derek pringle Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi all, any help appreciated. Just returned from 6 weeks on the continent where it did get really hot at times, especially Italy. Whilst there we noticed a smell of drains from inside the motorhome and checked it out to the waste water tank. We flushed quite a bit of water through the system a couple of times which improved things. Now we are at home and preparing to go away again in August I would like to give the system a bit of a Birthday Clean.Could anybody who has experienced this problem themselves please recommend the best way of doing same and what solution to use to do the job with that will not do any damage to any parts of the tank or drains. Thanks in anticipation of any replies cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countryboy33 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi, I had this problem and used a little drop of Jeyes Fluid and filled the waste tank, left it over night. Flush well a couple of times after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Jeyes fluid works but it can leave an odour of it's own which can linger for quite a while which is fine if you like the aroma of Jeyes fluid but not so fine if you don't! We use a bottle of cheap bleach in about quarter tank of water and drive around for a few miles on bendy and bumpy roads - if you can find any in this super efficient country of ours - then drain it all out, preferably down a sewer designed to take such chemically polluted waste water. Be aware that bleach corrodes stainless steel so any spillage on taps or sinks or fittings should be quickly flushed away with fresh water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countryboy33 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I have always avoided bleach beause I thought that it could damage the inside of the water heater etc ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Countryboy33 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Sorry re last post just realised w'ere talking about waste not fresh water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 We routinely add a good dose of Lidle Pine disinfectant, it is cheap, smells OK and does the job. I well remember almost gassing a French Aire with the sulphurous and somewhat fishy odour as I emptied my waste tank. "mon Dieu" one Frenchman said, "What has Madam been feeding you"? I determined never to let "les boeufs" down again, and now keep a malodorous free waste tank at all times. After all we Brits do not want the title of "smelly drains of Europe" now that France seems to have sorted out their worst smells. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Sterilise your Fresh water tank with a Puriclean solution : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Puriclean-Water-Purifier-Caravans-Motorhomes/dp/B0018331N6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343214066&sr=8-1 then run it through all your taps/wastes into the waste tank,then pump through with fresh water to clean, then go for a drive (around a few roundabouts ?) then drain it out, then the whole system is 'degunked'. Works for us. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ris Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Could not agree more, it's simple easy and not expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I have never tried it myself ,but was informed that a couple of 2ltr bottles of cheap Coke Cola put in the tank and a good ride around gives the tank a damn good clean , the guy that told me had tried it and he said he could not believe the crudge that came out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Dishwasher tabs down each plughole, then water, then leave a bit - & drive a bit - then flush out. I use lemon scented variety from SWMBO. Easily done regularly & we no longer have smells. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 thanks peoples for all your helpful replies,pretty sure between all the suggestions that we will not have too much trouble in the future. cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildBill Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 As previously said, a couple of litres of cheap coke. Cheap orange squash from Lidle/Aldi also works well. Cheaper than cleaning solutions and just as effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Countryboy33 - 2012-07-25 11:40 AM Sorry re last post just realised w'ere talking about waste not fresh water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8LEY Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I usually find it's one of the traps that's dried out, likely to happen more frequently during hot weather, and all that's required is a little water down each drain hole. You've got to remember, all the waste pipes go to the same place. If you don't keep all the traps topped up, eg shower, sink, whb, hob, by using them on a regular basis or topping them up, you could experience unwanted smells. Of course, cleaning the source helps a lot too. I believe wine vinegar does the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 The cheap 2 litres of Coke works for us & it is also good to get the film of gunk off your Tank Level Sensors. Just fill the tank to about 1/2 full, add the Coke & go for a drive before emptying or travel to your next overnight stop & then empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 The cheap 2 litres of Coke works for us & it is also good to get the film of gunk off your Tank Level Sensors. Just fill the tank to about 1/2 full, add the Coke & go for a drive before emptying or travel to your next overnight stop & then empty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 We've never actually bothered to clean either of our grey waste tanks out. We just keep the plugs in the bathroom sink/shower and kitchen sink and draining board plug-holes unless we're actually draining water through them. Seems to work just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scramblers Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 T8LEY - 2012-07-25 9:50 PM I usually find it's one of the traps that's dried out, likely to happen more frequently during hot weather, and all that's required is a little water down each drain hole. You've got to remember, all the waste pipes go to the same place. If you don't keep all the traps topped up, eg shower, sink, whb, hob, by using them on a regular basis or topping them up, you could experience unwanted smells. Of course, cleaning the source helps a lot too. I believe wine vinegar does the trick. White wine vinegar works a treat, we buy it abroad, it works out at about 40p per litre bottle. When the tank starts to smell a bit whiffy, we empty the tank and then add half a bottle of the vinegar to the tank and then carry on as usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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