RV Smells | How to Keep Your RV Smelling Fresh and Clean

RV Smells | How to Keep Your RV Smelling Fresh and Clean

RV Smells can be unpleasant at times with all the outdoor camping odors and holding tanks.

Whether you’re on a camping vacation or starting to live full-time, RV smells are going to happen.

If you’ve come across some stinky situations, please know that you’re not alone!

There are 4 typical odors you may encounter in your RV that are common and can be remedied. We’ve lived in our RV for two years and over those years we have found some great options to keep your RV smelling fresh and clean.

But first, here are the 4 smells that can happen in your RV.

Smells you may encounter in your RV

  • Tank Smells – These can be the worst smells you will probably smell in your RV. The smell can smell like rotten broccoli to burning sulfur. Both are extremely unpleasant and disgusting.
  • Musky or Mildew Smells – These smells are not pleasant and at times can mean trouble. If you’re smelling a musky or mildew smell, I suggest searching for water leaks. Also, check corners in dark closet spaces and under mattresses. You may not find anything, which is a good thing. Sometimes the musky smell can come after it rains. I’ll discuss items you’ll need to use at all times to prevent musky smells and mildew from growing in your RV.
  • Rotten Egg or Sulfur smell – This smell is usually coming from the water system. Most of the time it’s the hot water. This just simply means you need to clean your hot water heater and possibly your entire water system
  • Propane – This is a serious smell. If you smell this while not using the heater or stove then you will want to open all windows and doors. Also, many RV’s have a CO2 Sensor. If your RV does not have one, I highly suggest getting one. If you smell Propane, shut off your propane tanks immediately until you can figure out if there is a leak. Propane can be deadly.
These are 4 RV smells you could experience. Now, there are many more smells if you have children or pets but all are easy to remedy.

So, here are different remedies we have used to combat and eliminate these horrible RV smells.

9 Ways to Keep your RV Camper Smelling Fresh

1. Use an Essential Oil Diffuser

Using essentials oils is a great way to keep your RV space smelling fresh and clean. I recommend using oils that are pure! What I mean by that is don’t use the watered-down versions.

For example; don’t buy a pack of oils from Amazon for $24.95. Those oils are not pure oils and you will end up using a lot of drops in order for you to smell what you are diffusing.

Now, you can buy a diffuser anywhere, including Amazon, but the oils I recommend using are Young Living, Doterra, or Edens Garden.

2. Use A Room Spray

If you’re looking for a spray at your local grocery store, then Febreze is the way to go. Don’t buy into the Air Wick or Glade sprays. For me, they smell way to chemically and aerosol-based, and they don’t help with the smells.

Febreze is the one brand that helps eliminate the smells and they have pure options like the new Febreze ONE line. My favorite smell from Febreze lately is the forest smell.

3. Burn Candles Safely

I know, some people say “don’t burn candles in an RV” but it’s really not a big deal.

I’m sure you’re wondering why people say that. Well, it’s because if the RV was to catch fire the propane tanks could explode if the fire got out of hand. RV’s are also quick to burn because of the materials they are made from.

However, if you put the candle in a proper place and never leave it burning unattended, then it is okay.

I love candles and we burn candles all the time. My favorite is from Mrs. Meyers because they burn for up to 35 hours and smell so fresh.

IMPORTANT** – IF YOU SMELL PROPANE DO NOT LIGHT CANDLES!!!

4. Use Plug In’s

Febreze: Their plugins are the best ones you can get from a local grocery store. I’ve literally tried them all, and I always go back to the Febreze. I can always smell them when they’re plugged in.

They keep the air fresh and it’s doesn’t smell like a bunch of overpowering chemicals smell like Air Wick and Glade.

Bath and Body Works: Another Fantastic plugin is from Bath and Body Works. They are great to use in any home or RV to keep your living RV’s living space smelling fresh.

The scents are pleasant and not overpowering. My favorite from Bath and Bodyworks is Eucalyptus and Mint. Smells like a spa to me.


5. Use the Right Tank Treatment

This is a huge deal because the tanks are usually what cause the worst smells in an RV.

When you use the wrong kind of tank deodorizer you tend to get a perfume smell mixed in with the disgusting smell of the grey or black water. To me, that is a waste of money when the product you buy to eliminate the smell doesn’t work.

