How To Stop A Motorhome Waste Tank From Smelling

Your motorhome’s waste tank allows you to deal with wastewater in a convenient way. It enables you to shower, wash your dishes, and more without having to leave your motorhome. However, there can be times when your waste tank starts to smell, even if you have been doing your best to empty it regularly and keep it clean.

Whether you have a black waste tank, a grey water tank, or both, you might have to pinch your nose and work out how to deal with a bad smell. Of course, prevention is better than cure, so it’s also important to take the right steps to prevent unpleasant odours in the first place.

If you notice that your motorhome waste tank doesn’t smell very pleasant, this guide will help you with how to stop a motorhome waste tank from smelling.

What Causes Bad Smells in Your Waste Tank?

There could be several things that cause a motorhome waste tank to smell. You might notice a smell simply because you need to empty your waste tank. If you have a gravity-flush toilet in your motorhome, it needs to be positioned above the waste tank. This means that you can sometimes notice a smell due to proximity. However, most of the time you can contain any smells by ensuring you close the lid of your toilet.

You might find that an unexpected smell is caused by a leak in connections or damage to the tank itself. If you suspect that this might be the case, it’s obviously important to find the problem as quickly as possible and repair it. Not only is it important to ensure you have a functioning waste tank, but it’s also essential for hygiene reasons.

Bad smells on your waste tank might also arise due to a build-up of debris or substances that create nasty odours. Even if you empty the tank regularly and clean it, you can sometimes find that this happens.

How to Deal with Smelly Waste Tanks

If you notice a smell coming from your motorhome’s waste tank, you understandably will want to find out what’s causing it and fix it. The first step is to determine the cause.

If there is a leak in your waste tank or pipe, you might be able to see it clearly. A thorough inspection will help to identify it so that you can repair or replace what’s broken. Park your motorhome somewhere level, which will give you the best hope of finding a leak. Sometimes a leak might take a few days before it becomes obvious, so you might have to check a few times. A patch kit can help with an emergency repair, but you should really look for repair services for a permanent fix.

Sometimes a waste tank might start to smell because it needs to be emptied and cleaned. Even if you have recently emptied it or you try to clean it regularly, it could start to smell if you’re not cleaning it thoroughly. It’s also a good idea to flush out and clean not just the tank itself but also all of the drains, which could get clogged up.

You can buy special cleaners designed for cleaning motorhome tanks if you want to clean out your tank properly. Alternatively, mixing warm water with washing up liquid can be an easy way to clean your tank. You can fill your tank and leave it for a day or two to allow it to soak in and really get rid of the dirt and grime. Mixing vinegar and bicarb is also a good way to create a natural cleaner, which is good for flushing drains and controlling odours.

Preventing Unpleasant Odours

Prevention is often the best solution if you want to avoid a smelly waste tank. If you take care of your waste tank and drains, you can prevent bad smells. Firstly, avoid putting any food down your drains. Keep food, dirt, and grease out of your system as much as possible, and try to avoid using too much soap when you shower too. These tips should help you to keep your tank as clean as possible.

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