My house smells so horrible I'm considering moving

[JacqueslePeacock]

Please help - you're my last resort! My house smells disgusting and I have no idea what it is. I live in a Victorian terrace which we bought 2 years ago. The smell is worst in the hallway but is also pretty bad in the sitting room, just off the hall. I struggle to describe the stench, but it reminds me of some kind of stinky dried mushrooms, or perhaps just really horrible ingrained dirt.

I've had the carpets cleaned professionally - no improvement. I've had a damp company come in with their damp-o-meter - no damp. I've pulled up part of the carpet in the hall, but it's just clean, bare floorboards underneath. What the hell can it be?? We've just come home from 2 days away and the house has been shut up, and the smell is so overpowering that I've told DH we'll have to move.

breathing a (fragrant) sigh of relief for you!

Great news!

Brilliant and easily sortable - pleased for you (long time lurker)

Ah brilliant! Well done to you and to my DH who told me what to say!

Thanks all. Came in today after work - almost no smell at all! It's the first time in about two years that I haven't had a horrible sinking feeling on coming in my front door. I am so relieved. :)

I live in a 1930s semi and have a dreadful smell to live with also. It has become the nightmare of my life at present. I have to air the house 3 times a day to keep the smell under control and it’s very cold st present so wafting heat each time I open front back door and windows.
Clean water section of Thames Water have ruled out problems with pipes or follow up problems to a pipe leak from summer
Waste water section of Thames Water have ruled out blockages but have identified some cracks on pipes in line with age of pipes. The smell is at its worst near the entrance hall under the stairs in a cupboard where the smart meters are installed. There is a tiny loo also next to the cupboard but no leaks or issues with the plumbing there. It smells something between an unflashed toilet and rotten eggs. The smell is never at an exact spot.
Gas has been checked and ruled out. It has been suggested that there might be a rodent in the pipes or under the floor boards dying but the smell comes and goes i.e. not constant which doesn’t add up. It has been going on for around six months now avd driving is all crazy. Everyone comes does their bit to check water, gas, plumbing, tells me not the problem but smell continues.
My next step is to get the pipes flashed out.
Any pointers, ideas would be most welcome.

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A ten year old thread?