Liquid fabric softener and black/gray tank smell

Yeah, throw a cup or two of Downey or Snuggle in the tank, maybe a bit of soap. too. These fabric softeners do limit odor and have a scent that isn't offensive. The Calgon product probably does more to lower the surface tension in the water but either will work for the task.

FWIW, I'm working on a remodeling job and we're removing wall paper and ceiling textures in certain rooms. One of my workers remarked on the foul smell of the house when she first entered (which I confirmed and knew the source). After a few days of spraying walls and ceilings with water and fabric softener, the place is starting to smell fresh.

Never had a problem with grey water but for the blackwater, empty and rinse it, put in 3 gallons of water and 10 lb of ice (available everywhere) and drive to your nest stop, empty the tank and put in 3 more gallons of water and you are set, nice fresh (if you care to stick your nose in it) clean tank.

Won't hurt anything, but I don't know effective it will be. Might mask the odor for a while. Whole idea of the water softener is to create a slick surface inside so that things don't stick to it. Another part of geo is to use some bleach when odors occur. As mentioned, your tank is a storage unit, not septic, so bacteria, of which odor is a by-product, is not necessarily your friend. Bleach kills the bacteria that creates the odor.

You can use it to make your close smell nice. :W

So I misunderstood and bought fabric softener instead of water softener. All I want to do is get rid of the smell I sometimes get. Can I use the fabric softener just to get rid of the smell?

Calgon and a cup of the cheapest power laundry detergent you can buy at the dollar store. Add a couple gallons of water to your tank and your good to go. Repeat after each dumping.

If you are anal about cleaning you tanks :h, the absolute best product to use to clean the tanks is powered dishwasher detergent dissolved in a few gallons of water and driving around a bit…

Although it’s not dermatologists approved like some of the products mentioned… :)

Dtaylor wrote:
Use WATER softener and laundry detergent - about 1 cup of each. Water softener and fabric softener are not the same. It help prevent stuff from sticking to the tank. Calgon water softener is one brand

X2 - works like a charm! I will never use those chemicals again!!

We use Arm and Hammer powdered laundry detergent with good results.
About 2-3 scoops and a few gallons of water after dumping.

Link

Before we leave for the CG, I add 1/2 cup Calgon water softener,(powder), a good squirt of dish detergent, in about 4 gallons of water-divide into the black and grey tanks. At the dump station, dump black first, then grey. Close valves-add another bucket of soapy water to black tank, open valves. A couple more buckets of water into black tank. Close valves. Add another bucket of water, Calgon, bleach tabs, dish soap for the ride home. When we get home, rinse grey and black tanks until clear.I have a hose tip that I can put down into the toilet. Close valves, keep some soapy water in the tank-don't let the tanks dry. I also clean the sewer hose in bleach/soapy water. This can only be done if you have access to a good sewer.