Smell from pipes or waste hogg

1Tracey1
1Tracey1 Forum Participant Posts: 240
edited June 2016 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

Just after setting up we have noticed a smell coming from the drainage system.  We think it is possibly coming from the waste hogg up the pipes.   We tried running Milton Tablets through the system the other week and leaving some in the waste also, and that
seemed to clear it out but the smell came when we set up this weekend. We have never put anything down the drains (bleach, salt, bicarbonate of soda) and have never put anything in our waste collector as we didn't think you were meant to in the caravan (although
I don't know where we got that idea).  I have in the past just ran clean hot water through when we leave the isite.  Any tips on how I can get rid of this smell and what our cleaning routine should be for this area.

Comments

  • AEGB
    AEGB Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited June 2016 #2

    At the end of a trip after draining the waste hog and rinsing I always leave at least one cap off so that it can dry out between trips, the only time we put all the caps on we had an awful "drain"smell. I dont use anything in the pipes apart from a final
    wash throught to get rid of any hot water in the system.

  • 1Tracey1
    1Tracey1 Forum Participant Posts: 240
    edited June 2016 #3

    Do you leave the waste hogg in the caravan?  We thought this (leaving the cap off) could be a solution but didn't know about doing it as we leave our waste hogg in the caravan in storage.

  • AEGB
    AEGB Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited June 2016 #4

    Yes it is kept in a side locker under the front bench.  We too keep our van.in storage,  we do use our van regularly though.

  • KENNYG
    KENNYG Forum Participant Posts: 215
    100 Comments
    edited June 2016 #5

    When on site put a bio tab in your wastmaster allow to fill to top before you empty. To clean out your pipes put a cork in your outlet and fill your pipes with bleached water.and leave over night.

  • 1Tracey1
    1Tracey1 Forum Participant Posts: 240
    edited June 2016 #6

    Thanks for the tips folks.  Will give the wastemaster a good clean and then start leaving the top off.  By Bio Tab do you mean a washing tablet or a dishwashing tablet or something else?

     

  • KENNYG
    KENNYG Forum Participant Posts: 215
    100 Comments
    edited June 2016 #7

    A liquid washing tablet must be bio not non bio, lots of  caravaners are using them in their toilet holding tanks instead of blue a more a pleasant smell. 

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2016 #8

    Are you sure the smell comes from the wastemaster?

    Try unscrewing the 'grille' in the sink waste. There is a sort of 'u- bend' under there. Ours was full of foul smelling gunge. Cleaning that out made a vast improvement to both smell and drainage.

    The drain pipes may also be full of gunge. The fall on them is far too small and they tend to fill up. I used a length of stiff wire to poke it clear.

  • 1Tracey1
    1Tracey1 Forum Participant Posts: 240
    edited June 2016 #9

    We did use a wire to clean out the pipes the other week.  The smell only comes after we have set up so we think it is either the waste mater or the  two pipes we stick from the caravan into the waste master.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #10

    If it happens on site use 2 dissolved Steradent tablets in a 1 litre bottle and empty a quarter down after washing up or whenever you remember. A quick fix.

  • KeefySher
    KeefySher Forum Participant Posts: 1,128
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2016 #11

    If you have the corks, pour 2L coke or pepsi or such down the sink and shower plug holes before retiring for the night, in the morning release plugs and gunk into the waste.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #12

    Thetford  do a waste tank freshener, you just pour a little down the plughole(s) and it gets washed into the waste tank, works well.

    Yesterday we cooked cauliflower and the drained water made a terrible smell up the bathroom basin pipe, a little Thetford soon sorted it.

  • Graham55
    Graham55 Forum Participant Posts: 15
    edited June 2016 #13

    I have 2 rubber ferrules which are intended to use on the bottom of walking sticks. I put them in the waste outlets after every trip. Then put some warn water and sterilising fluid down the kitchen sink wash hand basin and shower. After a couple of hours
    driving I remove them. Surprising what comes out !!

  • MrGarval
    MrGarval Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited June 2016 #14

    I have found that any smells generally come from the actual waste pipes as previously mentioned far too little fall and also many corregated, just made to collect 'gunk'. I have got a couple of champagne type corks that I use to block off the waste pipes
    and intoduce a general drain cleaner. Leave it for a couple of hours and you will be suprised as to what comes out when you remove the corks!!!

