Smell from the freezer

[Goat815]

Getting a musty smell from are freezer, put a box of baking soda in the freezer last time we went camping and a couple weeks later after sitting in storage the smell is still there. Any ideas.

Thanks,

Larry

[rhagfo]

Getting a musty smell from are freezer, put a box of baking soda in the freezer last time we went camping and a couple weeks later after sitting in storage the smell is still there. Any ideas.

Thanks,

Larry

Do you leave the door open a little to allow air circulation during storage? This is a good practice. You may want to wash out with a baking soda water mixture.

[hankaye]

Goat815, Howdy;

Throw a hand full of ground coffee in there. Leave the door open.
In the future keep the door proped open when you aren't using it.
Don't mean to sound gruff... Just been a long day...
Time to go to bed...

hankaye

[KanTC]

Correct - when the refrig & freezer are off, it's best to leave the doors open slightly. Dometic provides
(royal blue, flat plastic) door holders for this purpose - they should have been in your RV, if purchased new.

Like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dometic-RV-No-Mold-Refrigerator-Freezer-Door-Holders-2-NEW-/170847420508?pt=Motors_RV_Trailer_Camper_Parts_Acc essories&hash=item27c74cc05c&vxp=mtr

You can also purchase them, although it's a different design:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/no-mold-refrigerator-door-holder/28735

To get rid of the musty odor... hankaye beat me to it! :) DRY (un-used), ground coffee, straight out
of the can/bag... put a couple of tablespoons into a small container or paper coffee filter, and place
inside the refrig or freezer for at least 24 hrs. We use the same method (coffee directly on the plastic)
inside of coolers/ice chests after a fishing trip. ;)

Hope this helps!
Terri, the co-pilot :)

[fla-gypsy]

As noted always leave the doors open when not in use and it should improve.

[JRTJH]

Getting a musty smell from are freezer, put a box of baking soda in the freezer last time we went camping and a couple weeks later after sitting in storage the smell is still there. Any ideas.

Thanks,

Larry

Larry,

According to your profile, you have a 7 year old RV. I don't want to be the "bearer of bad news" but if you are possibly smelling the faint odor of ammonia, rather than a "musty smell" you may have a leaking cooling system. RV refrigerators use ammonia and hydrogen gas. Ammonia is corrosive and over the years will cause the inside surfaces of your cooling unit to corrode. In time, small holes will form and allow the ammonia to leak out into the inside of your refrigerator.

If you're smelling "musty smells" then the information provided for you is dead on right, but double check to make sure you're not smelling very faint ammonia. If that is what you're actually smelling, start saving your pennies, you'll need a replacement cooling unit pretty soon. You don't have to buy a new refrigerator (unless you just want one) rebuilt cooling units are available from a number of places online and probalby your dealership.

Good luck and as I said, I don't want to be the "bad news guy" but just double check to make sure what you're really smelling.....

John

[rhagfo]

Larry,

According to your profile, you have a 7 year old RV. I don't want to be the "bearer of bad news" but if you are possibly smelling the faint odor of ammonia, rather than a "musty smell" you may have a leaking cooling system. RV refrigerators use ammonia and hydrogen gas. Ammonia is corrosive and over the years will cause the inside surfaces of your cooling unit to corrode. In time, small holes will form and allow the ammonia to leak out into the inside of your refrigerator.

If you're smelling "musty smells" then the information provided for you is dead on right, but double check to make sure you're not smelling very faint ammonia. If that is what you're actually smelling, start saving your pennies, you'll need a replacement cooling unit pretty soon. You don't have to buy a new refrigerator (unless you just want one) rebuilt cooling units are available from a number of places online and probalby your dealership.

Good luck and as I said, I don't want to be the "bad news guy" but just double check to make sure what you're really smelling.....

John

Goat815, if this is your issue it is not too hard to change out the cooling unit. I did this on our first 5er. I got the unit on line from this outfit and it worked great.

http://rvcoolingunit.com/Default.aspx

[Goat815]

Thanks for all the advice, the smell goes away when we use the camper for a weekend so I don't think it's a coolant issue but I will keep it in mind if the other tricks ( coffee grounds and cracking the door) don't work.

Thanks again guys!!!

[Murphie]

I'm glad that some wise soul thought about a ammonia leak. Fresh ground coffee and newspapers that are scrunched up to fill the interior and than close the doors. The newsprint will absorb the odors the ground coffee wll make it sell great. This came from the cleaning lady at the RV place. I had meat that had gone bad after the power was lost and the tanks emptied. I thought I would have to replace the fridge it was so bad. I couldn't believe how well this worked.

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

I learned about the coffee routine when I had to take a trailer loaded with
'renderings', the left-overs from a slaughterhouse, to L.A., Ca. It (the trailer), had been sitting in the Summer Sun in Salt Lake City, Ut. (avg. 85-95 deg.), for a week. After the delivery, I asked the terminal Mgr. how they were going to get rid of the stench. The reply was "Simple open both doors and scatter a can of ground coffee all over the inside. Let it set for a few days... smell real nice."
I ended up pullin' that same trailer a month later. Still smelled like coffee, not renderin's...

hankaye