Prevent Grey Water Smells

Thank you all for ideas and what to look for. Currently no smells but I want to prevent future issues.

thanks,

rockhillmanor wrote:

Dog Folks wrote:

We Cant Wait wrote:
Also stop putting ANY food stuffs down the drain, use a strainer to catch it. Food particles in the grey tank will cause it to smell as bad as your black tank.

X2 This is the secret.

X3 On smell and screen.

I also pour a quart of any cheap lemon cleaner down the sink once a month or so just to to clean out any residue from washing dishes or pasta water starch, bits of food stuff. etc.

I was parked next to a guy that was letting his gray tank drain on the ground. YUP. Gray water smells JUST AS BAD as the black tank.

Especially if you allow any foods stuffs or grease to be put down the drain.


3 bucks home depot. One in bath sink one in kitchen sink in RV.

Check your local dollar store for the stainless steel screen. I was able to pick up a pair at a local 99-cent store.

Dog Folks wrote:

We Cant Wait wrote:
Also stop putting ANY food stuffs down the drain, use a strainer to catch it. Food particles in the grey tank will cause it to smell as bad as your black tank.

X2 This is the secret.

X3 On smell and screen.

I also pour a quart of any cheap lemon cleaner down the sink once a month or so just to to clean out any residue from washing dishes or pasta water starch, bits of food stuff. etc.

I was parked next to a guy that was letting his gray tank drain on the ground. YUP. Gray water smells JUST AS BAD as the black tank.

Especially if you allow any foods stuffs or grease to be put down the drain.


3 bucks home depot. One in bath sink one in kitchen sink in RV.

While I'd agree you shouldn't smell grey or black water odours inside your trailer if the systems are working properly the reality is that grey water itself, especially after it's been sitting for a few days, can begin to smell pretty badly no matter how careful one is in ensuring that food particles or grease don't end up going down the kitchen drain. I've never bothered over the years to use any particular grey water tank treatment but near the end of last season at the recommendation of another camper I thought I'd give Walex Elemonate Grey Water Deodorizer Tablets a try and have to say I was quite pleased with the results - really no odour and I noticed a lot more "bits" being flushed out of the tank than had previously been the case. This season I'll continue using it along with Walex Porta-Pak Holding Tank Deodorizer which has also proven quite effective, along with using The Geo Method when servicing the tanks between uses.

Check your P trap and air admittance valve under the sink.

Avoid putting food in the tank...wipe plates etc out with a paper towel before washing.

Occasionally pour about a quart of bleach in and tow it around half-full or more for good mixing.

After that, refill to full with clean water and dump a couple of times.

we use 1 cup of Dawn Platinum detergent (make sure it's the Platinum not the regular) and 1 cup of Borax powder (in the laundry isle usually on the bottom shelf). We dissolve the Borax in 2 cups of hot water before we pour it in the tank.

We Cant Wait wrote:
Also stop putting ANY food stuffs down the drain, use a strainer to catch it. Food particles in the grey tank will cause it to smell as bad as your black tank.

X2 This is the secret.

Yes they do sell gray water treatment but I have never needed any. Like others have said, if the system is working correctly there shouldn't be any smell inside and only outside when dumping.

Also stop putting ANY food stuffs down the drain, use a strainer to catch it. Food particles in the grey tank will cause it to smell as bad as your black tank.

Yeah.......
water in 'p' trap and an air admittance valve that closes properly.

Air Admittance Valves are installed in short stub pipe on sink drain line to grey tank after 'p' trap.
They OPEN when dumping grey tank to allow air into sink drain line downstream of 'p' trap so water in 'p' trap does not get sucked out. Water in 'p' trap is a vapor barrier and the AAV is a mechanical barrier.

Therefore no odors should come back inside rig from grey tank....unless something is broken/mal-functioning.
Cracked vent line/vent line not at roof line so odors linger inside rig.


BUT if you want to use chemicals.......
Happy Camper, Thetford, Unique, Agua-Chem...Pine Sol

What do you put down your sink drains at home?
Nothing???