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited June 2016 #15
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • AutoAddict
    AutoAddict Forum Participant Posts: 114
    edited June 2016 #16

    I plug the two outlet pipes, put about 4 teaspoonfuls of bicarb down each plug hole, then drizzle white vinegar down each plug hole. It will start to foam, wait for it to settle, and add more vinegar till it stops foaming. Leave for about 2/3 hours, remove
    plugs and hose through with fresh water.

    Bingo! Nice clean fresh waste pipes.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #17

    cheap cola, white wine vinegar and bio gel tabs are currently in vogue across many forums as 'pipe/drain cleaning agents' for vans....Happy

    just be careful with potent stuff like Mr Muscle drain cleaner as it will eat any 'chrome' (read plastic) sink plug fittings.....Sad

     

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #18

    How would you clean the pipes on a motorhome? as we can't plug the pipes like on a caravan. We use a couple of bio gel tabs in the waste tank prior to moving, then empty on arrival. This keeps the tank clean but not the pipes especially the kitchen one.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #19

    How about a cheap 'plunger' thingy now and again to ensure no blockages...?

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #20

    No blockages just selly drains now and again, usually if we've been on site for a few days and used a container for the waste. My theory is that because the water runs straight through to the container the waste tank acts a bit like sump and collects all
    the gunky bits, which then become thick and slimy and smelly, which then comes up the drains. If we leave waste water in the tank then this doesn't happen. Any thoughtsUndecided

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #21

    How about a cheap 'plunger' thingy now and again to ensure no blockages...?

    We always collect waste water in the tank and just drain into a container, we have a waste master, when it needs emptying if were not moving off.  I occasionally use Elsan grey tank fluid not had any issues. We always travel with the plugs in.  Not sure
    this will help but hope you solve it.

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #22

    Thanks Bakers, it more the pipes that I want to give a good clean now, we've managed to clean the waste tank at the m/h service point on this site. The bio pods did a good job of clearing the gunk, all it needed was to put a hose into the tank and give it
    a good flush out. Now smelling sweet again. OH thinks that when we get home he will disconnect the waste from the kitchen sink where it goes into the tank, bung up the end, then treat it like the caravan pipes using one of the suggestions above. 

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2016 #23

    Tammygirl,  I've  taken  to  using  the  soluble  dish-washer  tablet  things  in  the  sink -  crush  'em  up,  add  the  last  kettle  of  scalding  hot  water  left  after  my  final  morning  brew  then  pull  the  plug  on  the  sink  and  away  it 
    goes  taking  the  smells  as  well  !!  I  dont  know  how  much  or  how  little  these pipes  block  tho  --  'cos  I  certainly  don't  inspect  them  as  such  !  I  only  see  the  residue  coming  out  of  my  m/h  waste  tank  into  the  "Hole=in==the==ground" 
    and  I  don't  get  too  close  to  that  either  Yell

  • RAP2
    RAP2 Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited June 2016 #24

    Hi I think you will find that the smell will be comming from the pipes as they are made of plastic & corrugated which causes the gung to collect in each one of the corrugations then where it either runs across the top or underside of the floor & is level
    it stops there . I found that upon removing the piping from the underside it was full . I have since removed all bits of the corrugated pipe that I can & replacing it with smooth plastic waste piping from DIY stores . To join one type to the other I used the
    rubber joining parts that where originally fitted which are a perfict fit  . Also because the inside of the pipe is smooth the water from both sink & wash basen runs away so much faster , I understand for some it may be a bit of a problem to get under the
    van to gain access but if dropped right down in the front or even also put wheels on a block will help tremendously . No more smells & always a clean pipe .

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2016 #25

    agreed, we have large bore, smooth waste pipework which runs fairly easily into the waste tank as it is sited centrally, just below the shower/sink on one side and the kitchen sink on the other.

    short downhill runs, smooth/large bore pipe = no nasty niffsWink

    on our Bolero, long horizontal runs, corrugated/narrow bore pipe = not difficult to work outUndecided

  • 1Tracey1
    1Tracey1 Forum Participant Posts: 240
    edited June 2016 #26

    If the smell was coming from the pipes rather than the wastemater, then would it now smell as soon as we walk into the caravan??  The smell does'nt drift up until we have attached teh wastemaster and teh y pipe, which was why we thought the actual smell
    would be from the Wastemaster (although i did want tips on cleaning the pipes to so it all helps).

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