Side Note: You should only smell these when the tank is released/open. If you smell your tanks while they are closed, I recommend looking more into the water trap and clean out your water system.

Since we switched to Happy Camper tank deodorizer it eliminates the smells. I hate when the smells are just covered up with other smells. This is the worst!

If you want to eliminate the odors then give Happy Camper a try! You can also read our comparison review on the GEO Method and Happy Camper here.

6. Use RV Moisture Absorbents

When living in an RV, you want to make sure you do whatever you can to keep the moist humid air out. The humidity can cause musky smells and even mold in corners and walls.

When an RV gets mold, just like in a home, it can be a costly repair. That is why you want to always use moisture absorbents. There are two kinds that we recommend and have used ourselves.

I don’t think one is better than the other. They both do a great job of pulling out the moisture in the air and also keeping the air fresh.


7. Clean your RV Tanks / Water system Regularly

There are many tutorials on the web as well as directions in your RV’s Manual on how to clean out your tanks and water system. This is important to do whether you’re living fulltime or storing your RV until camping season.

Our manual describes using a cup of bleach and a gallon of water to clean and sanitize the tanks. I would use your manuals directions to do this properly.

Also, when you store your RV it is best to make sure all the water in your lines and tanks are clear and empty. You never want to leave water in your tanks because this will cause mold and bacteria to grow.

8. Clean out your hot water heater

Another thing you want to do is to clean out your water heater. We have a suburban water heater that uses an Anode rod to help keep bacteria from deteriorating the metal tank.

It’s important to clean your hot water tank and replace the anode rod (if you have one) regularly. You will want to clear the system from any deposits that can accrue at the bottom of the tank. This happens from the reaction of minerals in water and the heat. At times, this mineral build-up can cause your hot water to smell like sulfur or rotten eggs. The smell is caused by the anode rod material reacting to the minerals in the water.

Tip: Replace your Magnesium Anode rod with an Aluminum Anode rod to get rid of the sulfur rotten egg smell in your RV hot water tank. 

For us, we clean our water heater out once a month and replace our Anode rod at least once a year, depending on the deterioration.


9. Generally, Clean your RV

Keeping your RV fresh and clean by just cleaning your space. If you’re storing your RV, this is a great step to make sure your RV doesn’t accrue any bad odors while in storage.

General sweeping, vacuuming, doing dishes, taking out the trash, dusting, and mopping can go a long way in keeping your RV smelling fresh.

I love using Swiffer on our floors and Mrs. Meyers Lavender cleaning spray to clean the counters and table. This alone will help a lot!

Final Thoughts

There are many smells that can happen inside your RV. Please know, RV smells are normal and can always be remedied depending on where the smell is coming from.

As mentioned, one of the biggest smells is tanks. If you haven’t checked out our post on the Geo Method and Happy Camper Comparison, I recommend giving it a read.

Besides the tanks, if you have dogs or children like we do there are bound to be other smells. Bad smells like dirty diapers or wet dog can become overwhelming in a small RV space. Therefore, using essential oils, candles, or plugins are great remedies.

If you have found a great way to keep your RV space smelling fresh and clean, I would love to know. Please leave a comment below and as always, thank you for reading and stopping by.

Like this Post? Pin for Later!

Living Stationary in your RV | Benefits and Tips to make it feel like home

Living Stationary in your RV | Benefits and Tips to make it feel like home

Living stationery in your RV is becoming quite popular. Maybe it’s the cost of living that is driving many to make this life decision or maybe the draw towards a simpler and minimalist lifestyle.

However one chooses to live in an RV full-time is up to them. For us, we decided for many reasons, but one was the simplicity of the lifestyle. We also loved the idea that we could travel anywhere and take our home with us. You can read more of Why We Chose to Live in an RV Here.

We have lived stationary in our RV for over two years and have enjoyed almost every minute of it. I say almost because no matter where you live there is always going to be some hiccups along the way.

If you’re looking to live stationary in your RV and you are looking for ways to make it feel like home, then you’re in the right place. We have the experience and are here to share our tips and tricks.

