Sink Stink

[SmokerBill]

The last couple of days I've noticed a somewhat foul smell eminating from my lavatory drain. My guess is there's a science project of some kind growing down there. I've been boondocking the last month (Quartzsite and Imperial Dam LTVA), and I think that because of my water conservation habits there's been too little water going down the drain to properly flush "stuff" into the holding tank. I know I run enough water down daily to fill the trap and isolate the gray tank odors, so it's not the tank fumes I smell.

So today's project - remove the trap and clean and sanitize it in some Clorox water.  If I find something cool I will post a high definition picture for your enjoyment!

Have a good one,

Bill

 

[SeilerBird]

It is possible your anti-siphon valve may be stuck closed.

 

[Molaker]

It is possible your anti-siphon valve may be stuck closed.

That could do it, but the anti-siphon valve could also be stuck open and emit tank odor.

 

[Just Lou]

I'm betting that it's one or the other.

 

[hes4all]

I am excited to see the pictures ;D

 

[SmokerBill]

OK, all done. And sorry, but no pics. I wouldn't share the mental image now burned into my brain with anyone. You'd kick me out of here if I did. It was that bad.

That's the bad news. Good news is that after cleaning the trap and sanitizing it, the funky smell is gone. And while I was at it, I did the same thing to the kitchen sink trap. It wasn't nearly as bad, and didn't really smell either. Just figured I'd PM it too.

As far as the air admittance valve goes, I'll keep sniffing the drain...  If it goes south again, I'll check the venting admittance valve attached to the lavatory drain plumbing.

Now I need to find something a little more pleasant to look at to overwrite the previous image.

Have a good one,

Bill

 

[Molaker]

Not RV related, but my oldest son has 4 daughters, all with long long hair.  Periodically he has to clean the traps, particularly the shower trap, because their long hair really piles up.  Now, their long hair is beautiful, but is also serves very well as a gunk filter.  I'm sure the water that makes it through this hairy filter is quite clean because what my son pulls out of the drain could be used to make a really scary horror movie.

 

[SmokerBill]

Beautiful long hair is nice on the ladies, and in my youth my own hair was pretty shaggy. But there was no visible hair in my lavatory trap this time around. A month ago I buzzed it all down to 1/8 inch long in the name of water conservation! I can wash it with a swipe of a washcloth now.

 

[99WinAdventurer37G]

Towards the end of my trip I started smelling a funky odor in my MH.  I sprayed, put down carpet fresh, burned candles, still a bad smell.  Two nights ago I stopped by a friends house, she said "you've got to have some dirty clothes, bring them in and let me wash them for you.  After that, no more smell. 

Now I keep my dirty clothes underneath in the slide where the smell can't get into the MH. No more storing them in the laundry area for me.

 

[denmarc]

Now I keep my dirty clothes underneath in the slide where the smell can't get into the MH. No more storing them in the laundry area for me.

I can relate.  Being a permanent parked TT, and no access to a washing machine, the dirty laundry goes into garbage bags.  The DW loves it when we get home so she can dive into doing the laundry!  ???

Long hair is a problem in drains.  If someone comes up with a fix-all, please let me know!

 

[SmokerBill]

Long hair is a problem in drains.  If someone comes up with a fix-all, please let me know!

You can get one of those strainer type things that goes over the drain.  Or cut off your hair like I did.  ;D

 

[BernieD]

Long hair is a problem in drains.  If someone comes up with a fix-all, please let me know!

We picked up a drain clearer at Ace Hardware for a couple of bucks. Don't remember the name, it's at home right now, and is a flat plastic rod, about 3' long, with barbs on either side. You slide it into the drain, move it up and down and then pull up a lot of crud blocking the drain. Opened ours up after years of trying other solutions.

 

[ArdraF]

I have long hair and bought some very long tweezers (like 8-10") at Quartzsite.  Even though I try to be really careful, I have to clean out the shower drain regularly.  And, guys, even though you have really short hair, you'd be surprised at how much of yours collects there too.  I tried one of those drain filter things and gave up on it because it clogged up too fast.

ArdraF

 

[denmarc]

You can get one of those strainer type things that goes over the drain.  Or cut off your hair like I did.  ;D

Thought about that.  The problem is I like going to the barber about as much as going to the dentist.  I photoshopped myself bald once.  It wasn't pretty.  I would make a cue ball giggle. 

 

[Joezeppy]

Not RV related, but my oldest son has 4 daughters, all with long long hair.  Periodically he has to clean the traps, particularly the shower trap, because their long hair really piles up.  Now, their long hair is beautiful, but is also serves very well as a gunk filter.  I'm sure the water that makes it through this hairy filter is quite clean because what my son pulls out of the drain could be used to make a really scary horror movie.

I feel his pain. As the sole male in a house of 4 and the wife and kids each having long hair, shower drain cleaning is a regular chore for me. Yuk!

We picked up a drain clearer at Ace Hardware for a couple of bucks. Don't remember the name, it's at home right now, and is a flat plastic rod, about 3' long, with barbs on either side. You slide it into the drain, move it up and down and then pull up a lot of crud blocking the drain. Opened ours up after years of trying other solutions.

Yes, this thing is awesome - one of the best tools ever invented! It is meant to be disposable but I clean it each time and have reused it for years.

 

[SmokerBill]

Would an occassional  full-force blase from a garden hose into each of the drains be an option? I would think doing that would force most of the hair and gunk into the grey tank so it would be flushed out when dumping.

It hasn't been mentioned (probably for good reason) but I think using chemical drain cleaners would be risky, could possibly damage the plastic tank, and most likely would cause the dump valve seal to deteriorate.

 

[ArdraF]

As the sole male in a house of 4 and the wife and kids each having long hair, shower drain cleaning is a regular chore for me. Yuk!

Joe, as the one with the long hair and the one who cleans the interior, I'm the one who cleans the shower drain of the accumlated hair.  No reason why your kids can't learn to maintain things where they contribute to the problem, assuming they're old enough.

Would an occassional full-force blase from a garden hose into each of the drains be an option? I would think doing that would force most of the hair and gunk into the grey tank so it would be flushed out when dumping.

I would never, ever do that!  You'd be forcing the hair down into the tank where you might never get it out and where it might clog the hole going to the sewer hose.  Then you'd have a real mess to deal with! Things don't always just flush out the sewer hose as many have learned the hard way.  Your comment reminds me of a dear friend who one day, without consulting his wife, decided to "help" her by using an air hose to clean out under the refrigerator instead of pulling it out and vacuuming up the dust.  He almost didn't survive that little escapade because his wife didn't appreciate having to clean the entire kitchen and dining room after the dust went all over the place.  That's the "rule of unintended consequences" at work.

ArdraF

 

[SmokerBill]

Well Ardra, I don't think my short hairs would be a problem, and I imagine lots of hair makes it to the tank anyway. But then you may very well be correct, and it will take a bad experience on my end to teach me. Even at 55, I'm still a student of the school of Hard Knocks, and probably will be for life. Hehe