To tackle stubborn buildup and eliminate foul odors in RV gray water tanks, many RV enthusiasts turn to the Extreme Cleaner by Happy Campers. This powerful cleaning solution is specifically designed to deep clean gray water tanks, removing debris and bacteria that can cause unpleasant smells.
Dish soap, Calgon and bleach in equal amounts. Used regularly will keep it smelling fresh as a Daisy. I use this mixture in both my black and gray tank.
A solution to the smell from the grey water tank is to. add acupful. of ordinary white vinegar after emptying. This usually works. I have also used the little bleach tablets you can. buy in France ( javel.is the French word for bleach ) Definitely no bad smell on emptying with these !
Wash everything down and dry it well. A bleach or vinegar solution should help cut down with odors on wood, vinyl, etc. Open up the RV and let fresh air and sun get in - that can really help. Replace anything that won't eliminate the odor.
All-purpose cleaner: Mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent. This solution works well for various surfaces and is safe for greywater systems.
Two chemicals used to disinfect water are chlorine and iodine, with chlorine being more common. Not only is it readily available (as household liquid bleach or at swimming pool supply houses) and relatively inexpensive, but it is stable in storage and will, in time, vaporize from the water after disinfection.
First scrub the shower and sink drains thoroughly, and then dump the grey tank at an appropriate facility. Then pour one cup of bleach for every 15 gallons of waste water into the grey tank. This time, however, take the RV for a 15-minute drive and return to the dumping station to drain the solution.
Air fresheners are an obvious way to combat bad smells, and they're easy to use. Generally, something that is usable on fabric, as well as in the air, is the best way to go. You can spray down the cushions, curtains, carpets, and countertops as frequently as you feel the need to keep the smells away.
Toxic discharges such as rinse water from paint, chlorine bleach, or hair dye should never be released into the greywater system. Instead, they should be routed to the municipal sewer. All greywater systems should have a three-way valve installed to easily switch the discharge water flow to the sewer or yard.
Never add bleach directly to your drains or tank. Concentrated bleach can damage your holding tank and your RV plumbing.
Chlorination can kill sulfur bacteria. If all bacteria are not destroyed by chlorination, the problem may return within a few weeks. Increase the water heater temperature to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius) for several hours. This will destroy the sulfur bacteria.
6. Use Fabric Softener. This is a nifty little hack for RV owners. If you want to eliminate black tank odors and freshen the atmosphere of your RV, take a capful or two of scented fabric softener and pour it into your black tank.
By leaving your gray tank's pull open, the water or liquid drains out, leaving this debris behind. It's not as dire of a situation as leaving your black tank's pull open, but it can still cause a stinky gray holding tank and even cause build up over time.
To create your tank sanitizing solution, you will need about ¼ cup of bleach for every 15 gallons of water your fresh water tank holds (so about ½ cup for a 30-gallon tank). Calculate how much bleach you need and add that amount to about a gallon of water. Using your funnel, add the mixture to your freshwater tank.
OZIUM® Air Sanitizer Cleans the Air You BreatheTM and Eliminates Odors – Ozium Air Sanitizer.
Along with all its other uses, baking soda is an excellent deodoriser that's suitable for use in the home. For example, to clean a smelly bin, try adding around 50 grams of baking soda to the bin followed by hot water.
Attach a flushing wand to increase the water pressure and direct it into the deeper parts of the water heater tank. Next, pour the hydrogen peroxide or vinegar into the water heater tank and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. This allows the solution to neutralize the bacteria and eliminate the odor.
Charcoal is a fantastic choice when it comes to neutralizing odors. Lots of commercial deodorizing products contain charcoal because it can easily soak up all kinds of bad smells. You can either use charcoal sticks or packets.
Grey water that is left sitting in your tank over time will likely start to develop odors and deposits. Use a grey water treatment product. Grey Water Fresh Concentrated to kill bacteria and remove odors from your grey water. Clean Drains Frequently.
Only use bacterial tank treatments in your gray tank when dry camping/boondocking where you must keep your valve closed; no tank treatment is necessary when you keep your gray valve open on hook-ups. Avoid cleaning your sinks, tub, or showers with chemical or antibacterial cleaners.
Traditional greywater treatment
The mechanical treatment can start with a settlement tank, where coarse particles settle in the bottom of the tank and are then removed. After that, the greywater flows through filters, typically first gravel and sand and then biological filters like wood or peat.