Sewer smell

I have not used any chemicals and also have never noticed any smell.

I do use a Camco Dual Flush every trip to fill the tank a couple times & dump every trip. I am always surprised at how much "stuff" still comes out of the tank after flushing 2 & 3 times.

I would never just dump my tank (even when full) and assume everything will make its way out... wont happen. I have seen it with my own eyes that you need lots of water. Whether its by bucket, hose, back flusher or tank cleaner it is the only way to make a tank clean and odorless.

Deodorizing chemicals probably work, but if you just spend a little time to do it correct, you shouldn't even need them. At least that is my .02.

We've rarely had a problem with odors and really don't do anything out of the ordinary. Many folks wait until the black tank is about 2/3+ full, however we've always dumped at the end of a weekend camping trip...just because. At that point, I add a dose of Odorlos + about 5 gallons of water. It's been several weeks between our last trip and now, and over the weekend I noticed just a slight odor, so added another bit of Odorlos and some more water. Water is the key to the whole thing. We've never considered solid/liquid as any problem. TP is always just a cheapie, single ply rather than investing in the $$ RV stuff...a waste of money. If you have a tank flusher, great! If not, you might look into a Tornado or similar system. AND spring for a clear fitting so you can actually see what's coming out. Many a time, we've thought the tank was clean and ready, only to flush again and surprise! And never, never leave the tank dry.

Re the black tank treatment...we've used Odorlos for many years with satisfactory results. Many others use the Geo method - you can Google that - and others use different products. A few use no chemicals at all and I'd be hesitant to do that for both odor control and digestion of any solids or paper.

Re the kids, certainly understand that, but I would just make it a habit as you're in and out of the camper, just make a stop by the bathroom and give it a dose of water....maybe a count of 10 or so. Then, even if the kiddos don't add enough water, you'll have done it. Another "mom" job! Water....lots and lots of water.

Agree checking the vents is the start. If all is clear, then you're good. WATER.

filling the black tank with water is nice, but remember to recharge with septic chemical as well. Also, if you are able to, toss in a bag of ice before you hit the road. All the sloshing around does a good job of cleaning off the sides of the tank. Finally, discourage the family from depositing 'solid' waste if possible. The residue is soooo tough to get rid of completely, and as soon as it gets wet, it can really get ripe.

ours stink too. kids peeing over the road, flushing toilet, and not adding water. It is hard enough to get that 5 year old to wash her hands.

Battery being overcharged??

Depending on the road, bumps, turns, etc, I often lose water out of one of the sink or shower drain traps. It does't take much sloshing to remove enough water to allow odor inside. A quick refill and run the fan a couple minutes and all is good.

Thanks for all the ideas. I do make sure the traps and toilet have water in them but will have to check the shower.

The first time we used our camper after we purchased it, we had the same thing happen. It ended up being the vent pipe on the roof was blocked. I went up on the roof and removed the vent cap, and put a hose down there to clean it. since then, no more smells.

Just for giggles......

Get some rubber sink stoppers and plug sink & shower drains.
You could be losing the water in drain 'P' traps and grey tank odors are coming up thru drains.

Waste tank odors come into rig thru when something is not working correctly:
Empty 'P' traps
Air Admittance Valves (under sinks)
Toilet bowl seal
Toilet floor flange
Broken/cracked drain/vent lines and/or fittings

There should 'never' be a sewer smell inside your RV.

Make sure water is left in toilet bowl at all times.
Make sure all your pee traps, sinks and shower have water in them, it can evaporate when parked not used in hot weather.

After dumping at a CG fill the tank up with water and dump again to rinse and then add some water to the tank.

I never run with a completely dry black tank. Always have some water in it. If this is a used RV you also may have a build up sewage in the tank from the previous owner not having enough water in it at all times and/or leaving the black tank valve open at CG's where the poop piles up and dries out.

Next time you go to a CG dump and and fill up with water and dump 'several' times and see if that helps.

Your gray tank can smell just like sewer also when it is dirty and nasty. Throw a quart bottle of lemon cleaner down the sink and fill with water and dump. Hope some of the info helps you!