Looks like we've picked up a family of sewer flies. We don't leave the "stinky slinky" attached when we're not dumping, but somehow they have made themselves at home in the black tank. Any suggestions to get rid of them?
We have gnat traps out, and they seem to get some of them, but there are lots more. We've thought about spraying something down the toilet, but don't know what would be best. Would a pot of boiling water accomplish anything?
Neil and Connie said
05:40 PM Jul 12, 2019
Boiling water...won’t do anything. I would dump a couple gallons of diluted bleach in a half full tank and fill...then wait a bit before flushing several times. Alternatively 3 gallons of white vinegar and w cups or so of Dawn degreaser dish detergent...that cleans the tank nicely but may not do much for flies. Drown and flush the buggers might be your best approach.
Terry and Jo said
08:29 AM Jul 13, 2019
Are you sure they are coming from the black tank? We've been in a few places the last few months and have very small flying insects around. Primarily, in Oklahoma, but we've also seen them in Colorado and Idaho.
Terry
kb0zke said
06:44 PM Jul 16, 2019
Well, they were coming up from the black tank, which is why I'm guessing they are sewer flies. The gnat traps seem to be getting them, so guess we don't have to worry about them much. They are a nuisance, though.
bjoyce said
09:54 AM Jul 17, 2019
There are many reports on the internet of them, but the help seems to be for parttime RVs, not fulltime ones. Enzyme tank treatments to get rid of the residue in the tanks and boiling water seem to be the solutions. You have to do this over a two week period to get the eggs.
A-S Travelers said
06:27 PM Jul 18, 2019
Why wouldn't taking a spray can of flying insect killer and spraying it down the open toilet valve for about 20 seconds the then closing it up for a couple of hours? Or maybe wasp killer which sprays in a stream for several feet.
dovenson said
11:20 PM Jul 30, 2019
You can use a mixture of baking soda and peroxide, then rinse with hot water.
Tom Cooper said
04:50 AM Sep 15, 2019
You can use some kind of organic acid, which does not harm the materials but living organisms will be damaged
lonesomerider said
09:10 PM Sep 18, 2019
When I had the same issue, I disconnected everything and cleaned all the hoses and connectors. Then I cleaned them a second time with bleach. I removed all the washers and rubber seals and cleaned them the same way. I poured a gallon of bleach in the empty black tank and a gallon in the empty grey tank, followed by extremely hot water until both tanks were 3/4 full. Then I went for a drive to get that hot bleach water sloshing around in the tanks.
When I returned I went to the park's sewer hookup and sprayed half a can of Raid Flying Insect Killer down the pipe, hitting the sides so they were completely soaked with it. I gave that about 1/2 hour to do its job. Then I hooked everything back up. I was lucky enough, so no flies since then.
Looks like we've picked up a family of sewer flies. We don't leave the "stinky slinky" attached when we're not dumping, but somehow they have made themselves at home in the black tank. Any suggestions to get rid of them?
We have gnat traps out, and they seem to get some of them, but there are lots more. We've thought about spraying something down the toilet, but don't know what would be best. Would a pot of boiling water accomplish anything?
Boiling water...won’t do anything. I would dump a couple gallons of diluted bleach in a half full tank and fill...then wait a bit before flushing several times. Alternatively 3 gallons of white vinegar and w cups or so of Dawn degreaser dish detergent...that cleans the tank nicely but may not do much for flies. Drown and flush the buggers might be your best approach.
Are you sure they are coming from the black tank? We've been in a few places the last few months and have very small flying insects around. Primarily, in Oklahoma, but we've also seen them in Colorado and Idaho.
Terry
Why wouldn't taking a spray can of flying insect killer and spraying it down the open toilet valve for about 20 seconds the then closing it up for a couple of hours? Or maybe wasp killer which sprays in a stream for several feet.
When I returned I went to the park's sewer hookup and sprayed half a can of Raid Flying Insect Killer down the pipe, hitting the sides so they were completely soaked with it. I gave that about 1/2 hour to do its job. Then I hooked everything back up. I was lucky enough, so no flies since then.