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Spilled Lots of Dish Soap into Gray Water Tank - An Issue?

AK_Kid
Explorer
Explorer
We put a fairly large container of dish soap in the sink before we headed down the road. Predictably, it leaked. The good news is that our Class A is now smells like freshly picked apples. The bad news is that it's because all of that dish soap is now in the gray water tank.

Honestly, I don't know what to do. Is this an issue? Should I just run water through the tank tomorrow and hope it all works out? Any advice would be appreciated.
16 REPLIES 16

SCVJeff
Explorer
Explorer
The only thing that doesn't like soap is a Macerator, it's a big suds generator and could kill the rubber impeller. BTDT
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350

ctilsie242
Explorer
Explorer
This is why I keep my dish detergent in a Ziploc bag, and either in the sink or in a plastic tub with a tight fitting lid. Should it leak while on the road, the destruction is contained.

Oasisbob
Explorer
Explorer
I hope your scent is from the sink trap and not a vent pipe leak. No worries. Very clean gray tank. Dump and rinse
Oasis Bob
Wonderful wife 3 of 4 kids at home. 1 proudly serving in USAF
2018 Ford Explorer
2001 Bantam Trail Lite B-19

HAPPY TRAILS:)

Stormy_Eyes
Explorer
Explorer
Be glad the leaky bottle was in your sink. If it had leaked in a cabinet, you'd be cleaning up a mess. Instead, it leaked down the drain, so detergent will help clean your grey tank. And evidently you like the smell, too. Happy accident.

Road_Dog
Explorer
Explorer
If you use dishwasher soap, you won't have any suds at all!

Community Alumni
Not applicable
I do that fairly often, 'refreshes' the tank.

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
What to do.. add about half a cup of CALGON water softener about 1/3 tank of water, and drive about 50 miles.. Then dump

How to clean the wast tanks GEO method 1.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times

djousma
Explorer
Explorer
The only issues you may have for awhile is false readings on the gauge. It may read full too soon due to all the soap suds. I used to have this problem all the time in my old trailer with the galley gray tank.
Dave
2016 F350 Lariat 4x4 FX4 SRW CC SB 6.7 Magnetic Metallic
2017 Forest River Cardinal 3850RL

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
It won't hurt a thing to have all that Dawn down your sink and into the tank. It will just clean it real good! Do the same with your black and grey tank too. You'll be amazed how well Dawn cleans the black tank (and the stronger the better).

gbopp
Explorer
Explorer
The Geo Method uses soap and other household chemicals.

I normally use just a cup or two of dish detergent in my black and gray tanks.

If anything, you probably helped rather than hurt your gray tank.

Enjoy your travels, and your cleaner gray tank. ๐Ÿ™‚

ulvik
Explorer
Explorer
When I need to give my black and gray tanks a good cleaning this is what I do. I add some liquid soap(about the same amount I would use to do a large load of dishes) to both tanks then put about 10 Gallons of water in both of them. Then I drive to our next campground then I dump them. What can it hurt it cleans them like a washing machine cleans your cloths in my opinion.
2018 Ram 3500 DRW
2015 Heartland Big Country 3650RL
Great Smokey Mountains

AK_Kid
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks so much for the quick replies, folks. Really appreciate it!

stickdog
Explorer
Explorer
When we volunteer we may sit for 3--4 months I only close the gray tank the day before I dump the black so when we pull out I'll drop a half cup of Dawn down the kitchen and run the hot water till it runs cold. Hit the road. That night when we stop hook up the dumpline and let the crud flow. A couple hundred miles of sloshing realy breaks it up. We try to wipe all plates, bowls and pans before washing but you still wind up with some crud going down the drain.
9-11 WE WILL NEVER FORGET!
FULLTIME SINCE 2010
17 DRV MS 36rssb3
17 F350 King Ranch CC DRW 4x4 6.7 4:10 B&W hitch
John
โ€œA good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.โ€ Lao Tzu

Harvard
Explorer
Explorer
We add a generous amount of dish soap to the black and grey tanks after every dump.