Toilet smell.

[Haulyfryn]

I will be leaving my boat in Spain for up to 4 month's and would like to know how to stop any smell's coming from the head. I always flush the head with fresh water before leaving, but it still seems to smell. Could I cover the bowl with cling film to stop this happening? Has anyone tried this method, and did it work? Any advice on what to do please?

[billknny]

Don't forget... much "toilet smell" actually comes from the plants and animals dying and decaying in the intake line. Disconnect it from the seacock, and flush it with fresh water, then drain it. After flushing through as much as possible with fresh water, drain all the lines you can.

[JPA Cate]

Haulyfryn,

Bail out the sea water, fill with fresh water. If the water is from an uncertain source, or may be unsafe to drink, put a little bleach in it, 50 ml is enough, pump once to get the bleach water into the hose. It should be okay when you come back.

As Bill stated, above, there are organisms that live in the sea water, and it is their death and decay that cause that smell.

Do not use cling wrap. It might contain the smell, but I'd not want to be the one taking it off to use the head. Trying to create an air free environment will not help and may hinder.

Ann

[Haulyfryn]

Thank you both for your comments. I have acted on your recommendations and will let you know the outcome when I get back to Spain.

[Budawang]

A bad smelling head is often caused by sanitary hoses which need replacing. After some years hoses become no longer truly impermeable and will give off a nasty smell.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Budawang

A bad smelling head is often caused by sanitary hoses which need replacing. After some years hoses become no longer truly impermeable and will give off a nasty smell.

Very true. We finally replaced our perfectly OK looking hoses, smell is gone.

If you do this consider Raritan super flexible hose. It’s way easier than standard stuff to bend and fit. It also has a very good permeability rating.

https://www.marinepartssource.com/1-...RoCjhoQAvD_BwE

There are many listings on Amazon for this hose.

[peghall]

Originally Posted by Haulyfryn

I will be leaving my boat in Spain for up to 4 month's and would like to know how to stop any smell's coming from the head. I always flush the head with fresh water before leaving, but it still seems to smell. Could I cover the bowl with cling film to stop this happening? Has anyone tried this method, and did it work? Any advice on what to do please?

Replacing hoses won't cure odor emanating from the toilet bowl. That's created by micro-(and not so micro-) organisms in sea water left to die and decay in the toilet intake line, pump and channel in the rim of the bowl. Fresh water poured into the bowl and flushed only flushes out the toilet discharge line, it doesn't recirculate--and you wouldn't want it to!--through the intake line, pump and channel in the rim of the bowl.


So before you leave the boat to sit, disconnect the intake line from the thru-hull (prob'ly a good idea to close the seacock first), and stick it in a bucket of water to which you've added a quart of distilled white vinegar. Flush the entire bucketful. Leave the intake line off the thru-hull till you return.



A wet dirty bilge and/or sump can also make a whole boat smell like a swamp or even a sewer, so I suggest you give both a real thorough cleaning--really CLEAN them, followed by thoroughly rinsing out all the dirty water, instead of just dumping some kind of cleaner into the bilge adding water and letting the bilge pump drain the dirty water.



And finally, leave all drawers pulled out an inch or two and all lockers and hatches open a few inches to allow air to circulate in them. Solar fans that provide plenty of air circulation will prevent mold and mildew.


--Peggie

[Budawang]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Very true. We finally replaced our perfectly OK looking hoses, smell is gone.

If you do this consider Raritan super flexible hose. It’s way easier than standard stuff to bend and fit. It also has a very good permeability rating.

https://www.marinepartssource.com/1-...RoCjhoQAvD_BwE

There are many listings on Amazon for this hose.

Yes we just replaced a 1.5 metre section of hose and the odor has completely disappeared. Will try to get hold of Raritan hose next as spending more to not have change them again is so worth it!