Finally tracked down the smell

that

It is very strange for something that is dry and inert to give significant odor or supply vapour. Admittedly dry meat has a smell, and so does chocolate, but it normally takes a lot and you have to be up close to produce a large and noticeable smell?

Do you have pets? Do you leave the window open and pets crawl in?

trailingspouse

Very many thanks for all the suggestions as to where the smell is coming from!!

- no carpet, we have solid wood floor
- we have a basement below, but there is no smell down there. The airbricks to the basement are in the wall that the curtains hang on. That doesn't sound right, but it's true nevertheless.
- we have two cats - but we've had one cat or another for the best part of 20 years, so that doesn't explain the sudden smell. And yes, I've checked the whole room for 'little presents'.
- have checked the curtains for mould, and anything else that might be lurking within. I've also cleaned the windows, window frames and sills - they didn't need it, as they get cleaned regularly anyway, but hey, no stone left unturned!!

I've had the windows open for two full days now, and the smell is fading but hasn't gone completely. I'm worried that it's just me getting used to it, and anyone coming in would still be able to smell it.

I think it's had a lot to do with the house being shut up completely for 3 weeks in all the hot weather - I'm normally a windows open, fresh air kind of person.

greenbee

I had some curtains made, and the lady who made them said they should be hoovered and aired on the washing line only. The fact that linings/interlinings can be made from different fabrics makes washing or dry cleaning risky.

As someone has already said, take the curtains out and see whether that makes a difference. If the smell goes with them it's the curtains. If it is the curtains, try sticking them outside on the washing line for a few days.

If you have a wooden floor, does it have a void below it, or is it wood on concrete. If there's a void it may be that a rodent has died under the floor, in which case the smell will eventually fade.

The other possibility is the cats - could one of them have peed on/sprayed the curtains? This is something they can start doing if they're elderly or stressed.

JohnB47

I agree with greenbee that there could be a small dead animal somewhere.

Your floorboards will be fastened to floor joists and on the under side of these will be attached either lath and plaster or plasterboard, forming the ceiling of the basement below. So there will be a void under your floorboards (or a number of long rectangular voids to be correct).

Not sure what you mean about the airbricks. Ideally they should be placed so as to allow air to come into that void but having a cellar complicates things I thnk. Are you saying the airbricks let air into the room itself - ie they are above the floorboard/carpet line? Unlikely to be a cause of the smell (unless a small animal body is in the airbrick)
- just curious.

I still think it would be best to remove the curtains for a while, just to eliminate them.

trailingspouse

that wrote: »

It is very strange for something that is dry and inert to give significant odor or supply vapour. Admittedly dry meat has a smell, and so does chocolate, but it normally takes a lot and you have to be up close to produce a large and noticeable smell?

That's pretty much why I'm asking the question...


When I say it's the curtains that smell, that's because I've got up close and sniffed them. I also sniffed the sofas, the cushions and the throws. It's definitely the curtains!!


Two days with the windows open has improved matters, but there's still a faint whiff. I've got them open again today so hopefully when I come downstairs tomorrow it'll be less noticeable again.