Please help me figure out why my house smells

[lompla]

My house stinks. It's so embarrassing, I have to light multiple wax melts before someone comes over.

I have a dog but she's bathed/groomed regularly and not allowed on the sofas. I cleaned my carpets less than six months ago with enzyme cleaner and an industrial sized carpet cleaner.

I don't smoke or vape, shower at least once a day.

Every room smells, and it's not the same smell in each one. I open the windows every day, use plug ins and diffusers. Air fresheners. No dirty washing lying about. Bedding is changed weekly, I'm not great at cleaning but I do keep things relatively clean and tidy.

It smells as soon as you step in the house.

It's really getting me down! I'm worried that mine and DS must smell, or at least our clothes, as this is where we spend most of our time.

It also obviously puts me off from having guests.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Does the dog pee in the house? Even with the odd accident being cleaned up immediately it can leave a lingering smell.

Sour could be from a spilled dairy product that wasn't cleaned up well enough at the time. I lost a rug that way.

Mattresses/bedding can smell even if the sheets are clean. Also shoes by the door can stink, especially if you have sporty family members.

more obvious things, if you dry washing hanging over radiators and things inside and do lots of cooking it's good to open windows and get rid of the moisture. I'd also look for mould in any cupboards and things.

Hope you figure it out.

I'd agree with those who suggest a look for mould or damp, that's a sour smell to me.

My ILs have a stale musty smell in their house like this and I think it’s because they dry all their washing on their radiators. The smell really lingers even on our clothes when leave. They don’t notice the smell at all themselves.

I found getting rid of my carpet in the sitting room and having a wooden floor installed got rid of the smell. I think it might have been the underlay because like you I hired an industrial carpet cleaner and used a deodoriser too.

I just had a thought, if you have radiators perhaps you need to clean them? Is the smell more noticeable when the heating comes on?

Any house with a dog in it is going to smell a bit, though often the owner becomes oblivious to it.