Odors in our RV's come in many different forms, caused by many different sources. There are holding tank odors, pet odors, cooking, smoke, must and mildew odors, just to name a few. Some odors are caused when the RV is put in storage for long periods of time and other odors are caused through normal use of the RV. Our concern is what we can do to prevent some of these odors. I want to tell you about some RV products that I have personally tested and use, available to RVers to help eliminate some of these odors.
Because RV's are small in size, when compared to a home, odors tend to be more pronounced. Add to this that the RV sits, closed up, for periods of time and the odor problems are compounded even more. This leads to one of the key factors to controlling RV odors, ventilation. Ventilation not only helps with odors, but it can limit the amount of heat build-up in the RV too. Many RV owners store their RV's outside and are concerned with leaving windows or vents open, exposing the RV to Mother Nature.
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When I worked for an RV dealership, we installed many MaxxAir® ventilation products designed specifically for RV's. One great feature about these ventilation products is that you can leave the windows and vents open, even when it's raining outside. From the standard vent covers to their powerful MaxxFan, these ventilation products will keep the air moving in your RV. You can see the complete line at http://www.maxxair.com. To view my short MaxxFan® installation video visit http://rveducation101.com/videostream/?clip=MaxxFanInstall.
Now, with the ventilation problem solved we can focus on other types of odors that can linger in the RV. These odor molecules aren't just in the air, they get in the fabrics, carpets, ceiling, window treatments and other areas of the RV. Pet odors, smoke, and must and mildew odors can be extremely difficult to remove from an RV. I have witnessed RV interiors that have been professionally cleaned and odors like smoke still remain afterwards. I have also experimented with many different odor controlling products, but perhaps the best product I have found for eliminating difficult odors is called OdorCide by Winston Company. OdorCide is environmentally safe, hypoallergenic, doesn't stain and kills these tough odors instantly. For more information about OdorCide visit http://www.winstoncompany.com.
This brings us to the least favorite topic when discussing RV odors, RV holding tank odors. The good news is there are some very effective methods for controlling these odors too, and it doesn't involve strong chemicals that can be dangerous to humans, pets and septic systems. First it would probably be helpful to explain why we sometimes get a strong odor coming from the RV black water holding tank, especially when you are traveling. RV holding tanks are designed with a vent pipe going from the tank to the roof on the RV. The holding tank odors accumulate in the tank and can't really be vented outside because there is no air pressure to force the gasses (odors) up and out of the vent pipe. The real problem occurs when wind blows across the vent cap on top of the RV roof, or when you're traveling. This higher air pressure forces air down the vent pipe pushing the tank gasses (odors) to the only other way out of the system, the toilet. Whenever the air pressure is higher inside the holding tank, than it is inside the RV, the odor escapes into the RV by way of the toilet.
I'm happy to say that I have found a product that will solve holding tank odor problems that are caused by the design of the RV waste water system. It's called RV-360 and it's a redesigned breather system that attaches to the top of the vent pipe and actually draws the fumes out of the holding tank. It works when the RV is stationary and when it's moving.
Here's how it works. As the wind passes over your rooftop it will direct the RV-360 so that the exhaust port is pointing down wind, away from where the wind is coming from, drawing the tank fumes up and out of the vent pipe. In certain wind conditions, the factory installed vent cap does the opposite and actually forces wind down the vent pipe, pushing holding tank odors back into the RV. The RV-360 always draws the gasses out of the tank. To watch my short installation video on the RV 360 visit http://rveducation101.com/videostream/?clip=360.
Another problem associated with RV holding tank odors is the use of strong chemicals to help control these holding tank odors. Some of these chemicals are dangerous to humans, pets, and the septic systems we empty our holding tanks in to. Because little water is used, in comparison to a domestic waste water system, RV holding tank wastewater is far more concentrated. The organic strength from the mixture in an RV holding tank can be fifteen to twenty times stronger than a typical wastewater system. This problem is compounded when the RVer gets some odors from the holding tank and dumps even more chemicals in the holding tank in an attempt to control the odors.
As many of you, who know my work know; I am a big advocate for saving our RV dump stations. I have discovered a holding tank treatment that is environmentally friendly and safe to use in septic systems. It's called Oxy-Kem, by Winston Company. And it's not just a deodorizer; Oxy-Kem cleans the holding tanks too, up to 500% better than chemical, enzyme and formaldehyde based products. You can use it in the black and gray water holding tanks and it comes in convenient drop in packs, so there's no measuring, waste or mess. The oxygen activated technology actually eliminates RV holding tank odors instantly. For more information on Oxy-Kem visit http://www.winstoncompany.com.
One final note about RV odors: A lot of RVers have a problem with odors in the RV refrigerator when it is not being used, either in between trips or for winter storage. After the freezer compartment defrosts you should clean the refrigerator thoroughly. Leave the refrigerator doors open and place some baking soda or charcoal (the kind you grill with) inside to absorb any odors.
So it's safe to say that with proper ventilation and a few good RV products you can eliminate all of the tough odors commonly associated with RV's.
Happy Camping!
Mark
Copyright 2007 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101
Eliminating RV Odors