Smell from Gray Tank

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1PlasticMan1

1PlasticMan1

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Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Posts
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Pocono Pines, PA
While winterizing my coach, decided to unscrew the trap under the sinks to drain out any water in there.  Shortly thereafter, a really bad smell eminated from the sinks.  Realized that the trap with water in it was keeping the smell in the gray tank, so filled the trap with antifreeze and it went away.  Other than that, is there any way to neutralize the smell from the gray tank?  Both black and gray have been drained for winter storage.
 
1PlasticMan1 said:
While winterizing my coach, decided to unscrew the trap under the sinks to drain out any water in there.  Shortly thereafter, a really bad smell eminated from the sinks.  Realized that the trap with water in it was keeping the smell in the gray tank, so filled the trap with antifreeze and it went away.  Other than that, is there any way to neutralize the smell from the gray tank?  Both black and gray have been drained for winter storage.
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You need to always leave liquid in your traps. If leaving the RV for a long time, you can put a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in there to prevent evaporation of the water.
 
Gray tanks stink, enough RV antifreeze to fill the traps will do the trick and not evaporate. You can use tank deodorizer, but not necessary.

A shot of vegetable oil in sticks and bricks traps and toilet will stop evaporation, remove a water source for critters and you won't come back to an empty bowl with dried on scuz.
 
Yep, gray tanks smell.  In fact, they can smell worse than the black tank.  After all, a lot of "stuff" gets down there from sinks including food debris, hair, soap, and who knows what else.  Keep the trap full to avoid the odors.

ArdraF
 
That's more or less life.    The grease
And oil from dirty dishes build up in the tank and do stink.  I always bleach mine on the last cleanout.
 
robertusa123 said:
That's more or less life.    The grease
And oil from dirty dishes build up in the tank and do stink.  I always bleach mine on the last cleanout.
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I would be careful how much bleach you use if you dump the tank into a standard home septic system. It could effect the natural breakdown process of the septic tank.
 
To help with odors in gray tanks, I add bleach a couple times a year to help kill bacteria that feeds on food scraps etc to create smell.  Adding bleach and clean water for a couple of days and then rinsing well really keeps the smell down.
 
As long as there is food waste in the gray tanks they will smell. The trap keeps you from knowing that, but the junk is still there decomposing and stinking. Next year try doing the same for you gray tanks as you do for the black - dump only when as full as possible to swoosh the stuff out. Things like bleach help for a short time, but the next time food waste comes in, so will the bacteria and fungi that makes the smell. Just keep the traps full and the tanks as clean as you can.
 
I don't use it regularly, but I keep a bottle of the blue tank treatment on hand.  Once in a while if I get a whiff of stink, I'll pour a little in.  Problem solved.....
So far I haven't had the issue that I can recall, since I replaced the air admittance valves under the sinks.
 
Thank you all for your response.  This was the first time I have ever had the problem, and it looks like I created it by emptying the trap. 
 
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