It can take a while to notice an RV odor. Maybe you’re on a
road trip and you’ve gotten used to how your RV smells. Maybe the odor doesn’t
appear until after the RV’s been closed up for the night. Whatever the problem,
you enter the RV again and discover it in a hurry: it smells, and you need to
do something about it right now. Here are some of the most common RV odor
problems and some tips on what to do about them.
RV Odor Problem #1:
Mildew
Smell characteristics: “Musty” is one of the most frequent
terms thrown around. The air will tend to have an older, damp smell. Mildew in
the air can also lead to health problems, especially irritating those with lung
or throat issues.
What to do about mildew: Getting rid of the odor itself means
finding ways to absorb all of that mustiness out of the air. Do-it-yourself
experts sometimes recommend charcoal briquettes in empty coffee cans, which can
do some of that absorption. But by far the most important action to take is to
clean out the mildew itself.
That means going a step above and beyond the usual
soap-and-water combo. We recommend
Mildew Remover to
address your serious mildew problems. Because it includes a chlorine-free
formula, it won’t substitute one bad smell for another. And since the Mildew
Remover also controls odor, you can ditch the charcoal briquettes and simply
let the area ventilate and dry out.
RV Odor Problem #2:
Toilet Smell
Smell characteristics: If you’re a human being on planet earth,
you’re likely familiar with the smells of the bathroom. But “toilet smell” can
include a sewer-like smell, almost like old and rotten water.
What to do about toilet smell: It’s time to look at your sewer
tank, and failing that, your toilet. It’s possible that you’ve sprung a leak in
the area, which has led to toilet water making its way where it doesn’t belong,
causing the smell.
Fortunately, the solution is simple. If there are no repairs
to be made with the leak, you simply have to clean up the familiar areas in the
bathroom that might have been affected. Invest in
Suds for this cleaning, because
it will leave a pleasant fragrance behind. If the smell persists, you might
want to try another inspection before the next cleaning.
RV Odor Problem #3: Stale
Smell
Smell characteristics: If simply leaving your RV closed
overnight causes it to smell like it’s been in storage for six months, that scent
may be hard to define—but it’s clearly a problem that needs to be addressed.
“Stale” smell is usually caused when your RV is so sealed-up that leaving it
closed will accelerate this process.
What to do about stale smell: Staleness tends to be an issue with
the vents. You may have done a bang-up job of
sealing up your RV, but now
there’s
no way for the air to escape.
This can be an easy fix. You’ll want to install vent covers
over your vents so that stale air can move out of the RV without letting any of
the bad stuff in.
Your best bet against RV odors? Knowledge. Take the time to
properly diagnose what the smell is and where it’s coming from, and you’ll have
a fresh-smelling RV in no time.
