Bilge deodorizer/neutralizer

[bshillam]

Had a leak develop under the head. Luckily it's only been going on best I can tell about a few days or a week. So the bilge under the head which is isolated from the ER smells like urine. I have cleaned out the waste water. Fixing the leak/replacing/upgrading the hose. Rinsed with fresh water. Now I'd like to make sure to neutralize any remaining smells. What products have you used in the past? I have used tea tree oil and might just go back to the tried product but thought I would reach out to our community.

 

[rslifkin]

Put some water in that bilge area, add a bunch of sodium percarbonate or Noflex. Let it sit for a day or 2. It'll foam a bunch, but should kill the smell and break down any remaining waste residue. Then flush it out with water, dry it and I'd wipe it down with bleach water just to make sure it's sanitary.

 

[Comodave]

Get Peggie Halls book on boat smells. You can find it on Amazon.

 

[HeadMistress]

PureAyre PureAyre is [FONT=&quot]the only product I've found that eliminates ANY odor. Not only will it get of diesel and residual odor left behind by stinking sanitation hoses, but PureAyre is also rated for use around food...which means you can even use it to get rid of the odor left in your fridge by the steaks or fish that spoiled when a natural disaster took out shore power for 3 days. Also does a great job on musty PFDs and foulies.

How to use it:
You can never eliminate any odor unless you first eliminate the source...'cuz as long as the source continues to exist, it'll continue to generate new odor. So first you have to find and fix any leak or replace the stinky hoses, then thoroughly clean the site, including every nook and cranny ...a good scrubbing with detergent and water. Mop up an excess water and let the air dry till it's at least only damp...no standing puddles. Now you're ready to eliminate the residual odor. Use PureAyre full strength...I'd use pump garden spray jug set to a fine mist. Spray every surface, nook and cranny...just a light spray. Do NOT rinse...just let it dry with hatches open so that plenty of fresh air can circulate. If the soft goods in the cabin have picked up the odor, just spraying it on the surface won't do much...you need to spray enough on carpets and rugs to penetrate to the backing...enough to penetrate cushions to the middle from both sides..not enough to make 'em drippy, just enough to get into the cushion....you'll prob'ly have to remove the covers and send 'em to be cleaned. Again, just let everything dry. If you still have any odor, you missed a spot.

A spray bottle won't go very far...plus, it's cheaper in the long run to buy it by the gallon...it has an indefinite shelf life, so just keep it on hand. Amazon is the only source I know of that carries gallons...the "household" version is the least expensive and should work fine for this job.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I certainly can't argue against Dave's recommendation to buy my book. However, it might be helpful to know that its title (my publisher's idea) is a bit misleading...'cuz although it does deal with every source of odor on a boat and how to cure, or better yet PREVENT 'em, it's actually a comprehensive "marine toilets and sanitation systems 101" manual that explains the laws, describes all the types of systems and how they work, and will help you learn how to operate and maintain your system to prevent 99% of problems instead of having to cure 'em. 'Cuz you get to do any preventive maintenance on your terms when it's convenient...the need to cure a problem never happens when it is! And I'm always glad to answer any questions.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]--Peggie
[/FONT]