Community Forums

seniorcitzen · 07-14-2007, 06:57 AM

I have a musty smell in my RV and cannot get rid of it. Everything I put in the RV picks up this odor. My plastic ware ie; tupperware etc.
absorbs the odor and transfers it to the food.
I have tried the damp rid crystals, odor rid jells, I have taken everything out and washed it and still the odor is there. There are no leaks in it, I even had my husband line the closets with cedar. HELP

seniorcitzen · 07-14-2007, 06:57 AM

I have a musty smell in my RV and cannot get rid of it. Everything I put in the RV picks up this odor. My plastic ware ie; tupperware etc.
absorbs the odor and transfers it to the food.
I have tried the damp rid crystals, odor rid jells, I have taken everything out and washed it and still the odor is there. There are no leaks in it, I even had my husband line the closets with cedar. HELP

Route 66 · 07-14-2007, 08:06 AM

Seniorcitzen. welcome to iRV2.

Someone here surely has a suggestion to help.

I moved your post to this forum where more folks will see it.

rivercat · 07-14-2007, 08:58 AM

Try a good cleaning of your black water tank.

WaveMaker · 07-14-2007, 02:24 PM

I have a HOT Water heater that if i forget to drain it and leave it for a little while, it realy makes the trailer smell musty, so if your still having trouble check your hot water heater

Dean

Gary RVRoamer · 07-14-2007, 02:33 PM

A musty small may be a dead animal (e.g mouse) somewhere, like behind a cabinet.

Hot water tanks can give a sulfur (rotten egg)smell due to a microbe that thrives in hot water, but you would small that when you ran water and not generally throughout the house.

Gray tanks can generate a smell in the house if there is a malfunctioning vacuum breaker under a sink somewhere. Not all rigs have these and normally they work fine, but if the vent is stuck open it can let tank odors back inside. Usually smells like onions and garlic.

Paul Heuvelhorst · 07-14-2007, 03:56 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by seniorcitzen:
I have a musty smell in my RV and cannot get rid of it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Musty smells come from mold/mildew, and the most likely source is the A/C filter(s). Remove the filter(s), which are either made of foam rubber or jute (if an older model) and wash them thoroughly with a slight amount of bleach added to the wash water. Let them dry thoroughly. If the mold/mildew is really strong and obvious, it may be necessary to use the water/bleach solution to wash the interior metal duct that is above the filter(s). Once everything is washed and had ample time to dry, your problem should be solved.

Toby · 07-14-2007, 06:37 PM

It sure sounds like you have a leak somewhere in your roof/walls. A good source is the gasket/seal between your a/c and the roof. Have you (or your repair shop) had your a/c off without replacing the gaskets. The problem is locating where the leak is coming in. You cannot always go by where the smell is the strongest. Also reseal all the cut outs in your roof. Clean real good and put some roof tape (forgot the name--get it at lowes) then put some sealer around all these vents and t/v
ant, bath vents and etc. If this stop the leak, it will take a long time to get rid of the smell. If its a dead rat, it has a different smell than milde. Good luck s/Toby

NeilV · 07-15-2007, 12:51 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by seniorcitzen:
I have a musty smell in my RV and cannot get rid of it. Everything I put in the RV picks up this odor. My plastic ware ie; tupperware etc.
absorbs the odor and transfers it to the food.
I have tried the damp rid crystals, odor rid jells, I have taken everything out and washed it and still the odor is there. There are no leaks in it, I even had my husband line the closets with cedar. HELP </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You most likely have a mold/mildew problem somewhere. You need to locate the source (leak, AC condensate, refriderator condensate, etc) fix it and clean it up. Bleach and water for hard surfaces but an ammonium chloride based hospital disinfectant/germicide (ShockWave) fortified with a touch of a good dish soap such as Dawn for pourous surfaces. Running a hepa filter may be to be required with daily filter changes during the cleanup to try and capture any airborn spores. Paper products, along with books and magazines should be removed, bagged and discarded. Any bedding, clothes or linens should be laundered before bringing them inside the house.

Toby · 07-15-2007, 12:23 PM

Seniorcitizen

Reply back and let us know your progress, or give us an update so someone may further assist you s/Toby.

seniorcitzen · 07-15-2007, 03:45 PM

Thanks for all the information.
I will see if I can chase the smell down.
You have all been very helpful.
Thanks again and as soon as I get back home I will try all you have suggested.
Seniorcitizen

charliez · 07-16-2007, 03:34 AM

I hate to admit this, but we recently had the same thing. I cleaned and cleaned, but had no luck. We finaly found the source. Someone had placed a half loaf of bread way up on top of a cabinet, out of sight. It was an awful nasty sight to behold. The pennicillin factories would have like to have had this loaf.