HELP. Horrible smell in 2 kitchen cupboards.

[Rhysandswife]

We moved into a 5 year old new build six months ago and I'm being tormented by the smell of something disgusting, kinda fishy coming from 2 of my kitchen cupboards. Weirdly, the one next to them smells fine. Every time I open the cupboards I want to scream. I've scrubbed the hell out of them.

I had a handyman out and he removed the kick boards and there was nothing under there, barely even any dust, no sign of damp or wet patches. I then made him remove the back of the cupboards too (in desperation) and still nothing. But, when he first opened them he said he couldn't smell much but as soon as he took the back off the smell hit him.

So what could it be? It can't be anything dead, there's nothing there at all and it's as strong as it was 6 months ago.

Please help.

I’d get an electrician in to give it a once over. Fishy smells can often be related to electrics.

Yup. Where's the plug for the dishwasher? There's often a couple of sockets tucked away in cupboards for that & the washing machine.

To give an idea of Friday afternoon apprentice work, my oven in a new build was trashed because they'd put a bit of bog standard, chopped off extension lead in instead of a proper oven power cable - and then put it directly underneath and touching the oven, not safely away from the hot metal. It obviously melted and shorted out in the process (as luckily, the Sparks had already done the isolation switch and RCD properly).

Oh no! Ok, I will get on the hunt for one tomorrow.

@NeverDropYourMooncup (what an amazing username) it's not near the dishwasher but they are next to the hob. Hmmmm. But the cupboard it's most strong in has plug sockets above it.

Anyone else got any ideas please?

BUMPING because the smell is stronger and it's making me like a mad woman obsessed.

I got out an electrician who said the smell was awful once he removed the kkckboards and back of cupboards, but definitely not an electrical smell. He checked all sockets anyway and all was fine.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO!

There are no pipes under there of any kind, just wall. Outside (it's a detached house) no pipes or drains.

So other than tear my outside wall down brick by brick what can I do?

Something died in the wall

Dead rodents?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1320208-to-think-i-can-leave-a-decomposing-rat-in-the-wall-cavity-to-decompose

Sounds silly but there isn’t a potato hiding is there?
rotten potatoes are the worst smell ever and it’s so hard to get it out.

As a tip.. pour baking soda into a bowl and place in the cupboard to try and soak up the smell?

are these cupboards near plug sockets or cooker hood? @Rhysandswife

Agree with a pp that smell is synonymous with wiring melting/overheating

oops; you've already had electrician check, sorry

Is it anywhere near the fridge? At the back of the fridge, you'll have a drip tray, and if it gets blocked or whatever, it produces the most disgusting smell I've ever encountered:

Nowhere near the fridge or sink. It's a corner cupboard and the one next to it.

AND IT'S GETTING STRONGER! LORD HELP ME!

Have you lifted out the shelves in those cupboards and checked underneath them?

Maybe somebody had potatoes go bad 🤮🤮, lifted them out, and just turned the shelf over??

Do you keep food in your cupboard? If so maybe there are some foods that are out of date.

Hello, no food in either cupboard, just used for bowls etc. The cupboards have been bleached to within an inch of their lives!

The smell was overpowering when the handyman and electrician pulled the back of the cupboards off and had their heads in the space behind. So whatever it is isn't coming from the actual cupboards.

HELPPPPP

I had a very strong fishy smell in my DD’s bedroom when it was warmer weather. It would come and go and just be particularly strong when it was hot. I found out from a woodworking friend that a glue sometimes used in furniture has a very strong fishy smell. It would make sense as the smell vanished once she grew older and we got rid of her wooden bunk bed. Could they have used some sort of glue in that corner when fitting the kitchen, something to seal something maybe? You have my sympathies OP!!!

Can you post a pic?

This is exactly what I was going to say. A lost rotting potato was my biggest issue!

100% no food, and it's not glue as it's getting stronger and stronger. It's honestly driving me mad.

No food in those cupboards and the backs and kickboards have been fully removed and thoroughly checked behind. Both handyman and electrician suggested maybe a blocked sewage pipe but how would we get help for that? Everything flushes/flows fine and there are absolutely no visible pipes inside or outside the property

We had a terrible smell a few months ago. I had defrosted some chicken stock.. It spilled over.. We cleaned it up. A few days later there was a terrible smell. We took everything out of the cupboard and there was some rancid chicken stock in one of the pyrex dishes.. It had dripped down between two work top edges.... 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮 🤮

What's on the other side of the wall? What is the all made of? What are the cabinets made of?

It's brick walls, detached house so nothing there, just the side of our house.

The cupboards are wood I think but not where we prepare food and 100% nothing is under or in there, the handyman had everything out and searched with full lights and made videos, there's nothing in the back of the cupboards or below.

It must be somehow in the wall or under the floor. What do I do? Can't tear my house down 😭which I feel like doing

If it where a pipe problem, I'd be expecting a damp or sulphur smell. Only exception to that if it you've got a toilet on the other side, overall I'd expect a damp smell but mixed with urine maybe that could be the culprit.

Where is the downpipe from the toilet?

No idea, but there's not one above it. Just a bedroom. The cupboard is literally the back corner of the house. I'll get pics hang on!