# Nobody warned me about the smell!



## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

I had lots of useful information and tips before we came to France for our longest trip yet (5 weeks) but nobody, nobody mentioned the appalling smell of the waste water!!! I could not believe it, it seemed to permeate the whole van. At a couple of sites the 'van was not in a position for us to be able to get to the waste tap easily as it seems to be in a very awkward position on our Burstner.

What do others do about this problem? Should I be putting something down there to get rid of the smell? if so, what? 

I was consumed by the whole issue of stopping the smell enter the van, plugging up the plug holes and covering ones I didn't have a plug for.

It nearly drove me demented, well, more demented than I am already.

I would love to know what others do??


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Just get a cupfull of biological washing powder and mix it with water in the sink and let it go into the grey waste tank, no more smells.

Peter


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Always poor some tank fresh down the shower drain as the trap is so shallow that there is often no water in it after a move between sites and thus it's wide open to pong


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

We have never had more than a slight whiff from time to time. We are careful not to put anything very smelly down the plughole and wipe plates with paper before washing them.
In your situation I would put a solution of bleach down into the empty tank to kill of as many bugs as possible and then after flushing that well add a warm (40 deg max) solution of bio washing powder. Leave that for half an hour and then flush through with cold water.
You can also get grey water tank treatments but I have never tried them.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Tecno

What is tank fresh?

The Hymer never smelt but this one does

Aldra


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

Assuming you wipe your plates of any food before you wash up in the van ( i`m sure you do )   .
Every other day my wife put a bleach tablet down the plug hole,keeps your drain pipes and drain tank clean and free of any smells.
You can almost drink the waste water :roll: :roll: :lol: :lol: .

Les


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## Ozzyjohn (Sep 3, 2007)

Hi,

There are at least two stages to this.

1. You probably need to clean the waste water tank. If there is an access hole (large diameter bung) so that you can see into it, so much the better. Being mindful of any level indicator sensors, a good flush through will help. Driving around with cleanish water and bio washing liquid also helps. This last bit can be built into your journey home after each trip.

2. Be careful what you put down the sink! Avoid foodstuffs, water used to boil eggs, vegetables etc. Fat from cooking is another no no.

Others will no doubt be along with other thoughts.


Regards,
John


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

This or the like
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Elsan-2L-...Accessories&hash=item255bc8d1e6#ht_2301wt_901


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## Addie (Aug 5, 2008)

Don't let anything into your waste tank that isn't washing up water or shower water. Any bits of food, water that you've cooked the veg in and worst of all poached eggs in avoid putting into the tank.

When we empty ours the smell is a sort of sweet (but clearly waste water) smell.


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

We seem to be having the same problem just bought some cheap disinfectant from a supermarket this cured it. Now have stinky toilet think the blade is failing to do job on the list for our return.

We do try to empty asap and ye olde coke trick may have to be deployed on return drive home!

Perhaps its France that stinks after all ....! Ha!

Greenie


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

We have never really had a problem. As others have indicated it is mainly due to residual food particles residing in the tank. We are fortunate in having a bottom draining tank via a 40mm slide valve so not much if anything gets left behind when draining.

I keep a plug in the shower tray and periodically tip tank freshner down the sink after draining, drive home to ensure good agitation then drain down again.

I like John Cross's idea, I'll have to try that. I have a mental picture of soap bubbles bursting forth from the plug holes  

peedee


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

my very first post back in 06 was on a related issue. We always use a sieve for collecting solids when emptying the washup basin. You'd be surprised what it catches. This is a throwback to our caravan days when the corrugated pipes would block after a feed of rice and I'd have to unblock them with all sorts of homemade devices like coat hangers or worse still have to dismantle the piping.

Noel


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Disolve a biological washing sachet in warm water. some down washroom sink and shower drain.
Rest down the sink.
Pop the same stuff in loo.
As mentioned the less plate waste that goes down the sink the better.

Maybe this is the origin of gassing threads :lol: 

Dave p


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## kc10 (Jan 28, 2010)

We got an anti-slip mate for the sink that's got plenty of holes in and anything we tip into the sink that we've missed gets stuck in it. 

Then we plan the tank clean. After a complete empty we put a mild cleaner down all four drain holes and then add hot water down all the drains too probably about 2 litres. Then when you drive it's getting a good clean. It doesn't seem to make any difference if we empty the solution or not before we use the tank again. 

Plugging up holes just covers up the problem. 

