Parents house smelling- help!

Sometimes you just need that MN post to make you appreciate you aren't alone! Parents house smells terrible, dad has a catheter and it's def that (constant infections) and he's been out of the house in hospital a few weeks and the smell has gone...so def that. However thinking about my grandparents they had a different smell - old clothes, old things we just can't let go of etc. Have also had to remind my mum that her hygiene regime should not be neglected just because she's busy looking after dad etc. Jeez adulting shouldn't be like this.

I used to run residential accommodation for women. If its a sour smell it is the scent given off from the bacteria feeding of the detritus of life, such as food, particles, sticky unwashed hands touching any objects even wood and walls.

Dirty bodies sweat, urine etc.

The only way to resolve this is to bleach or steam every inch of the house including ceilings, doors, wash all materials etc, throw away shoes and everything that can not be cleaned.

But of course the smell will return as is thier age cleanliness.

Everything was brand spanking new as it was the show flat - it was beautiful! We bought 1 sofa, 1 chair, table and chairs and 2 beds with us from their house.

The fusty sour smell also gets into curtains, if they brought those with them and didn't wash or dry clean them.

We have this moving in laws into assisted living. Their brand new lovely apartment stinks of old people. We think its all of the old clothing they've brought with them that hasn't been refreshed or washed for years. Old coats, old shoes, bedding, towels - just old shite. Plus the combination of never opening windows so no fresh air gets in. We've chucked a load of stuff and replaced with new but it still lingers.

This might seem way off base but does anyone in the smelly houses have cancer?

I've noticed that a lot of elderly people smell like this. Even when they are out of the house (which is when I am dealing with them) there is a 'smell'. I don't honestly think there is anything that can be done about it, if it's just the smell of 'oldness', and they won't be able to smell it. Quite a few of them also smell of urine, and they are the kind of people who would have been mortified to leave the house if they knew they smelled.

Hello, I've just stumbled across your message whilst trying to find an answer to the EXACT same issue my parents bungalow has got!! I honestly know exactly what you're referring to and we too, are at our wits end as to what to do to fix the problem?? My parents moved in to this old bungalow and they completely gutted and renovated it. Everything inside is new - kitchen, bathroom, painted walls, carpets etc etc. It wasn't until after we finished painting and started to put everything back again, I noticed that my hair and clothes had this awful smell embedded when I got back home?? I told my mum and she could smell it too at that point and she promptly washed everything in an attempt to get rid of, what we first thought, was simply a musty smell from the old furniture that was left behind. 5 years have since passed and the smell is out of control! My parents have gone nose blind to it - but the family now refuses to go round, due to their clothes and hair - everything - stinking when you get back home. It's such a bizarre smell?? You only have to pop in for a minute and your hair stinks of it? Mum bakes a cake, you take it home and you can taste it?? Everything she gives to you, cards, items in bags, clothes - it ALL smells of it. She doesn't believe me now when I say the smell is worse. She gets really offended! They never had a survey done when they bought the place! And what was strange was the previous owner had ripped up all the carpets throughout and just had exposed floorboards everywhere? I'm now wondering if she knew what the problem was and airing it in some way, so we didn't notice the smell when my parents bought it? We've checked everywhere for damp (including the loft, outside etc) - but there's nothing. besides, it's not a 'damp' smell. It's not a 'musty' smell. It's a smell I can't describe, as I've never smelt it anywhere before? What I have noticed lately though is that when you pull up on their drive, you can smell it from outside now too! Anyway, I just wanted to say @Exasperateddonut I totally feel your pain 😔I don't suppose you've managed to find the source at all? I'm convinced it's something to do with under the floorboards - but there's new ish carpet everywhere - how can it rise through it and be in the air 24/7 - it even makes your hair feel 'lank' and heavy?? Even in the summer - when all the doors and windows re open and it's being fully aired, you still smell it on your hair and clothes?? It's so so strange. It does stop us from visiting often as well - I feel terrible about it. But we simply can't just 'pop in' to see them anymore without it ruining our clothes every time😢

My mum has alzheimer's and between that and a lifetime of smoking she has no sense of smell left. She went through a phase of refusing to use bin liners and one day the smell in her kitchen made me want to retch. There was a thick layer of bin juice soaked dog ends going green in the bottom of the bin. She couldn't smell a thing but the smell had spread through the whole house. She never opens windows in winter and keeps the temperature subtropical. I can't cope with staying much more than an hour at this time of year. Between the strong smell of smoking alone and the temp I always come away with a thumping headache.

I get something similar at my in-laws. Not too extreme as I don’t notice it when I am in the house even as I come in from outside but when we leave I smell it in all our clothes and hair, have to wash it all. We usually stay over night as it is a bit of a drive and they do have some wall paper and a few mould patches that they tackle every now and then but they are not my own parents and I haven’t really raised the smell issue with my partner who does not have a sensitive nose, although I have raised the mould issue especially after so much hype in the media after that poor boy died last year. Not sure what to advise or do!

My DM's husband had a catheter. It was unbelievably appalling. I sometimes had to sit outside for breaks. Neither of them noticed. Literally I could walk in and say that he had a urine infection, I was always right. They also never emptied their fridge, old cheese was their favourite, nor washed their clothes often enough. They had a lot of old fashioned dry clean only stuff, so it only got cleaned once a season. DM often had stains on her clothes, and her husband's trousers were, well, you can imagine.

It's sad.

They probably deny the smell because they sit in that much they've gone nose blind and their used to the smell your smelling most old people have that attic smell about them even my grandma did I would put lenor plug in air fresheners all around their house get get the febreze fabric spay and do the couches and stuff like that the house probably needs a deep clean xxx

Forget the smell.

Do you have POA set up? If they both have dementia you will need it sometime soon. You can still get it post a diagnosis if they have capacity but best to make this priority one.

Are they both diagnosed and on medication if it's Alzheimer's? This can slow the progress of the disease.

Attendance allowance - do you think they qualify? If so apply.

Can you find anything to help them with that they will let you help them with? They need to see that letting others in is beneficial to them as like many elderly they sound like they know they are becoming less capable and are closing ranks to the outside world to avoid detection.

Yep, onto Attendance Allowance and POA battles next. Pick your fights.

Oh dear, OP, it’s going to be virtually impossible to get the house redecorated if they don’t let you do a moment’s cleaning.

My old folks house stinks too. They lock all windows so no fresh air.
We avoid going round.
When they visit us, the smell lingers.....

If the smell is a bit like cheese or off meat then someone may have a sore that’s infected. My father has skin cancer and it does smell odd as does the treatment for it. Although not so terrible it gets to anyone else

It’ll be damp. It’s the same for my parents. I found mould on the sofa and net curtains the other day. They don’t open windows much at all or out the dehumidifier on.

Don’t really know how to get rid of it apart from open windows more regularly and dry clothes outside - none of which will be done

*Harbors

Do they have wall paper? That had ours smells

Are you sure it's not nonenal odour? Many elderly people have this, it's caused by some kind of fatty acids forming on the skin. It smells musty and sour, and it does tend to impregnate all other things in the home - blankets, coats, even plastics. Do your parents shower and wash their clothes regularly? My late DF did not shower much as it was too difficult for him mobility wise and the odour was particularly strong on him. Do your parents have an accessible shower?