How is it possible that the gray water smells so bad when i always dump immediately after showering? We boondock exclusively and schedule our showers to coincide with areas where we can dump afterward so it never remains in the holding tank over 15 minutes before dumping. And no it is not because we are too nasty,Lol.The only other water that goes and stays in the gray tank for any length of time (2/3 days) is just from brushing teeth as we wash all dishes outside. And no our breath is not that bad,Lol.

Gray water stinks. Consider trying the Geo Method to keep your tanks a little cleaner.But, they still stink.Did you check the air admittance valves under the sink(s)?

Mine don't ! But then I'm not one of the cheapskates that's too cheap to use a little blue in the grey too.

big whitey wrote:How is it possible that the gray water smells so bad when i always dump immediately after showering? We boondock exclusively and schedule our showers to coincide with areas where we can dump afterward so it never remains in the holding tank over 15 minutes before dumping. And no it is not because we are too nasty,Lol.The only other water that goes and stays in the gray tank for any length of time (2/3 days) is just from brushing teeth as we wash all dishes outside. And no our breath is not that bad,Lol.So where does your outside dishwater go? On the ground, or in the gray tank? I HOPE in the gray tank!Regardless of how soon you dump, there is always some remaining water left in the tank, and the tank is a moist wet environment with soap, hair, body dirt, etc. Of course it's going to grow stinky stuff!

Stuff grows on the top of the grey tank. Try Happy Camper Extreme Cleaner with a near full grey tank and drive around to let tank contents splash up onto the tank top. This will break that up and let it flush out when dumping.http://happycampersworld.com/product/happy-campers-extreme-cleaner/

Our grey dumps always smell worse than the black dumps.

Stinky gray water | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Oct 21, 2015
There are 3 kinds of waste water. Black, Gray and wash.. If you do not have a separate wash tank then wash (shower and bathroom sinks) should go to Gray.

Gray includes FOOD particles and thus digestion and fermentation is happening inside the gray tank between dishwashing and showering.. Think about that word Fermentation next time you drink a beer.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Oct 21, 2015
Maybe these people dumping their stinky gray water on the ground are making meth? Because I've been around many people who dump their gray water right on the ground, and I can't smell a thing with my bloodhound-like nose.
NinerBikes
Explorer
Oct 21, 2015
I make a point of dumping my tanks before starting the drive to go home, and dumping 5 or 10 gallons of water in the gray tank and the black tank, with bleach, for the drive home, so it sloshes around, and then dump again once home, usually a days worth of driving and bouncing around to loosen things up. I haven't noticed my tanks having a foul odor yet. Sloshing disinfectant on the drive home, so far, so good.
big_whitey
Explorer
Oct 21, 2015
Old-Biscuit wrote:
big whitey wrote:
OP here. The odor is not inside the RV. As stated previously it is smelly only when dumping which occurs immediately after showering. Just hard to understand how gray water can become stinky in a matter of minutes. That said i think i will try the suggestion of bleach and mix up a batch and let it slosh around as we travel on our next trip. Maybe that will kill whatever is "holed up" inside the gray tank. Thanks for the tips.

DO you just open dump or use hoses/fittings?

My sewer connections seal tight so that even though I can see movement of hose when dumping I can't smell what is flowing.

And even if I could.......who cares? They are waste tanks and will ALWAYS have stuff.
As long as I don't smell them inside the RV and the waste tanks drain I'm good.

I use hoses but obviously the dump receptacle is not air tight so if there is odor you will smell it. I'm leaning toward just disinfecting the tank with bleach and see what happens.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2015
Gray water does stink. Just be parked next to some one who dumps their gray on the ground.

One bottle lemon cleaner. Every grocery store sells an off brand quart bottle for a dollar.

Pour down your kitchen sink once a week. Cleans the residue in pipe and tank and keeps it smelling nice.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 20, 2015
big whitey wrote:
OP here. The odor is not inside the RV. As stated previously it is smelly only when dumping which occurs immediately after showering. Just hard to understand how gray water can become stinky in a matter of minutes. That said i think i will try the suggestion of bleach and mix up a batch and let it slosh around as we travel on our next trip. Maybe that will kill whatever is "holed up" inside the gray tank. Thanks for the tips.

DO you just open dump or use hoses/fittings?

My sewer connections seal tight so that even though I can see movement of hose when dumping I can't smell what is flowing.

And even if I could.......who cares? They are waste tanks and will ALWAYS have stuff.
As long as I don't smell them inside the RV and the waste tanks drain I'm good.
big_whitey
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
OP here. The odor is not inside the RV. As stated previously it is smelly only when dumping which occurs immediately after showering. Just hard to understand how gray water can become stinky in a matter of minutes. That said i think i will try the suggestion of bleach and mix up a batch and let it slosh around as we travel on our next trip. Maybe that will kill whatever is "holed up" inside the gray tank. Thanks for the tips.
korbe
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
My thoughts go to a bigger question, "Why are you smelling the odor in your RV?" If the system, which includes venting, is working properly, no smells, good or bad, should be wafting in the rig. JMHO
mkirsch
Nomad II
Oct 20, 2015
My gray water doesn't stink when I dump it. It smells like shampoo and soap. Quite pleasant, actually.

The whole point of shampoo and soap is to overwhelm any "stinks" that are coming off your body.

You've got something growing in the tank. I would probably put a cup or two of bleach and a few gallons of clean water in the tank for the trip home and gas the little buggers.
RJsfishin
Explorer
Oct 20, 2015
This post was a perfect candidate for,.....
This mite be a dumb question, but ............................
And then, there are those who actually ask if this is a dumb question, only because they know it is !:)

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Stinky gray water

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