Choose a larger RV for Stationary Living

The first tip we have for you is to consider choosing a larger RV. When you live stationary, this means you are more likely to accumulate things so having more space is a good thing. Plus, having a larger RV with an open floor plan makes living stationary doable and tolerable.

The RV Travel Trailer we chose has three slides. There are two large ones that open up into a nice living space with an island kitchen. While living stationary space has become imperative, especially now that we have a child.

I also recommend finding an RV with Washer/Dryer hookup, especially if you’re stationary. Having to run to a laundry mat every time you need to do laundry is a pain and can become expensive.

Find the Right Location

Before you purchase your RV, we recommend picking your location in which you will be living.

Are you going to live in an RV park? If so, you will want to call ahead and reserve the spot as well as get pricing for a month to month living. Some RV parks may not even allow you to live full-time in their park or they may have size restrictions and hookups. So you may want to do some research.

Other options is to buy land or “famdock”. “Famdocking” is like boondocking but on your family’s land. We “famdock” on our family’s land and installed power and sewer so we could live full-time.

Do you need a tow vehicle?

If you’re choosing to live stationary, then purchasing a tow vehicle is not really a necessity unless you plan to travel. There are many people who live stationary and when they decide to move they hire a company to tow their RV for them.

Also, if you purchase your RV from a dealer, they can deliver your RV to any destination that you have picked out. By choosing not to buy a tow vehicle will help with cost and further save you money.

Don’t sell your second vehicle

When you live stationary in your RV there really is no need to sell your second vehicle, especially if you are still commuting to work. Having a second vehicle is nice to be able to run errands or see family.

For the first 6 months that we lived in our RV, we still had two vehicles. However, we did decide to sell our second car to save money because I was now working from home.

Don’t be afraid to Redecorate!

RV interiors are not the best and if you want to make the space your own, then go for it! It’s your RV, so don’t be afraid to repaint, switch out some furniture, or hang some new window coverings.

When we purchased our RV, we decided to paint the interior walls white and replace the window valances with homemade curtains. It made such a massive difference. It feels like home in our RV and I love it!!

Looking to paint your RV? Here is a post on How to Easily Paint Your RV’s Interior (with a supply list).

Own your Living Situation!

Living in an RV is unconventional to a majority of people out there. You may get a lot of questions and concerns for choosing this lifestyle. Many times people’s concerns and questions can be discouraging even if they don’t mean to be.

We get it! We were told RVs just depreciate in value and they even tried to discourage us in buying one. However, we saw the potential to pay off debt and travel when we wanted. Less stuff and more experiences!

So if you are choosing the RV Life, then own your living situation!


Allows you to get closer to nature

When you live stationary in an RV it’s a small space to spend a lot of time in. Living in an RV almost forces you to spend more time outside. So having some chairs, a rug, and even a small fence around the side where your door(s) are is nice when living stationary.

My tip: If you plan to live at a park, try and pick one that has a nice location with trees and hiking trails nearby.

Stationary with Kids

If you have kids then choosing an RV with a bunkhouse or a second bedroom is key! RV’s are smaller than houses and it’s good for kids to have their own space, especially if they’re older. It’s also important to maintain a normal schedule as if you were living in a house. Kids thrive on having structure!

If you plan to keep your kids in public school, there are ways that you can do so while living stationary at an RV park. You would just need to check with the RV park owners/employees.

Homeschooling is another option that many RVer’s choose to do with their kids to keep the freedom and ability to travel. By homeschooling, you will have the opportunity to explore your area, go on hikes, visit aquariums and zoos for learning experiences besides being stuck in the RV all day. These are just some examples of what you can do to live comfortably with kids in an RV.

Dealing with the Tanks while Stationary RV Living

The tanks should be pretty easy when living stationary because you will constantly be hooked up to water and sewer. This eliminates having to fill up your freshwater tank.

When you are living stationary in your RV, you can leave your grey tank open because that’s just wastewater from, laundry (if you have a washer), showers, and dishes.

My advice though, keep your black tank closed, always flush with a lot of water, and release it when it gets full. Even if you’re stationary and hooked up to sewer this helps prevent the solids from accumulating in your tank and sitting at the bottom. I would also periodically flush your tanks to keep them free of solids.