If your're travelling for a long time like you it only needs done once every two or three week. 

Well that's what we do.


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## Drew (May 30, 2005)

Hi,

Are we to assume that the vehicle was previously owned? I say that because I must assume that you would do as we all do on this forum, i.e. clean our plates and cooking utensils before washing them up.

My suggestion would be to mix up a strong solution of warm soapy water, fill your tank with warm water and take it out for a lengthy drive. On your return drain the water, remove the inspection disc if has one or simply stick a hose pipe up the drain pipe and flush the tank out. You could add a degreaser to the tank before taking it out for a run.

A few years ago whilst on a camp site in Looe, I was asked to assist in moving a caravan complete with awning, 50ft to another part of the site. After we had successfully completed the task I returned to collect the waste container along with the drain hose. Much to my disgust, the hose and the container were thick with grease, and I mean thick. Sad to say I just left it for the rightful owners. How the other half live?


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## rangitira (Feb 17, 2011)

As others have intemated ,greasey pans, un filtered bits and pieces, all adds up to smells, Perhaps, and this is a suggestion! before the PC brigade get stuck in!!! you should remove as much as poss from your dishes, pans, before washing them, certainly works for us!


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

...... and while you're travelling, put all plugs in the sinks / shower - you won't get any blow back of smells. :idea:


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## Sideways86 (Feb 25, 2009)

*hi*

1) remove excess food debris from plates

2) As John Cross Bio powder great

3) Cheap coke down all plug holes

4) keep plugs in

Simples, we all have had that problem at sometime

regards

John


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Fit traps on all sink and basin waste pipes. 

Empty waste tanks at least once a day, more often in hot weather. 

Always drain with drain valve fully open to prevent solids being trapped.

Do not leave drain valve in 'drip-drain' mode. If you do you deserve to have a stink in your van.


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## 5bells (Feb 4, 2009)

Every time you empty your waste tank the vacuum created will " pull the traps" on sinks and showers.

You can top up each trap after emptying your waste with some water or put plugs in.

We now top up each trap with some tank fresh after emptying said waste, and also add a Persil bio washing tablet to the waste tank at our next washing up, we have used cheaper ones but have found that the Persil one leaves a pleasant smell when emptying the waste.

We also put one in the cassette a tip we picked up on MHF and are eternally grateful. and its ok for bio waste disposal.

Ray


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Our washing machine empties into our tank so we get no smells,

Also the tank is vented to the roof, like a stench pipe on a house so all the smells go upward and away

Loddy :wink: :wink:


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Niffs*

Our previous Eura Mobil, a 2002 716HB never let out a wiff. That had Flexible waste hoses.

But this 2007 Frankia with rigid plumbing stinks to high hell if you don't get rid of water on a regular basis.

TM


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## forterotwins (Feb 25, 2008)

We just use disinfectant izal flora or some thing like it .
As others have said watch what you put down the drain cauliflower and broccoli water is a big no no 
stinks for days 8O


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

One Chem also do a product dedicated to cleaning waste tanks which is Environmentally friendly, biodegradeable and pH neutral., see here:
http://www.outdoorbits.com/one-chem-holding-tank-cleaner-p-1941.html


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## thegamwellsmythes (Jul 29, 2008)

We use baby sterilising fluid, Tesco own brand not Milton.

Empty the tank then put a bit down each of the plug holes along with a bit of water, not much. Enough to let it swish around the tank on the drive home/to next stop.

It cures any smell issues nicely. I would have thought it's very similar to the bio powder/sachet solution.

The trick is to do it before the smell starts so for us that's about once a week if we're away for any period of time or every other weekend away.


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## dikyenfo (Feb 16, 2008)

As we stay long periods in our MH we have adopted the use of paper/plastic plates and bowls so all is thrown away without any problems like waste in the sink. This has proved so easy and cheap that I don't know I never thought of it years ago.


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## Remus (Feb 10, 2011)

I agree with Lifestyle, dissolve a bleach tablet in the sink, it cured our smelly grey water immediately. If you are still in France most supermarkets sell them. Haven't found them in UK yet but a splash of ordinary bleach should do the trick.


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## commuter (Jul 13, 2011)

where do you put the water from cooked veg and boiled eggs?


