Embarrassing problem! Need advice

[Serena1977]

So embarrassed so I'm asking anonymously.

Me and dh's bedroom smells of BO and has done for a few months. We shower/bath everyday and wash everything at 60 degrees once a week. I have the windows open all day. I have cleaned the whole room extremely thoroughly and clean regularly anyway. I have had the curtains dry cleaned, replaced the duvets and pillows and bed spread. Sometimes it seems a bit less then it's back.

Nowhere else in the house smells, we don't, the kids rooms don't. My last idea is the mattress but I can't afford to replace it and it's not that old and super comfy.

Any advice greatly welcomed!

Crossed posts OP!

People sweat an average of a litre a night, thats all soaking in mattresses etc

Had you not been sure that it wasn't weed I would have put my money on that. You'd be surprised how far that smell can travel, through walls.

Following with interest as I'm now invested

When you say you repainted did you use valsper paint? The mix your own colour in B&Q paint. I went crazy when my daughters room smelt, only smelt when windows open. Turned out it was the paint and is known for it! I even had watchdog call me for an interview as they were looking at it as a big problem nationally.

Decomposing mice or rats.
We had a horrible smell in our previous house after the pest controller had done his job. The smell was like body odour/ cooked cabbage.

Yes to the paint issue @mylittlebubble! We had this and had to repaint. The smell was worse when the sun shone on it. The smell was more urine than BO though.

Fascinated by this thread....and in particular how a wardrobe can have BO!!! What on earth could cause it to smell that way??!

I"m certain you have damp in your room.

Damp can smell like BO I'm sure.

Also had a fishy lightbulb a few years ago!

Did you lie on the floor and sniff the carpet?

If it doesn't smell, do not get it wet unless you know you have good, new underlay. The stink of old underlay that has been shampooed when a carpet is cleaned is truly foul. Nothing will shift it. Not vinegar, bicarb, shake & vac, fresh air. A dehumidifier works briefly but it comes back.

If it is noticeable when it is humid check the floor.

Febreze is toxic.

If your mum has been in the room and can smell it too then it's not what I was going to suggest - Covid having changed your sense of smell and playing havoc with it.

I think it could be dead/live rats or mice in the loft, as someone else suggested. Or neighbours smoking weed.

It could be faulty wiring in a light switch or socket.

I'm shocked wardrobes, bulbs & switches can smell

wow. I never would have thought of half of these.

Do you have a fan in your room? My in laws have a fan that absolutely stinks

Its probably the mattress.

I agree. Has either of you ever wet the bed? If so, the odour will be locked in the mattress.

Is the wardrobe a built in one, wall to wall through to your neighbours?
If so, I would suggest your neighbours are growing cannabis and the smell is emanating through the walls. 🌱🌱🌱

Do you have carpet? My parents have the sun shining on their carpet in their living room and for some reason it has made the carpet smell like BO. It's awful. It's not old or dirty , and it's just the patch that the sun hits. They have put a giant rug over it and it has stopped the smell

We've had stinky light switches and dead rodents and my parents had smelly wardrobes when I was a child.
If you're sure it's the mattress can you move the bed and mattress or just mattress into another room for a week, and see if the smell travels?

Does your hotel room smell when you're on holiday?

Try sniffing your windows. Our old plastic windows smell of BO! But only if you get close.

Try both using odaban or driclor antiperspirant. When you wash the bedding use Whizz laundry sanitiser, it’s not tested on animals like dettoll, and wash the mattress topper weekly.

Bought this recently

Envii Bed Fresh - Mattress and Bedding Deodoriser, Freshener and Urine Cleaner Spray

to stop my couch smelling of dog (can't stand Febreeze) it had really good reviews for cleaning mattresses, I figured if it could work on smelly mattresses it could definitely handle a dog smelling couch and it has

Fishy smell from electrics is overheating from plug sockets or light fittings.Its dangerous.

Please don't laugh .
We had a similar smell , and were advised by an electrician friend ,to check the ceiling bulb bayonet fitting . Evidently the bakelite of the bulb holder emits a fishy sweaty smell as it breaks down with age.
Hope its something simple like this.
Good luck