Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

My new house smells

43 replies

Birdies · 02/12/2023 08:26

I've posted before in Property I think but it's now really making me anxious.

We've just moved to what we thought was our dream home but the smell is driving us mad. We never noticed it when we viewed. It's a bit like lillies but fusty ones. When we leave the house our hair smells of it.

There are no carpets. All wooden floors with underfloor heating (which makes it worse).

Can anyone think what it might be? Bought an air purifier but the smell is still there.

OP posts:
Limetreee · 02/12/2023 09:20

Our new house had a strange smell for over a year. We changed everything, spent a fortune on candles and diffusers.i hated it, the only thing that helped a bit was to use the same cleaning products and candles I’d used in my other house. It’s gone now or I’ve got used to it, not sure which. The only thing I can smell now is whatever diffuser I currently have.

Original poster
Birdies · 02/12/2023 09:23

The floors aren't treated (just lightly painted) which makes me think any floor product used must sink in a bit and then be released when the floor warms up.

@Towerofsong I'm so sensitive to smells that it makes me extremely anxious. Also slightly ocd about breathing bad air in.

Got a diffuser on now to cover it up a bit.

I know 2 days is nothing but I keep worrying about it never going as we've invested so much and it was my idea to move.

OP posts:
Towerofsong · 02/12/2023 10:34

Birdies · 02/12/2023 09:23

The floors aren't treated (just lightly painted) which makes me think any floor product used must sink in a bit and then be released when the floor warms up.

@Towerofsong I'm so sensitive to smells that it makes me extremely anxious. Also slightly ocd about breathing bad air in.

Got a diffuser on now to cover it up a bit.

I know 2 days is nothing but I keep worrying about it never going as we've invested so much and it was my idea to move.

I get it, I'm the same, and it's worse in the middle of high stress events like moving house or starting a new job.

Maybe leave the heating on full blast, open all the doors and windows so any floor product get a chance to "burn off"?

And then turn the heating off, apply your own, let it sink in and then turn it on again?

Freakinfraser · 02/12/2023 10:36

Birdies · 02/12/2023 09:23

The floors aren't treated (just lightly painted) which makes me think any floor product used must sink in a bit and then be released when the floor warms up.

@Towerofsong I'm so sensitive to smells that it makes me extremely anxious. Also slightly ocd about breathing bad air in.

Got a diffuser on now to cover it up a bit.

I know 2 days is nothing but I keep worrying about it never going as we've invested so much and it was my idea to move.

Have you sought treatment for your anxiety or potential ocd?

CurlyCabbage · 03/12/2023 03:29

You know people follow the Hinch cleaning types on socials and spray those silly bottles filled with laundry conditioner everywhere and use it to clean everywhere including skirting and radiators. Maybe thats what they've done and why its worse when heating is on. Either get a cleaner in to do a professional clean once or twice over and especially over skirting, doorframes and radiators, or get some decent cleaning products in and do it yourself. 2 days is no time at all to get the place smelling like home yet.

Nofilteritwonthelp · 03/12/2023 03:41

2 days is nothing OP, kindly, get a grip. Just air it out and if nothing changes after a week, wipe down all surfaces. It's probably the cleaning liquid smell and it will go away eventually

flowerchild2000 · 03/12/2023 03:52

What kind of heating is it? Some gases smell sweet. I'm no expert, I was investigating a funny smell of my own recently and ran across this info.

If it's coming from the flooring the wood might have absorbed smells from scents they used frequently. You could buy a large container of bicarbonate soda, sprinkle it over the floor of the entire house and leave it to sit as long as possible. It's really wonderful for absorbing odors and very inexpensive. Side story- A friend's family I grew up with is Pakistani and their house permanently smelled of spices, it was so wonderful. Everyone took in a deep breath when they came inside. When they eventually sold the house everyone was so sad because we'd never smell it again- it took decades to accumulate like that. I've often wondered if the new family appreciates it or went to great lengths to get rid! They would have had to replace everything but the wood structure for sure. I'm sure your previous owners used the same air freshener for a long time as well. 2 days is not a lot though- when I painted my walls recently it took a week just for the paint fumes to die down.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 03/12/2023 04:07

Has someone been vaping in the house? I had a lodger vaping in my guest room, unknown to me, and it took a couple of months for the smell to go.