Our RV has a built-in sprinkler system for the black tank. All we have to do is hook up the hose to the designated black tank connection and when the water is turned on it sprays the inside of the tank to clean it of any solids. Our RV is a 2019 Palomino Puma 31RLQS.

You will also want to make sure you’re treating your tank with Happy Camper! This stuff is gold to RVer’s because it helps break down the solids, eliminates odor and continues to work even after dumping your tanks.

Cleaning is Much Easier!

I’ve said this before in our post about “What’s its really like to live full-time in our RV”, and I stand by it! It’s so much easier and quicker to clean an RV than an apartment or house. The smaller the space, the faster and easier it is to pick things up.

It also easier because you don’t have as much stuff to deal with as you would in a house or apartment.

Final Thoughts

Live comfortably in your RV while you are stationary! Make the RV inside and outside your own and own your living situation. Don’t let people bring you down for choosing the lifestyle. Remember there are thousands of people that choose to live in an RV or a tiny home, so you are not alone.

If you have kids own your living choice even more and make sure everyone in the family is comfortable and maintains normal schedules.

Living stationary in your RV should bring about a sense of freedom, and it should give you the ability to pay off debt, live minimally, and a higher purpose than materialistic things in life.

We enjoy living stationary in our RV. Our living expenses are way lower than before and we don’t have to worry about yard maintenance.

Also, choose to spend more time outside, enjoy nature, and overall love your lifestyle!

pin for later 🙂

7 Adorable RV Nursery Makeovers You Will LOVE

7 Adorable RV Nursery Makeovers You Will LOVE

RV Nursery Makeovers are so inspirational, especially if you’re expecting a child or have children already.

Who doesn’t love a great before and after with gorgeous decor?

During my journey in deciding how we were going to rearrange our RV to add in all the baby stuff, I found myself searching to see what others had done.

You see, when you live in an RV and bring a baby on board, you have to get creative in ways you may not have been before.

Through my search, I fell in love with these gorgeous RV Nursery Makeovers and I am positive you will too!

This first RV Nursery Makeover is by Alexis Walls. Her and her husband have two adorable little boys that share their remodeled space. They were able to fit a toddler bed, crib, and dresser which holds all the boys clothes, blankets, and more.

What a great renovation and use of space. You can check out their full remodeled RV on their Instagram @thetinywallsfamily 

This gorgeous second RV Nursery Makeover is by Victoria Kepley. Her Instagram handle is @joyinthej0urney. They live fulltime in their fifth wheel with their baby boy and 2 pups.

I love the use of the space, and choice of the mini furniture like the crib called the Babyletto Origami Mini Portable crib. You can check out more useful baby furniture that is great for RV living here on my post “Must Have Baby Items for Your RV”

I love this next remodel! It is such a creative way to add space for your little one if you don’t have a bunkhouse or extra room in your RV. As you can see in the Before, they took out the chairs and replaced it with the beautiful dresser, baby bassinet, and bouncer.

This remodel is by Dee and Nate who live with their 2 dogs, 2 cats, and their baby girl. You can see more of their RV remodel by following them on Instagram @thejollyrogercrew.

Check out this gorgeous Boho Inspired Nursery. It is a dream baby space. As you can see they were able to fit a dresser, crib, and changing pad into their remodeled space.

The RV Nursery Remodel is done by Jessica who lives in SoCal. You can check out more of her RV remodel on her Instagram @jessij03

What a beautiful girl nursery makeover by Presley. She lives in her RV with her husband, 2 dogs, and baby girl.

I love the pink and bright natural aspects of the space. You can follow them and check out their full remodel @presgossett.

This Beautiful nursery remodel was done by Sydney with a little help from @theflippingnomad. They actually took the doors off their closet in their bedroom, and converted it into their tiny nursery.

What a genius idea and great use of space. Sydney lives full time in her RV with her husband, 2 dogs, and baby boy. You can follow her on Instagram @swannofakind. 

This next nursery remodel is actually not in an RV but in a Bus that was renovated by Ian and Hannah. They live in Florida with their little girl and baby boy (on the way).

During their conversion, they made sure to add a nook for their daughter, and what a beautiful little nook it is!

