs in before the journey.

 

[Sundowners]

To help stop the smell coming into the van, put all the plugs in the sinks and shower outlets, especially when driving. Also, even though not grey, keep a little water in the toilet basin when not in use.


Written at same time as Manic - it really does work.

 

[mike mcglynn]

Hi, we had that problem made worse when you opened the window when driving ,so we put the plugs in the sink and shower and when home used a dose of tank cleaner down all the plug holes .It worked well

 

[tonka]

As above.. Always fit the sink / shower plugs before moving...

Try the cheap cola trick.. Put in a few bottles before you start the journey so it can slosh around in the tank.. Worth a try for £1 of coke..
Then try the wash tablets, i often crumble a tablet down the sink to help freshen it up.

 

[tonka]

Hi, we had that problem made worse when you opened the window when driving ,so we put the plugs in the sink

Once you once the windows it seems to create a windflow and pull that smell right out.. PHEW.
Plugs in does seem to cure it..

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[two]

You can put sweet potions in to counter-act the smell.
If it's getting into the van, try going round each trap and pouring it in down there. Some vans may not have an air trap, in which case you'll have to use a strong-smelling substance (Dettol may work for you) but just use water if there are proper traps.
I used to put stuff down the traps after draining, then add all the remaining hot water to slosh about in the tank as we travel. In mine, the shower trap was the one that would vent, so I left concentrate 'gloop' down there and left the hot go down the sink, which never smelt. I don't remember the name of the special 'gloopy' stuff but it's no longer available (&& smelt of Peppermint). Fenwicks equivalent is probably as good. You want to disinfect and remove the scum that forms in the waste tank (addressing the cause). Overcoming the small is secondary (only removing the effect).
Try to avoid letting food-stuff or fat from getting into the tank, then there'll be less of the consequences to cure. It's usually OK in Winter, but not in the heat of Summer.

 

[M-J]

Putting plugs in will help to stop the smell getting in to the MH but doesn’t solve the problem.

 

[Ivory55]

We put a tank cleaner in every time we go home. Leave in the tank whilst driving to slosh it around then pull in to a lay-by and drain it out. Seems to work for us.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Lots of products on the market from the likes of fenwicks and elsan. I recently used elsan tank fresh which seems to have done the job.

I have also heard bio washing liquid also works.

good for us too , expensive but ours was a freebie

 

[tonyidle]

Always leave the tank drain open when it's empty. Only close it when in use.

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[Snowbird]

When emptying the grey tank the vacuum caused sucks the water out of the sink traps. All you have to do is run some water into the sink to replenish the traps.

 

[tonyidle]

When emptying the grey tank the vacuum caused sucks the water out of the sink traps. All you have to do is run some water into the sink to replenish the traps.

If the van has traps and if there's no breather.

 

[Snowbird]

If the van has traps and if there's no breather.

Most if not all vans have some form of trap, even if its just a drop in the pipe. Otherwise the tank would smell permanently not just when emptied.

 

[49780]

I use this.
.

I have tried lots of the above products and to no avail, it depends on living/waste disposal and type and not forgetting temperatures, bacteria goes mental with heat. Non Bio soluable satchets are great to lob in through the sink/rinser and shower area once the tank is empty, allow it to fill up and slosh around, use one of those pellets divided between the sink and rinser flush down with hot water that will give it a kick but not remove all particles as the tubing often has ridges in it which hold smelly food waste, its just sensible regular maintenance, good luck.

If you are enviro friendly, try the bicarb white vinegar route, it works you just have to remember not to expect miracles, but it is more natural.

 

[TCG]

This is the one, wonderful stuff

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[Just smiffy]

When emptying the grey tank the vacuum caused sucks the water out of the sink traps. All you have to do is run some water into the sink to replenish the traps.

This does it for me too..??

 

[houdini]

We wipe any greasy plates with kitchen towel first and never put any pasta water down the sink, it seems to solidify.
We thought we had completely emptied our waste tank at one site but as the camber of the slope was wrong, we hadn’t and it smelt, so kept all sink plugs in place.
Next time emptied tank and flushed through loads of water, then put in cheap cola, and flushed again, this seems to have got rid of all the nasty smelly black bacteria.

 

[Tykatem]

After I've emptied the grey tank, I dissolve a bio washing capsule into the kitchen and bathroom sinks then empty all the hot water from my Truma into both sinks (this also tops up the traps). By the time I've got home all traces of smells have disappeared, leaving the the grey tank nice and clean.

Pete

 

[Riverbankannie]

This is the one, wonderful stuff

View attachment 325634

I’ve just used half of one of those on way to Malvern. Left in to slosh around on way there. Still just as smelly. I’ve tried bio washing tabs, Thetford waste tank cleaner, cola, dishwashing tablets, plenty of water and leaving tap open and plugs in.
To no avail.
Whilst at Malvern I took a consensus of our little bit of rally field and it came back, use bleach or Milton, which is just less concentrated bleach.
I got some once home and now I can go out and pack for Twinwood without a pong every time I open the van door.

 

[TCG]

I’ve just used half of one of those on way to Malvern. Left in to slosh around on way there. Still just as smelly. I’ve tried bio washing tabs, Thetford waste tank cleaner, cola, dishwashing tablets, plenty of water and leaving tap open and plugs in.
To no avail.
Whilst at Malvern I took a consensus of our little bit of rally field and it came back, use bleach or Milton, which is just less concentrated bleach.
I got some once home and now I can go out and pack for Twinwood without a pong every time I open the van door.

You must have a seriously smelly waste tank

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[Grumpybutters]

What about some baking soda and vinegar or a Milton tablet? Let them slosh around for a while!

 

[Riverbankannie]

You must have a seriously smelly waste tank

Not any more !

 

[Riverbankannie]

What about some baking soda and vinegar or a Milton tablet? Let them slosh around for a while!

Going to get some Milton tablets for use when travelling as not carrying bleach around.

 

[Falcon 269]

May I ask, what's the aversion to using a cup or two of bleach from time to time?

 

[Riverbankannie]

May I ask, what's the aversion to using a cup or two of bleach from time to time?

Somehow I’ve always been adverse to it especially in MH. It must be all those warnings about it damaging the heater and stainless steel and chrome. It’s not good if you splash some on your clothes either !