Bit of a musty smell still lingering in house

moneyistooshorttomention

There was quite a Whiff! when I moved in and its gradually been dissipating since I moved in some months back. I've now stripped out all the floorcoverings (bar one tiny scrap of carpet just about to go from within a cupboard). I've replastered every single wall and ceiling in the place (ceilings by means of putting up a plasterboard ceiling underneath the original one and plastering that).

What's left that is "old" is the kitchen units (don't think its them), and very little else (eg the doors).

- The previous owner was a smoker, but I've even gone as far as replacing sealant round windows etc to rid all trace of that.

- The house hasn't got a trace of damp. It's been checked from top to toe for that and there's none at all.

This leaves me at a bit of a loss. One suggestion was as to whether previous owner was incontinent, but I wouldn't have thought so (as it was a woman/the house looked very "standard" Old Person Style, but had been kept looking reasonably clean/tidy, I don't think she was the sort of person to be incontinent (ie she was ill with something or other latterly obviously, but available evidence would indicate that she would have kept herself 'clean' - ie used any pads or whatever that she should use if so) and I don't think there were any pets here.

I have gathered concrete floors can absorb urine, but all her floorcoverings were still here when I bought the house and there was no staining on the carpets (which I imagine there would have been if she had been incontinent and not used the necessary pads to ensure it didn't impact).

So I don't think it can be that.

I've still got a little bit of The Big Clean-up to do (ie after the renovation work), so am hoping it will be gone totally once I've finished that (still got to do inside cupboards).

Can catch the odd whiff at intervals right now and there are no cupboards in this room and literally everything in this room is new or previously mine (apart from the door and skirting boards). But the rest is mine or new (right down to the power points and light fitting).

Any thoughts please?

-

trailingspouse

When the weather's good, get all your windows open and let good old fashioned fresh air blow through.

moneyistooshorttomention

trailingspouse wrote: »

When the weather's good, get all your windows open and let good old fashioned fresh air blow through.

I've done a fair bit of window-opening to date, but will do a deliberate open every single window as wide as possible for some hours.

Do you think that would do the trick then and, possibly, supported by some vinegar or bicarbonate of soda left lying around in containers in every room? (is now wondering what type of vinegar that would be = presumably any type?).

Sounds like you think it could be some "stale air" ( sort of their "residue") in effect that has been left hanging around in the house all these months since the previous owner left? and not a problem to do with the house itself iyswim?

That's my take on this, ie its down to different people have different natural smells (of the ordinary variety - rather than the something "extra" like urine variety). I gather we, apparently, all smell like stale milk to people from some other races for instance LOL.

camelot1001

Have you checked the loft if there is one? Apart from that I think the fresh air advice over some time should do it.

moneyistooshorttomention

Yes. I have had the loft checked for me. There is a loft hatch here, but no loft ladder or boarding or anything up there other than a large attached spotlight. So, I've had a workman up there doing work anyway and asked him to check very carefully (that needed to be done anyway to ensure a roof leak from a cracked tile had been fully resolved). He told me it's all "dry as a bone" up there now.

Guess we are boiling very much down, by the sound of it, to the smell being "Generalised Old Person Smell" - as in maybe previous owner didn't keep herself and/or her clothes quite as clean as she should have.

maas

The house I just moved into had a heavy musty smell when you first entered. So bad that I had to hold my breath until I'd opened a window! I think the previous owners was a heavy smoker (the ceiling has has been painted (over wallpaper) and you can see the stains). Plus there was damp in the house.

First thing I did was I ripped up all the carpets and underlay and the smell was pretty much gone!

Since you've already done that, and several other things, I'd suggest when you next leave the house for a few hours, close all the internal doors (bedrooms, kitchen, lounge etc). Then on re-entering after a good while you might be able to identify which room (or part of the house) the odour is coming from.

Its usually only when you first enter the house/room when you notice the smell (before your nose adjusts to it).

moneyistooshorttomention

Will try that closed doors suggestion:T.

Pretty darn sure that its not the kitchen or bathroom, ie because both of them have had new floors as well as everything else:rotfl:.

But will try that door thought for the sitting room/bedrooms/hall.

The initial "Agh....whew!" smell when I first moved into the house hit me by far the strongest in the hallway at that point.

Am guessing that maybe/hopefully its not at all a urine type smell, as that was very very distinctive indeed in another house I viewed when buying (ie I walked into the downstairs loo, gasped visibly and beat a hasty retreat from the house). Funny that...that house is still for sale..

trailingspouse

Stale smells can linger for some considerable time. The people we bought from seem to have been smokers, and although we've removed all wallpaper, curtains and carpets, the smell is still noticeable in the one room we haven't yet finished decorating, particularly when it's been shut up on a warm day.

You'll get rid of it in the end.

Another thought - I wonder if a smokers' air freshener would help? They actively neutralise the smell rather than just masking it. Might be worth a try.

moneyistooshorttomention

I'm not a fan of "air fresheners", but have been burning aromatherapy oils and thought I might make up a spritzer of some diluted ones.

A thought that hadn't struck me was that some of the lightbulbs in this place are the previous owners, so they might have acquired a fag smoke veneer on the one hand. On the other hand, they are those so-called "green" ones and I gather that they sometimes smell of themselves.

On the list then = take out all old lightbulbs and replace from my stock of "conventional" old-style ones.

Hadnt occurred to me to think of the lightbulbs:o

trailingspouse

No, I don't like them either. But which is worse - the smell, or the air freshener?? Needs must!!

In the meantime, get those windows open!!

DaftyDuck

Did you have/have you still got mice? They wee under floorboards, and the smell will linger for ages.