Our new to us caravan has got an odd rather unpleasant smell to it. Can't put my finger on it really but i'm pretty sure its not a damp smell its more heading towards a bad toilet odour almost manure like smell. It had been stood for a while before we bought and had it delivered, plus toilet cassette needed emptying i found to my horror! In at the deep end or what? This got me wondering if water and waste water systems could be filthed up as well and causing the smell. Whats the best way to clean them out?
------------- I went to the top of the mountain...and looked over the other side!
Jeez, I'd be beyond furious if my caravan had been supplied to me with a dirty toilet cassette! Have you had major words with your dealer - I'd be absolutely fuming?!!!
In answer to your question, I'd do lots of filling up, flushing and rinsing through of the cassette system. Have you run purifier through your fresh water system? It might also be worth cleaning your carpets. And are you very sure there's no damp?
Yes White Rose, at the time I was fuming but me being a big softy at heart had calmed down and forgotten about it by the time i saw seller again. Anyway in reply..i'm not 100% sure it isn't damp, i'll get all the pipes cleaned out first then have it inspected if needs be. If there's any serious damp, 12 warranty will cover it....hopefully!
------------- I went to the top of the mountain...and looked over the other side!
Get a damp meter and check everywhere. Also the floor for delamination. Is it springy ?
If its not that, get all the contents - cushions curtains etc outside on a sunny windy day for a few hours. Block the drain outlets and put something in the pipes to purify them. Perhaps some diluted bleach but be careful with bleach.
As mentioned by other memebers if it not damp or stinky pipes/drains then give the caravan a good airing, also a good dose of fabreeze can do the trick.
I'm thinking its probably a soft furnishing smell, it had been stood unattended over the winter. We gave it a thorough clean after delivery and washed all the curtains. Looks/smells like carpets and cushions need doing as well. Oxter, I had a really good poke around when we bought it and have had another go since...floors and walls are all solid, i can't find anything untoward...i'll also get some of the water pipe purification stuff and give that a go.
------------- I went to the top of the mountain...and looked over the other side!
Hi nutkins, we had a really musty smell so we flushed the pipes through with puriclean and I also pured very hot water down the shower plug hole, this being the nearest exit for the waste. I then put the plug in the shower tray and that seemed to do the trick, the plug is now a permanent fixture . I also now put a little zoflora in the toilet cassette after each use so van smells really fresh for next journey x
Watch out pouring boiling water down the waste, the drainage systems are not as solid as house versions the fittings and pastic pipe can swell and loosen on the joints
I had that a month or so ago. Totally cleaned out the cassette toilet and ran milton through the taps, leaving it in the system, flushing out, more milton leaving in system flush out.....about 3 times. Smell gone. Still dont knowifit was toilet or pipes.
Just been flat on my face out in the van and think the carpet may well be the culprit. Certain parts seem to have 'the smell' I tried to describe, sort of dirty foisty dog but not totally overpowering. All the seat cushions smell OK. Will go over it with the Vax and fabreze as soon as we get decent weather then leave out on washing line. Meanwhile I'll have go at the pipes and buy some plugs for sinks/shower tray. Will update with results.
------------- I went to the top of the mountain...and looked over the other side!
We had a terrible old dog smell from our carpets when we got our van. We decided to totally immerse the carpets in carpet cleaning fluid and tepid water in the bath, then rinse and remove the excess water with our vax carpet cleaner.
Glad we did, the water was without exaggeration dark brown.
Other places for smells, the waste water pipes, we use a mild bleach solution to resolve the. The toilet cassette cupboard, if you get a spill in this area it can cause a hard to find smell.
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Topic: Bad Smell
. I also now put a little zoflora in the toilet cassette after each use so van smells really fresh for next journey x