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## altom (Sep 12, 2009)

Hi. we are also in France. Phew it is hot and yes the tank smelt. What we used was a bottle of very cheep vinigar. Always available at around €0.30. did the job in hours


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

safariboy said:


> We have never had more than a slight whiff from time to time. We are careful not to put anything very smelly down the plughole and wipe plates with paper before washing them.
> In your situation I would put a solution of bleach down into the empty tank to kill of as many bugs as possible and then after flushing that well add a warm (40 deg max) solution of bio washing powder. Leave that for half an hour and then flush through with cold water.
> You can also get grey water tank treatments but I have never tried them.


In nearly 20 years of motor homing, we have not had this problem, but I ALWAYS wipe all plates with kitchen roll, from saucepans to bowls, and NEVER put fat or anything at all down the drains.... all it gets is washing up water, boiled water from veggies, and shower water....

Do as suggested, and we empty at every opportunity, same as we fill at every opportunity, including the loo

Best of luck.

Carol


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## b2tus (Sep 7, 2009)

We can fully recommend these tablets from Zappy61 on here.

http://zappysblog.com/

Used them for the last two years and cleared up the smelly waste tank and the strange taste from the fresh water tank.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

thegamwellsmythes said:


> We use baby sterilising fluid, Tesco own brand not Milton.......
> 
> I would have thought it's very similar to the bio powder/sachet solution.
> 
> .


Baby sterilising flluid is dilute bleach. This has a sterilising action on the inside of the tank but will not do much for deep-seated problems like build up of fat or food waste.

Bio washing liquid is detergent plus enzymes. The enzymes break down the gunge in your tank and the detergent gives it a good wash. Ideally the bio washing powder should have enzymes that break up fats and proteins but I suspect in practise there are only enzymes that break up proteins.

Don't put the two in together or the enzymes will be inactivated by the bleach and you'll have wasted your money !

( And we put the water that we boil eggs in into the hedge or, if on a site, take it over to the sinks. Rice water is another cause of smells and water from that goes over to the hedge or the drain as well)

G


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Alot of these smells can be eliminated by using the porta pottie instead of the sink or shower tray. 8) Certainly made a huge difference to our life. 8O


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## esperelda (Sep 17, 2010)

*Thank you!*

Well, what a lot of different things I could be doing about my problem! I find it fascinating that there are so many people doing so many different things out there.

I would just like to point out that I do not knowingly put any left over food down the sink, we do wipe our plates and do not put smelly or greasy residue down there either. And I do use bio washing up liquid.

I couldn't quite work out the coke treatment - how does that help? what does coke do?? (I'm a bit worried here because I enjoy my diet coke..........do I really want to know the answer to the question? I'm not so sure!)

I shall be mulling over the various 'treatments' and try them one by one I think. Although as our main hol is now over we probably won't have a problem until next summer.

Thank you one and all for your input!


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Coke is quite acidic. The acid is mostly Phosphoric which is good at dissolving things. It will de-rust steel.

As you seem to be doing all the right things I would guess that something has stuck somewhere and is rotting but it is difficult to diagnose without an on site inspection.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Thank you!*



esperelda said:


> I shall be mulling over the various 'treatments' and try them one by one I think. Although as our main hol is now over we probably won't have a problem until next summer.
> 
> !


Are you sure that your tank is emptying completely ?

In our van unless you park on the dump so that the drain tap side of the van is lower than the other side of the van ( if you see what I mean...) then there is always some water left in the tank.

We're wise to it now but the only time we have had a truly disgusting experience- people asking to be moved and Civil Defence put on full alert- was when we opened the tank on a site and found that most of the water in there was at least 2 months old and had been sitting in a nice hot sunny yard during that time.

G


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

*Re: Thank you!*



Grizzly said:


> Are you sure that your tank is emptying completely ?


I have had smells from the waste water in my van - usually if it has been there too long. Solution is to empty it.

The thing about it not necessarily emptying is quite likely - I found that the waste pipe from the shower had clogged up with something (maybe hair and shampoo?) and water backed up - I moved it with a load of boiling water, and then with suction pumping. But obviously it means that waste water can hang about if it gets blocked.

I've also used the Buster plug and sink treatment that you can get in the supermarket.

I've also poured washing soda crystals down.

And of course, good old trusty bleach.

Finally, are you sure it's not the toilet? If you haven't put the right chemicals in, haven't emptied it for a while, or if there is any spillage in the cassette cupboard below (eg if you didn't quite put the toilet cassette back in exactly so it clicks) - all of that can be quite smelly.


