Sewer flies - RV-Dreams Community Forum

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sewer flies

Neil and Connie · RV-Dreams Family Member

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 · RV-Dreams Family Member

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 · RV-Dreams Family Member

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 · RV-Dreams Family Member

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 · RV-Dreams Family Member

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 · RV-Dreams Family Member

You can use a mixture of baking soda and peroxide, then rinse with hot water.

Tom Cooper · RV-Dreams Community Member

You can use some kind of organic acid, which does not harm the materials but living organisms will be damaged

lonesomerider · RV-Dreams Community Member

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.