Odor in Camper From Sitting Sealed Up

[DougDayFL]

A year ago we took in my wife's 93-year old mother and our camping days have been greatly reduced. We have an unpleasant odor in the camper and we are having trouble clearing it out. We've washed the trailer inside and out, deodorized the grey water tank and have used air fresheners and keep the windows open when ever we can. We also use it as a fourth bedroom when we have guests. It smells like the chemicals in the press board walls.

Can anyone give me a suggestion as to the cause and the cure?

Thanks,

Doug and Linda
2016 212QBW

[sirrealone]

Our old camper had a very strong formaldehyde odor when it was closed up for a long time, even years after it was made. There was a sticker that said it was made with products containing formaldehyde. At the beginning of the season, we would open up the bathroom vent, then stick a fan in the door and open it up to high. Ran it that way for a day from sunrise to sundown and it would seem to clear a lot of it out. After that it was opened up pretty regularly so it wouldn't be as bad.

[lefoster]

you didn't mention your black tank, but I am sure it is dumped and deodorized too?
I bought my trailer used, and it had a plastic toilet in it, and it had absorbed alot of black tank chemical odors. When I replaced it with a porcelain toilet, that smell went away.

[TwinDad]

Place your favorite scented dryer sheets throughout the camper. It’ll also help as a rodent deterrent.

[Springhook]

I get odors when the fluid in my p-traps evaporates. Allows odors to escape from the tanks. Try pouring liquid in all the p-traps.

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by Springhook

I get odors when the fluid in my p-traps evaporates. Allows odors to escape from the tanks. Try pouring liquid in all the p-traps.

X2 on that when it’s not used for months at a time. Many days I keep the door open and at least one window just because of the off gassing of the materials used.

[Jagiven]

I installed vent covers, and never close my roof vent. It is at minimum 1/2" open all year long.

When you say odor, there are lots of types of odors out there.

My first thought is sewer odors. When I winterize, I put a few drops of Mineral Oil (not vegetable oil) down each trap and in the toilet. The mineral oil does not allow the water to evaporate. With the windows open and the traps refilled, that odor will dissipate fairly quickly.

Could it be a dead mouse? Dead mice stink for some time, until they are fully dehydrated.

Mold/Mildew?

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by Jagiven

I installed vent covers, and never close my roof vent. It is at minimum 1/2" open all year long.

Just coming here to mention that too. I worried about my rig getting "stagnant" over the Winter closed up, so I installed MaxxAir vent covers over my two roof vents. This way, the vents can stay open, allowing air to flow through. I also cracked one of the windows, to allow some air to come in low, and the heat can vent up through the vents. My rig smelled like new when I opened it up after Winter.

Also, X2 on the sink, toilet seal and shower drains. Make sure they have water or antifreeze in them to keep sewer gases from coming up.

[DougDayFL]

Thanks, all, it does have a chemical smell and I think you may have it. We live in Florida, so we can leave the windows open. It diminishes as we do that. We also deodorize the drains an keep the black tank drained. My wife learned about the dryer sheets, so we have those too. It doesn't smell like a dead critter, so I haven't had to deal with that yet.

Thanks everyone, wonderful suggestions and I'm getting the X2 as soon as I can.