Cabin odor - solutions??

[GrimmSpeed]

Hey guys, i'm getting sick of the current smell in our cabin. Its like a mixture of the bathroom smell and other cabin smells. What do you guys use to make your cabins smell decent?

Justin

 

[tdschafer]

Grimm,
My cabin smells fine without anything. Is there a problem with your head? Is the bathroom smell the "Irish spring soap" type of smell or the less desirable Poopy/pee-pee smell?

 

[The Bill Collector]

Check your sump box, holding tank and it's filter.... I thought my smell was from the heads, but it went away when I scrubbed & cleaned out my sump box.

 

[dpvandy01]

May be too late for this year but I take ALL of, that's EVERY BIT OF soft goods home for the winter. I place cedar shavings in tubs in my cabin for my 6 month lay-up. May 1,,,,,, magnificent

 

[88dancer300]

Check all compartments and bilge areas for standing water. Stagnant fresh water from rain or a tank leak smells terrible. Pick a stretch of weather thats going to be dry, then steam clean all of your carpets and upholstery.

 

[300SR]

Sump tanks,Vacuflush filter=changed? Wash the carpets they hold mold.

 

[tbirdvet]

I use fabric softner sheets when storing boat all winter. Smells spring like when ready to launch. Place several around the cabin and one in the head.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Yea, but doesn't your boat end up smelling like a hamster cage then?

Great, now I'm picturing Lt. Dan running around the cabin like a mad man, kicking up the cedar shavings all over the place!

 

[Captain Allen]

Not a recommendation, because I haven't used it, but ehre's something I saw at WM the other day:

http://www.westmarine.com/1/1/213657-boat-bomb-deodorizer.html

 

[Lazy Daze]

By the way, baking SODA can be sifted onto carpet and other soft materials. Let it set for a few days then vacuum it up. It's not magic, but it usually does a pretty good job of pulling odors out of things.

 

[MonacoMike]

Yea, but doesn't your boat end up smelling like a hamster cage then?

After the chips turn black the boat shows up on National Liquidators site.

As for the OP's question: if it is bad enough to spend money on, I'd remove everything from the cabin steam clean the carpets, cushions, and fabric liners. Check above items before and allow to dry thoroughly. Then smell EVERYTHING you put back in. That should give you at least a clean slate to isolate additional issues. MM

 

[fwebster]

Aside from keeping the boat as dry inside as possible, as mentioned above, your boat is about at the age where the rubber head hoses begin to leach odor. TO eliminate that as a possible cause, get 2 gallons of white vinegar and flush all of it down the head into an empty holding tank. Leave the bowl full of vinegar but don't flush it. Then wait overnight and flush plain water mixed with a little dishwashing detergent, down the head several times. Get a pump out, and at this point there should be no head odors in the boat. Next, be sure everyone who uses the head flushes one bowl full of plain water after flushing any waste.

The rubber head hoses will leach odors after they age and dry out some. These are 1-1/2" hoses routed up, down, sideways, whatever it takes to get the waste from the head to the vacuum system and on to the holding tank. The head odor is coming from a pocket somewhere in the system that holds a little water, so the theory is to flush the system clean after each use but feeding it one bowl full of plain water. That way all you have left in the lines to smell is water.

 

[nymonymgr]

I find just keeping my 12.5 year old son out of the boat works!!! Sorry!! Had to throw that in! But seriously, I've found, like many others, keep the vent filter fresh for the head, keeping the sump clean, head clean in general, use some 'Damp Rid' bags or buckets in the cabin, etc. usually does the trick.

 

[300SR]

All it needs like any other boat is a good cleaning. Everything! rugs walls bedding pillow. Thats what I do and it always smells good. I do the old carpet with the little green machine with rugdoctor stuff in it. Run the A/C or just put 2 good fans on the inside.That will dry it with the clean smell.
Works for me! (and cheap)

 

[GrimmSpeed]

Thank you for the suggestions guys. I doesnt smell like waste but part of the smell is definitely coming from the head...i actually think it is the main smell in the cabin. It is not nasty like waste, more like the deodorant used in the head system. This combined with some mold/mildew might be the best way to describe it. This boat wasnt docked at a marina before I bought it so i'm guessing the guy had it sitting at his lake home(no shore power maybe?) and didnt have the dehumidifier on ever. I think that I'll try the vinegar idea down the head and purchase one of those westmarine bombs, if they doesnt work i'll steam clean the entire interior.

Do any of you use air fresheners in the cabin? If so, which ones?

Thank you again guys
Justin

 

[Tonka Boater]

May be too late for this year but I take ALL of, that's EVERY BIT OF soft goods home for the winter.

I don't use cedar chips but I take all soft items out as well. I fact, for the winter layup my boat is completely empty except for the carpet.

During the season I keep the AC running while I'm away from the boat to keep the moisture out and prevent the mildew smell. After 3 seasons my boat still has that new boat smell....love it.

 

[88dancer300]

I dont have a good place to store all of the upholstery in winter layup, but I leave a 60 watt light on, and a 10" fan running all winter while its in the driveway. I also put dryer sheets everywhere, and use no damp canisters. During the summer months, I use (Yankee candle) hanging air freshners. The boat never smells. PS. I also do the vinegar flush.