Bathroom smell ... no, not that.

[Treehouser]

We've got a strange smell in the bathroom of our new-to-us 2000-year truck camper; I've searched the archives and can't find anyone complaining of quite what we've got, perhaps someone's got some ideas....

First of all, it's a smell that builds up in the bathroom. When you first open the door after it's been closed for a while, the smell is there -- it can be aired out, but returns and increases in intensity over time. I'd describe the smell as "chemical", if that sparks any thoughts for anyone.

Second, it's not a "waste" smell. It's not sour like urine or horrid like feces. I recently rinsed the living heck out of both gray and black tanks, and can confirm there is a markedly different smell that comes from the black tank while that flush valve is open ... and the smell from the gray tanks while draining was different than our culprit smell as well.

I had a notion it might be antifreeze or some such left in the shower or bathroom sink drain traps from the previous owner, and ran a bunch of water through them. The smell returned after I'd left the bathroom door closed for about an hour.

The bath is clean -- well scrubbed. The shower drain drains well enough. The toilet holds water in the bowl when the valve is closed, and the seal around the base looks solid.

I'm all out of ideas. Anyone?

[azrving]

Anyone ever notice how bad older plastic screwdriver handles smell? It may just be a plastic part. Could you put a big plastic bag over the toilet and tape it at the floor and see if that helps isolate it.

[Treehouser]

"Plastic" might not be quite right, either. Sour plastic. Clearly I'll never make a living selling wine. 🙂

So my wife just took her super nose out there, might be a red herring but she thinks it's strongest right at the flush handles. I mean, I had my head down around there the better part of the day today, so maybe my nose is burned out, but that's what she says.

Which got me thinking. When I had the toilet apart, there was what I assumed was some kind of lubricant around and underneath those flush handles, a yellow stuff. I didn't think much of it at the time, and it was all in the driveway so nothing stunk in particular. I wonder if that has something to do with anything.

Spraying a gallon of rubbing alcohol sounds like fun. Wheee! 🙂

[Vulcan_Rider]

Treehouser wrote:

No change; after about an hour the plastic smell returns.

I think this is the first time in this thread that you have characterized the smell as "plastic".....and that puts a whole different twist on things I think.

It could BE plastic and if it IS the only fix probably is to find the offending chunk of gassing plastic and remove/replace it.

Don't overlook things like skylite and light fixture covers.

(Edit) WOW, that's a LOT of plastic.
Here's a suggestion: Get a spray bottle and about a gallon of rubbing alcohol, the isopropyl vairety. Spray down and wipe ALL of the plastic parts. Have good ventillation and don't breath the fumes too long at a time.

If that makes the offending odor go away for several days....or makes it worse.....you have found the problem. A permanent fix might be a bit more difficult though. Febreeze in liquid form ??

[Treehouser]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

GMandJM wrote:
But after 15 years it still smells that strongly?

Could be the fact that it is 15 yrs old that it SMELLS.
Plastic breaking down from age.

Time for new top coat spray sealant :H

That might be. Or pull the whole thing out, I suppose.

[Treehouser]

GMandJM wrote:
Wow - I really thought the problem was fixed. No way of narrowing down where it might be coming from such as up top (ceiling area) or down low (floor area)?

Is the toilet holding water? Sometimes a new seal smells like a new tire.

Anyway, looks like our game of "What's That Smell" is back on! (Unfortunately)

I know! And I was grudgingly willing to tell everyone my wife solved the whole thing! 🙂

I can't seem to narrow down a source for the smell -- as in, it's no stronger lower than higher. And the toilet holds water nicely.

[Old-Biscuit]

GMandJM wrote:
But after 15 years it still smells that strongly?

Could be the fact that it is 15 yrs old that it SMELLS.
Plastic breaking down from age.

Time for new top coat spray sealant :H

[GMandJM]

But after 15 years it still smells that strongly?

[Old-Biscuit]

Recap: no smell anywhere else but in bathroom. No strong odor coming from sink or floor drains. Toilet in great working order, including overflow drain tube. No odor in compartment underneath bathroom; indeed, no odor right at the black tank either.

Only in the bathroom itself.









Well after seeing floorplan and pictures the whole bathroom is PLASTIC.
Could be reason it smells like PLASTIC

[GMandJM]

Wow - I really thought the problem was fixed. No way of narrowing down where it might be coming from such as up top (ceiling area) or down low (floor area)?

Is the toilet holding water? Sometimes a new seal smells like a new tire.

Anyway, looks like our game of "What's That Smell" is back on! (Unfortunately)

[Treehouser]

Sort of an update: I pulled the toilet and fitted a new floor gasket, just in case that was what was going wrong. And I got to learn a lot about the toilet and how it works, which is never a bad thing -- took it apart, cleaned it, and put it back together. One of the big reasons I did it was noticing that the wall side closet bolt was only finger tight -- and given how little room there was back there, I totally understood why.

But I cut down an old wrench -- one of those cheapies that sometimes come with furniture -- to make a tool that would fit back there. And when I replaced the floor gasket I cranked it all down real good. Cleaned everything up, ran a little water into the toilet bowl, closed the door and skylight, and waited.

No change; after about an hour the plastic smell returns. This is going to make camping as it gets a little colder rough, particularly when we want to use the bathroom and stay warm at the same time. 🙂

Recap: no smell anywhere else but in bathroom. No strong odor coming from sink or floor drains. Toilet in great working order, including overflow drain tube. No odor in compartment underneath bathroom; indeed, no odor right at the black tank either.

Only in the bathroom itself.

[Treehouser]

westend wrote:
Do you have air admittance valve on the sink drain plumbing? They are known to fail and will admit odor inside.

Nope, looks like just a drain into a trap into the tank. There's an air admittance valve in another cabinet under the kitchen sink, but it seems to be doing its thing.

[GMandJM]

I'd say that's a win for your wife! Smart Lady.

[momentum_rv]

westend wrote:
Do you have air admittance valve on the sink drain plumbing? They are known to fail and will admit odor inside.

X2

[westend]

Do you have air admittance valve on the sink drain plumbing? They are known to fail and will admit odor inside.

[rjsurfer]

Are any of your tank vents up on the roof near the bathroom vent?

Have you checked the storage areas under the bathroom?

Ron W.