SutWytTi · 03/12/2023 07:10

Birdies · 02/12/2023 09:23

The floors aren't treated (just lightly painted) which makes me think any floor product used must sink in a bit and then be released when the floor warms up.

@Towerofsong I'm so sensitive to smells that it makes me extremely anxious. Also slightly ocd about breathing bad air in.

Got a diffuser on now to cover it up a bit.

I know 2 days is nothing but I keep worrying about it never going as we've invested so much and it was my idea to move.

Anxiety increases at times of stress, moving house is known to be a high stress event, are you taking self-care measures for the anxiety?

KevinDeBrioche · 03/12/2023 07:29

Two days?!

open all the windows and clean from top to bottom.

Jellybean85 · 03/12/2023 07:37

Really normal! Whenever we've moved it's taken a few weeks to make a house smell like us and not old occupants or dusty if it's been empty. It's only an issue if it's strong fag smoke smell

Freakinfraser · 03/12/2023 08:43

ChocolateCinderToffee · 03/12/2023 04:07

Has someone been vaping in the house? I had a lodger vaping in my guest room, unknown to me, and it took a couple of months for the smell to go.

Two months for water vapour to go? 🤨

TerfTalking · 03/12/2023 08:50

Took 18 months at DDs house before it stopped smelling like Helen’s house (previous owner).

at mine I had to redecorate and rip up carpets before it stopped smelling of Dalmatian.

I think carpets are the worst offender for retaining odours.

Original poster
Birdies · 03/12/2023 09:13

Thanks everyone. An update as had someone look at the shower room yesterday and seems there is a leak under the tiles which probably explains the fusty smell. We've put a dehumidifier in there and will look to get a new shower in the new year (although very annoying as would have lowered our offer if we'd known).

Perfume smell maybe is just previous owner smell/products they've used then, as lots of you have said. I appreciate all the replies, including the get a grip ones - all have been helpful!

OP posts:
TheGreenBow · 05/11/2025 20:59

It’s the OP here. Two years on it still smells. We don’t notice it once we’ve been in for a while but when we’ve been out and come back in it stinks of fust. I’ve just been in hospital and my DH brought some clothes from the house in for me and they also stank of damp.

I’ve discovered that the smell is coming from any gaps in the floor like under skirting boards and so I’ve caulked under them as much as I could. We’ve taken the floor up in the shower room but didn’t see any signs of damp. It’s so disappointing as the house would be perfect if not for this smell.

We do have voids under the floors so I wonder if it’s worth taking the floor up in another room. Humidity readers are near 70% in several rooms but there are no signs of damp other than the damp smell.

Any further thoughts/advice would be appreciated!

Christmasisonitsway · 06/11/2025 22:13

TheGreenBow · 05/11/2025 20:59

It’s the OP here. Two years on it still smells. We don’t notice it once we’ve been in for a while but when we’ve been out and come back in it stinks of fust. I’ve just been in hospital and my DH brought some clothes from the house in for me and they also stank of damp.

I’ve discovered that the smell is coming from any gaps in the floor like under skirting boards and so I’ve caulked under them as much as I could. We’ve taken the floor up in the shower room but didn’t see any signs of damp. It’s so disappointing as the house would be perfect if not for this smell.

We do have voids under the floors so I wonder if it’s worth taking the floor up in another room. Humidity readers are near 70% in several rooms but there are no signs of damp other than the damp smell.

Any further thoughts/advice would be appreciated!

Two years!! Have you had a professional in to survey? I can't believe you've been living with it that long.

TheGreenBow · 06/11/2025 22:54

Yeah we had a damp surveyor in but he wanted the floors up but wouldn’t do it for us or say which floors and then went quiet. Had a handyman take some floor up in two rooms and saw nothing.

The thing is it’s fine when we don’t stay away for a night or more. We don’t notice anything while in the house it’s only when we come back from being away that we notice the fusty smell. Or on clothes that have been in the house when we are away.

canyon2000 · 07/11/2025 16:48

Incognito1975 · 02/12/2023 09:11

It could be a dead rodent behind walls, under floor or in attic. If so it might take some time but will eventually go completely

I don't think dead rodents smell of lilies!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page