If you would like to see more on their bus conversion, you can follow them on Instagram @hanzian_bus.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these beautiful RV Nursery Makeovers and gathered some inspiration as well. If you plan on remodeling a space in your Tiny House, Bus, or RV and would like to be featured on our Blog, please visit our Work With Us page!


pin for later 🙂

RV Internet: How we get internet in our RV (+Cell Boost)

RV Internet: How we get internet in our RV (+Cell Boost)

RV internet

Are you moving in to an RV and need Internet?

Maybe you are planning to travel in your RV, Bus, or Van and are desperate to find an afforable way to get internet.

Well, you’re not alone!

There are so many things in modern society that you need internet for. For example, if you like to stream your shows on Netlfix, Disney +, Hulu, and like to play video games or maybe you need it for work to stay connected and earn that income. If so, then having internet and great connection is a NECESSITY!

There are so many options out there that it can become overwhelming and frustrating to say the least.

I remember when we were trying to find the best internet for RVer’s. I was searching for an option that was reliable and didn’t cost us an arm and a leg.

After all, living in an RV was a chance for us to save money.

So, we went searching, read a ton of blogs on how others get their internet on the road. Some, however, were just way to expensive. Others didn’t provide us with the amount of speed and data that we needed. The first option we tried was the Verizon Jet Pack.

VERIZON JET PACK???

This option was recommened by many RVer’s. So, we signed up for it, received 15 gigs for like $100 a month. We used that 15 gigs in less than 3 days. Then it tethered horribly! We couldn’t even stream a show on Netflix or load a webpage on our laptop.

That was not going to work! I was frustrated and panicked. WE NEEDED INTERNET!!

Afterall, I had just been hired to work remotely for Avoya Travel as a Mastermind Assistant and I needed more data.

What were we going to do? I mean, we were already living in the RV.

So, I returned the device and got my money back for the Verizon Jet Pack.

THAT DIDN’T WORK…. SO, WHAT TO DO NEXT??

Then, one day I was speaking with my brother and he told me about a device from At&t that’s similar to a hotspot but it works like as another line on your data plan.

So, I started to do my research and found that I could purchase this device for $100 or set up a payment plan, and it would be added as another line on to our already existing plan for only $20 a month. We already had unlimited data with our phones, so it was a no brainer to just add another line.

The device we received is called the “Paramount Black”. It is considered one of their Wireless Internet devices. You can check out the link on our Resources page here. 

The device uses Cell Signal to provide you with WiFi, just like your phone uses Cell Signal when WIFI is unavailable. Therefore, if the cell service in certain areas is bad, chances are so is your WiFi connection.

This wasn’t a big issue for us because I knew there were great ways to get around that and boost cell signal.

WE NEEDED A CELL BOOSTER 

So, now that we had internet, we needed to make sure we were going to have great signal anywhere we went. Through all my research in searching for the Best internet for RVer’s, I noticed a lot of RVer’s purchasing the WeBoost Cell Signal package from Amazon.

After talking it over with my husband and recognizing our need to good cell service/wifi, purchasing the WeBoost Cell Signal booster was a done deal.

I mean, when you need Internet and good cell signal to earn an income, it becomes a necessity.

THE COMBINATION IS HEAVEN!

With the At&t Paramount Black and the WeBoost Cell Booster combined, we have great RV internet service. Currently we are in the rural area where getting signal can be scarce, however we have had no issues. It was the best combination of devices and it was so easy to set up!

Currently we run about 300 gigs a month between our two cell phones and the Paramount Black WiFi device. The internet costs us $20 a month as an additional line on our already existing cell phone plan! I am still so glad that I returned that Verizon (steal your money) Jet Pack.

If you’re considering purchasing a cell booster for your RV, the WeBoost is the way to go! It has paid for itself over the last two years we have used it. It is recommended, not only by us, but by so many other RVer’s! You can take a look at some of the reviews;

So, if you’re looking for an RV internet option and/or need to boost your cell signal on the road the “Paramount Black” from At&t is a great option and the WeBoost is highly recommended.

 

 

pin for later

How To Easily Paint Your RV Interior Walls

How To Easily Paint Your RV Interior Walls

Are you looking to paint your RV?

Are you wanting to add that touch of freshness to brighten up the small space and make it your own?

