PLEASE HELP! WE ARE THE SMELLY FAMILY! WHAT CAN I DO??

[debka]

My mum just said that my house, me, DH and DDs have a distinctive and not-entirely-pleasant smell. DD1 is 3 and my mum is worried that she will be The Smelly Girl in school :(

I am horrified at this. I had no idea.

DDs are small and I am a SAHM. I probably don't clean enough- probably a good going over once every 3 weeks a fortnight. Clothes all washed frequently. Girls bathed daily, I shower every other day.

DH, however, is another matter. He has a wash and cleans his teeth every day, but only showers about once a month, if that. Underwear changed daily, t-shirt probably twice a week. I don't notice him smelling, but apparently he does :( I will talk to him about it but I doubt he will do anything. If I get the house and linen etc in tip top sparkly condition will he infect it all with smelliness? :(

Please, any ideas, advice, encouragement very welcome.

what do you cook?
I think a family's smell often has more to do with the cooking than the human being smell?

Also, do you open windows much, it could be just not enough airing too.

Once a month is very infrequent to shower, though, not sure how you can work on that but I would think that unless he's sitting around the house all day, it wouldn't give the house its smell, would it? Especially given that his clothes are generally clean.

Can you get a second opinion on the smell?

Can she elaborate?? Everyone has a "house smell" - perhaps she just doesn't like yours for some reason?

Do you have pets/smoke/cook lots of greasy or smelly food, or have piles of things in the house or in the sink - washing up or dirty laundry?

I guess that the showering thing might be contributing - when you say he has a wash every day, does that include under arms, with soap? Because if so then I don't see that it would be a problem, bit rank (doesn't his, um, willy get a bit cheesy?) but nothing life threatening.

Other things I can think of - is your main bin in the kitchen, and how often is it emptied, and do you rinse recycling jars etc before putting them in the box if you use one?

Is there any mould or damp in the house?

Showers once a month? Wears the same t-shirt for days on end? Jesus. Does he have MH issues, or is just skanky?

If he's not sitting at home all day, I doubt that it would make the house smell, though.

Good question re:cooking.

Is your house damp?

Far better for your Mum to tell you than anyone else.

Do you have pets in the house? I know mine sometimes smells a bit 'doggy' which may cling to clothes.

I would try to get your DH into the shower a bit more often though.

Bins.
Cat litter.
How do you store used nappies?
Mould/damp?

Sorry but yes he probably does smell, and quite badly if he only showers once a month - why doesn't he want to wash more? Not sure that would make you and your DC smell though!

Do you have any pets? Are you able to dry clothes outside or tumble dry? Sometimes clothes that take too long to dry can be smelly?

Sorry to hear you're worried about this all. Have you got a close friend you can ask an honest opinion of?

My sisters agree we are smelly.

We have a dog, and I cook at least once a day. Not greasy food (on diet) (am fat as well as smelly). You may be on to something with the airing, DH is paranoid about draughts so windows are never opened and all gaps are sealed. I will try giving the house a good airing when he's out.

Re him- it's head and hair only daily afaik, with soap.

Old flower water.
Sardines tins left in the kitchen bin on regular basis.

I was going to ask about what you cook too! Dp worked with a man who stank (?) of grease, we also knew his gf and dd and all were very well turned out - showered, clean clothes etc but they always had that smell. We presume that they fried food alot and the smell stuck to everything in the house.

but at least your mum told you.

I'd be surprised if it's a lack of housework that's causing you to smell. I think if you're giving it a good clean every other week it is unlikely to smell badly enough to make you all smell yourselves unless you're leaving dirty pots hanging around for a fortnight at a time! Do you think your clothes are getting dried properly - in winter it's sometimes hard to get things dry quickly and they can smell musty and mildewy. Are you drying clothes near to cooking food? Are you airing the house well enough so cooking smells, damp air from washing, etc don't linger?

I doubt your dh can be dirty enough to make everything else smell, but you get rid of other smells you may end up noticing his smell more

You mean he washes his penis and bum once a month?

Aw Debka.

Right. You need to air the house and sod what his worrying about draughts.

And his armpits???

Yes, smelly DH and a house that's never aired could be the reason. Maybe.

I think frying can really make a house smell.

The airing does sound like a possibility.
Definitely let the breeze blow through the house regularly..while he's out,if he finds draughts unpleasant though he's one to talk only showering once a month

How often is the bedding changed? Because if your husband is only having a shower once a month, then the bed will be smelling bad and even if you shower every second day you will pick up the bad smell from the bed.

When you say he washes every day..what does he use to wash? Is it hot soapy water and rinsing well or a wipe of a stinking flannel that is rarely washed? Becuase it makes a difference.

Why do you doubt he will do anything? You'll have to lay down the law to him. Let hi know it's not acceptable to be smelly!

House is warm and very damp, the walls get mouldy. This is probably related to the lack of airing, isn't it.

Nappies go out every other day, washables straight into a bucket which I think is sealed and non smelly but now I am doubting everything.

I will put washing bins on my newly made schedule of cleaning.

DH is a little depressed I think and v v lazy. He says the bathroom is cold.

Are you washing towels and bedding often? You will need to have a shower first thing if you are sleeping with DH, his smell may stick to you.

I imagine your house smells of unwashed people, not your lack of housework - unless you're at the Kim'n'Aggie stage. DD has just started needing her hair washing more frequently than a couple of times a week -gone from the baby smell to a vaguely grubby niff. I could smell it in her room, not a nasty smell but a definite person smell - like skin.
Anyway, if I can smell that in a room from a slightly sweaty child, imagine how your DH must be making your house hum.

Your husband needs to shower - preferable daily. This will sort the issue out, I'm sure. What does he say on the matter?

Shower every day. Wash hair. This includes your skank of a DP.
Use deodorant. This includes your skank of a DP.
Clean underwear and tshirt every day. This includes your skank of a DP.
Hoover every day.
Clean the kitchen and bathroom every day.
Wash all bedding weekly.
Dust and polish weekly.
Open the windows, and air the house. Every day.
Fried food make houses smell. So do lots of spicy foods.
Keep pets/accoutrements clean.