Stink from Holding Tank!

[lorenzo b]

Are we rising dough for bread or maybe growing sprouts for a salad, or are we storing sewage to be disposed of at the next convenient opportunity. The odors you smell from your little 5 gal bacteria farm under your living quarters are the gasses produced when carbohydrates break down. Since bacteria are sensitive living organisms may I suggest the lovely mantra OM POTTY POTTY when you use the facilities.
Or you could kill every living thing in the whole system with a cup of household bleach.

[Harmony 33]

Ok. What if the holding tank/bladder was removed completely and the smell still remains . Almost as bad if the bladder was still there.
I've used vinegar, bleach , baking soda, peroxide, coffee grounds , coffee spray. airing it out. Still stinks and I'm pretty sure it's the cause of my recent headaches.
Fyi just got the boat. Did not smell as bad as somebody said before they probably aired it out n lit candles before we got there. Sigh.

[slug]

Originally Posted by makolab

We have a 2003 Chaparral260 Signature that we trailer and its an amazing boat for me and my wife. We only have one problem and it stinks!

Can anyone tell me why there is such a smell coming from the head??

Its a manual raw water flush into the holding tank. We pumped out the holding tank, filled it with water and pumped it out again, we threw holding tank chemicals in there, pumped it out again and there is still a smell in the head and outside through the vent Help!!

Hard to say

Normally the system is like your house

Swan necks, filled with water , block smell from coming out of your holding tank

It’s possible that these swan necks become dry when you put your boat on the trailer and allow smell in

To clarify. Swan neck

[sailorboy1]

If hoses go real bad the area around them absorb the odor. You need clean and spray it down real heavy with an odor remover like Pure Ayre

[peghall]

What you're experiencing is residual odor from the hoses and bladder. There is a product that'll eliminate it: PureAyre PureAyre It's nor an air freshener...It's the only product I've ever found that eliminates ANY odor when used as directed. Not only will it get of diesel and residual odor left behind by stinking sanitation hoses, but PureAyre is also rated for use around food...which means you can even use it to get rid of the odor left in your fridge by the steaks or fish that spoiled when a natural disaster took out shore power for 3 days. Also does a great job on musty PFDs and foulies.

How to use it:
You can never eliminate any odor unless you first eliminate the source...'cuz as long as the source continues to exist, it'll continue to generate new odor. So first you have to find and fix any leak or replace the stinky hoses, then thoroughly clean the site, including every nook and cranny ...a good scrubbing with detergent and water. Mop up an excess water and let the air dry till it's at least only damp...no standing puddles. Now you're ready to eliminate the residual odor. Use PureAyre full strength...I'd use pump garden spray jug set to a fine mist. Spray every surface, nook and cranny...just a light spray. Do NOT rinse...just let it dry with hatches open so that plenty of fresh air can circulate. If the soft goods in the cabin have picked up the odor, just spraying it on the surface won't do much...you need to spray enough on carpets and rugs to penetrate to the backing...enough to penetrate cushions to the middle from both sides..not enough to make 'em drippy, just enough to get into the cushion....you'll prob'ly have to remove the covers and send 'em to be cleaned. Again, just let everything dry. If you still have any odor, you missed a spot.

A spray bottle won't go very far...plus, it's cheaper in the long run to buy it by the gallon...it has an indefinite shelf life, so just keep it on hand.Amazon has it...the household version is a bit less expensive and works just as well.

--Peggie