Oh that smell.....

1985air345 · 12-11-2003, 04:26 PM

That smell that surrounds youuuuuuuuu.

I have a group think problem. My MH stinks....as in odor.

HISTORY:

No smell before water leak at the end of August.

The water leak was behind my shower in the wardrobe but the water dripped down the pipe to the exterior of the coach where it dripped out the curb side wheel well.

It leaked for about 1.5 weeks before I fixed it but I tried to shut off the water when gone to minimize the problem.

No carpet got soaked.

The wardrobe area where the leak was does NOT smell.

The smell is primarily under the kitchen cabinets (also curb side but forward of the shower).

I also replaced the gray tank vent cap under the sink (per Brett's advice).

I searched high and low in there and can't find anything. My two leading theories are:
1) A dead dried rodent was re-moistened by the water leak
2) I have a small LP leak causing a rotten egg type smell.
My wife refuses to go anywhere in it until I find the cause and I don't want to fix my furnaces, AC's, or get new front tires until I find the smell. I have already gotten up close and personal with the cabinets with a small mirror to check in odd spaces and no luck in finding anything that resembled the source.

Signed,

Musty in Mississippi

**wahoonc** · 12-11-2003, 04:32 PM

Try running a baking soda and hot water mix down the drains, check and make sure your vent stacks aren't plugged up. Get a big bottle of LP test solution and check all the fittings, (and if your luck is like mine it will turn out to be in the middle of the line not on a fitting

) Use some Neutra Air spray and stickups

and if all else fails drive with the windows down

Aaron

thenewkid64 · 12-11-2003, 04:36 PM

Thanks Fred,

Now I cannot get that song out of my head.

The only way I can suggest to locate the smell is to get a piece of tubing and, this is gonna be tough, put one end to your nose and move the other around near the floor until you pass out or get sick from the smell. This would allow you to locate the focal point of the smell including areas you cannot see with a flashlight and a mirror.

Plan B is rip out the kitchen and do a remodel. During Demo you are certain to find the smell

Plan C, buy stock in febreeze???

**overlander63** · 12-11-2003, 06:59 PM

Fred, does the MH only smell when running?
Also, to check for an LP leak, why not turn off the gas, and remove the tank(s)? If it still smells, it is not LP.
I am sure you have thought of those things, but sometimes the simple things pass you by.
*** And a light snapped on***
Do you have well water, or city water?
Some water emits a sulphur, or rotten-egg, smell. Over a period of time this chemical COULD build up and accumulate into a nasty odor. A suggestion would be to use a small amount of bleach, and follow the trail of the water leak as best you can, the bleach should kill the smell. It is what my sister-in-law does for her well water here to get rid of the sulphur smell in it.
You did say you wanted ideas...

Terry

Lido&Linda · 12-11-2003, 09:02 PM

That was Lynyrd Skynyrd early '70s

garry · 12-11-2003, 09:12 PM

Could be mold but IMO your #1 guess is a best bet.
Once you do find the cause spread some of the drier sheets (Bounty) around in the MH. They won't keep rodents out but they will get rid of the odor.

Garry

dscluchfc · 12-11-2003, 09:33 PM

You might take steps to dehumidify the motorhome.
Either with a dehumidifier, or taking a trip to Death Valley...the driest place in the Western Hemisphere.

**flyfshr** · 12-11-2003, 11:07 PM

Actually - Lynyrd Skynyrd - Street Survivor- 1977. Original album release year before the crash. Re-released following year with different album front cover photo.

FF
"I Know A Little"

Lee Pace · 12-12-2003, 05:33 AM

When our nieghbors battery went south, his trailer smelled of rotten eggs. Check and see if that could be your problem.

Don Pace
WBCCI 7287

ALANSD · 12-12-2003, 09:14 AM

I seem to remember someone saying that if the refrigerator had a gas leak it would smell like that..or ammonia. Just a thought.
Glad to have one, a thought that is. Just gimme three steps mister...

**CanoeStream** · 12-12-2003, 08:13 PM

flyfshr -- The rereleased album cover was the same group pose, wasn't it? It was just lacking in the flames behind them on the first picture. Ironic though -- Lynyrd Skynyrd's charter plane came down because it ran out of fuel. There were no flames. (unlike how Ricky Nelson's came down on fire)

Moral of both stories: Fly U.S. flag carriers only. Or, paying proper attention to GCWR, weight distribution and sway control, fly yourself!!!

bugsbunny · 12-12-2003, 08:29 PM

After you find the source but the smell remains, OZIUM will help to neutralize the smell. This is a small aerosol spray that is used by many private pilots to neutralize the smell after someone has "lost their cookies" inside their small confined 4-seater airplane. You will be able to find it at drug stores and most large grocery stores and of course airports. This stuff works fantasticly and will neutralize very bad odors.

Bunny

**flyfshr** · 12-12-2003, 08:32 PM

Canoe Stream Bob - not the same picture but taken during the same photo shoot. All of the clothes are the same. Funny, Ronnie Van Vandt's t-shirt under his outer shirt has a picture of Neil Young from the "Tonight's the Night" album cover even though "southern man don't need him around anyhow."

FF

**flyfshr** · 12-12-2003, 08:33 PM

Forgot the dang photo...

FF