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## busterbears (Sep 4, 2010)

Can't remember who wrote the tip we use on here sowhoever it was thnk you!

Like others we empty the waste tank regularly, more in hot weather, avoid food waste going down the plug. When packing up to leave for home and once the waste tank seems to be empty I run a sink full of warm water, added some detergent, let it down the drain and then it will swish around in the tank all the way home, remembering to empty it when home is the tricky bit, but in the year we've had the van the only smell we get back usually is the detergent.


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

This is the result of my cleaning of the grey tank last week when we got back from our trip to New England Bay. I didn't have any smells but I do clean them regularly. I drove around a bit to agitate it and then drain after about 4 hours. If you allow the build up of organic matter the job is more difficult. We do use kitchen roll to wipe plates but it is impossible to stop it all.
Using coca cola has its draw backs see my article here

Regards,

Graham


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## ardgour (Mar 22, 2008)

we have just travelled down through France and yes it is hot - 36 degrees plus in the shade coming down through Burgundy, so tank smells are happening more quickly simply because the waste water is sitting at an ideal breeding temp for the bugs that cause nasty whiffs. Even going to extraordinary lengths to clean your washing up before washing it  will not stop smells happening because the waste water from the shower contains the fats and sweat that you have washed off your body, all those bacteria that make us smell less than sweet in hot weather just go on having a party in the waste tank :roll: 
We found the answer was to empty waste water daily if possible and put bio washing liquid down all the plug holes daily after tank emptying followed by a little water to help it along (the tesco stuff we use for the cassette works fine). Bio washing liquid is designed to dissolve the various substances that are produced by human bodies and end up on the clothes so it is exactly the right stuff for the job.
Nice and cheap, no special extra products needed, job done.
Now can anyone do anything about the heat  

Chris


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Problem simple.
Put plugs in all of the drains. :idea: 
or
Do not use drains at all. :? 
or
Put some of Thetfords Tank Cleaner in, to 'swilker' around while driving and empty out after a good run.  

The odious smell is certainly over-comable. :!: 
Worst scenario is an empty tank (almost), driving at speed with the outside drain open..... it clears out all of the hidden 'would be' immigrants that hide in the woodwork :lol: 
Alan


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

We have our Rapido for six years now and have used it for periods of up to five months continuous and never a whiff in the 'van, even though we let all manner of food waste go down the sink, just like at home. 
But Rapido do fit effective traps on all pipe runs (sink, washbasin and shower).

In hot weather you do need to stand well back when emptying though :twisted:


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## ptmike (Apr 25, 2010)

*bolero smell*

our new bolero is smelling in the cupboard under the kitchen sink , taking the plug hole off i found the plughole had a rubber seal underneath but not in the sink end. This leaves the seal underneath quite loose so not airtight or smell tight . Any thoughts , i am going to seal the top to see what happens
cheers

Mike


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

It was France at Mimizan Plage it woke me up it was that bad we thought it was a van parked next to us with a sog but nope apparently there is a water treatment place on way in and if weather is going to be nice the next dy it stinks like turnips am sure the locals will be complaining about that one soon enough.

We found some disenfectant tablets for €1.85 for 40 crushed one up and dissolved in mug of water down the sink it went and one down the bog got it sorted!

Greenie


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Waste*

Hi

Best thing to do is leave the waste tap open and have a bucket underneath. In cooler temperatures, not likely to be an issue.

Russell


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

I am a bad girl.......

I have twice now opened my empty shower water in a layby (not very dirty water, honestly!!!!) and then driven off at 70 mph.....

It is SO EXCITING..... it makes a swirly swirly aeration in the air, like steam or smoke..... people think you're on fire! 

I can see it all from my rear view camera!!!! Up to 40 mph it's just a line of water on the road, but faster, it's a swirly mist... quite addictive!

I know I know I know... it's bad..... (I expect a barrage of "bad" comments!) but it's not really bad.... No harm is done. It's not very dirty water, just a bit of shampoo and conditioner.... and I do run the shower for ages and ages (not having to share my hot water with anyone else - one of the joys of single motorhoming), so it's very diluted, practically clean water ....

But no smells! A solution!!!! LOL


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## Seeker (Dec 26, 2005)

Used to have the same problem and cured with Thetford tank freshener (lots of it) but then discovered daily emptying solves the problem for free. This is also less problematic with locals as it's over and done in a few minutes.

Also helps to wipe dinner plates, etc., with kitchen roll before washing.

Harry


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