Well, you are not alone! RV Remodeling and Renovations are all the rave these days with the tiny living movement.

I know for us, painting our walls was the number one thing we wanted to do when we began our Full-time living journey. Although we bought brand new, I was not a fan of the beige walls.

So, whether you’ve purchased a used RV with cash or financed a new one, it’s ok to paint! It’s yours! Now I do want to disclaim that if you are looking to sell at any point, it is best to use colors that are generally neutral.

For us, we went with a satin white because one rule with Interior Design is dark colors will always make a small space feel even smaller. Whereas bright colors allow more light and make any space feel larger than it is.

This is why you see a lot of RV’ers painting their walls and/or cabinets white and then accenting that space with other colors.

Just so you know, and to maybe put your mind at ease, painting your RV’s walls with the right material is EASY!! Also, don’t be afraid to make it your own!

Here is a step by step on how we painted our RV walls and what we used to get the job done.

Step 1: Plan!

Planning is so important! Make sure you pick the colors you enjoy the most and pick the areas in which you want to paint.

For example, are you going to paint just the walls or the cabinets or both?

How much space are you wanting to paint? Our RV is 32 feet long and had to make sure we purchased enough paint to cover all the walls.

These were the top questions I had to answer in order to plan out the painting remodel in our RV.

Step 2: Purchase!

Now that you have the idea and planned out the colors and areas in which you want to paint, now it is time to purchase all the materials.

I feel like this is the step that gets people stuck because RV walls are made out of Vinyl and not the normal sheetrock in homes.

You want to make sure you use a paint and primer that is going to stick to the walls and cabinets. I have heard of many stories of people using paint and primer that ended up peeling off the walls/cabinets. Nobody wants that to happen because it just will cause even more work. Here is a list of what we purchased and used to paint our RV walls.

What we used: 

  • Painters Tape
  • Foam Rollers and Trays
  • Paint Brushes
  • Corner painters
  • Oil Based White Primer by Glidden (Many also use Kilz)
  • Glidden Premium Interior Paint & Primer in Satin White
  • Paint Stirrers
  • Paint Can Opener
  • Plastic or Cloth Drop cloths to protect any flooring or furniture.
  • Gloves (If Desired)

Other Items you may need:

Other options for Painting:

  • Spray Gun (many choose this option as a quicker way to paint instead of rollers and brushes. If you choose this option, I do highly recommend that the preparation stage is taken 100% serious and you cover every inch you do not want paint on.)


Step 3: Prepare

Now that you planned out your colors and where you want to paint and purchased your materials, now it’s time to prepare the space for painting. By this, I mean taping, sanding, and removing any valances and wallpaper that might be on the walls.

Many RV’s have a strip of wallpaper as an accent that has to be removed before painting. For us, we had no wallpaper, therefore, we only had to remove all the valances, tape everything off, and protect the items I didn’t want the paint to drop on.

Please keep in mind this part can become tedious and the anxiousness of wanting to get started on the painting is normal. However, this is a very important part to never skip because you want to make sure it looks amazing once complete! Also, having to go back and goo gone all the mishaps just takes up way too much time.

Step 4: Prime and Paint

Now that you have your supplies, and have prepared the space, go ahead and get started! Painting to me is fun, but for some, it can be frustrating. I enjoy turning on some good music and tackling sections by sections.

Start with the Primer always first. I recommend doing at least 2 coats of the oil-based primer to ensure the paint sticks.

Here is a little Before and After we painted the walls white and replaced the valances with curtains.

 

I hope I’ve made it easy for you! I remember when I was about to start the project of painting our walls, I searched through dozens of blogs trying to find the answers to all my questions.

Questions such as; what paint to use? Do I use a water or oil base primer? Do I really need to sand all the walls before painting?

Please, don’t let this project be overwhelming. Enjoy the process and you will enjoy the finished project. Whether you are living in your RV fulltime or just making a beautiful weekend getaway camper, have fun! Painting is just the beginning to making the tiny space your own.

If you have any questions regarding painting your RV interior walls, please leave a comment! I would be glad to give any advice I can!

Thank you for stopping by, and don’t forget to check out some of our other posts.

Pin Me to save for later!

Sign up today for our monthly newsletter!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest