Purchased a used 2008 Cherokee 18TT. There was a slight smell of urine but assumed was due sitting for years and water had evaporated from toilet bowl.Moved to our place and now sitting with windows closed smell is quite strong. We've filled all the traps, added deodorizes to the blackwater tank. As for cleanliness the trailer is immaculate, but we've removed all mattress, etc, washed the floors, wiped down the wall but smell still there.Our next step is to fill the waste tanks then find a dump station, but question to the forum could it be the gasket to the toilet? Do TT use wax rings like household toilets, could they dry out and cause a smell?

Try adding fresh water to both tanks, along with bleach, about 1/3 - 1/2 full & drive around a bit. Drain and flush good with fresh water.

Also, make sure the air admittance valves under the sinks are working. They can also be a source of odor in a trailer.

If they had a dog or cat, chances are the smell is coming from the floor. If there is linoleum or carpet, about the only thing you can do is use steam and/or a really strong deodorizer.

If you think it may be from cat or dog urine then you can get enzymes from Petsmart to fix the problem.Enzymes

X2 my thoughts are also along the lines of cat or dog urine in the carpet. Which sadly you will never be able to get out.You can try and have the carpet AND furniture professionally cleaned with special application for pet urine and hope for the best.

strong smell in TT | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

chr_
Explorer
Jun 09, 2015
If it's a potato, you may also have tiny flies all over the place.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Jun 09, 2015
It's a long shot but when the same thing happened to me I eventually found a stray potato left over the winter months WAAAAY back in the cabinet above the fridge. Out of the line of sight.

Get a step stool and look all the way back in that cabinet.
Bigbird65
Explorer
Jun 08, 2015
Some plastics have a smell that never seems to go away. Slowly sniff all of the plastics that you can find in your trailer. Same thing for some paneling.
das75
Explorer
Jun 08, 2015
Well a few things to check after work tonight.

What really gets me with this is I've covered every inch of the trailer with my nose on the floor and can't localize where the smell is coming from. If I run the fans with windows open smell goes away, but closed up overnight, it's back.

Previously owners said no pets ever and I've looked for discolouration on the wood inside and out of cabinets and storage areas and not seeing anything. I've opened everything I can access and no signs of mice. No carpet.

Fridge and freezer works but I'll take another look there for coolant leakage.
Community Alumni
Jun 08, 2015
dodge guy wrote:
My TT gets that slight urine smell when it is very humid out. I really noticed it after I cleaned the carpet one summer. the trailer reeked of the Urine smell. we are the original owners and it has never had a cat in it. the smell comes from the material in the carpet. when it gets damp/humid the carpet gives off an odor until the dampness goes away. try a dehumidifier in it for a day or 2. I`ll bet the smell goes away!

A similar thing happens to one of my cars. Get in it on a humid day and there's this weird faint smell. After turning on the AC for a few minutes, the smell has magically disappeared. On any other dry day there's absolutely no smell. Smells just like a normal clean car. I eventually came to the conclusion that the humidity in the air must be reacting with the fabrics in the car.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Jun 08, 2015
greende wrote:
Also, make sure the air admittance valves under the sinks are working. They can also be a source of odor in a trailer.

Good tip, I had that problem with our old trailer. These valves are available at Home Depot, ect., and simply screw on.
Big_Love
Explorer
Jun 08, 2015
Go outside and open the refrigerator service access and smell there for ammonia smell and look. One of the most telltale signs of coolant leaks in an RV refrigerator is traces of yellow powder in the rear of the cooling unit. The corrosion inhibitor in the coolant is yellow when it leaks out and drys.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Jun 08, 2015
coolmom42 wrote:
wlstroud wrote:
Does your refrigerator work OK? A refrigerator that is leaking ammonia can give a urine-like smell. If it has yellow crud some place on the coil then that might be the source of the smell.

I was thinking this might be the problem, too.
x3
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2015
dead mice smell , they,ve pooped and pee,d every where. hope this is not the problem.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jun 08, 2015
My TT gets that slight urine smell when it is very humid out. I really noticed it after I cleaned the carpet one summer. the trailer reeked of the Urine smell. we are the original owners and it has never had a cat in it. the smell comes from the material in the carpet. when it gets damp/humid the carpet gives off an odor until the dampness goes away. try a dehumidifier in it for a day or 2. I`ll bet the smell goes away!