I don't know where this smell is coming from

[Cantdonumbers]

I came downstairs this morning and there was a horrible smell in the kitchen. A typical food gone off/rotten potato sort of smell. But there is no gone off food or potatoes. I emptied and cleaned the bins, although they were clean and didn't smell. (I live alone so nobody to make a mess)
Then I looked at the fridge. Nothing going off, but the smell did seem to come from there so I took everything out and examined it (not all that much in there) and thoroughly cleaned the fridge with vinegar water. The smell seemed then to be coming from the gap between the fridge and the counter so I pulled the fridge out. Nothing there and no smell at all at floor level.

What could it be? I've never had mice, it's a mid-terrace 1980's house in a town.

And if I can't find the source, who can I ask?

Our drains in our Victorian house have been more smelly than normal this weekend. Could it be coming out if the plug in the kitchen sink? We get bad drains after it's been dry then the first rain after makes them smell fir a day 🫣 I just shove some white vinegar down the plug and leave for a bit 😁

We had this for a long time in our old house, and there was a drip tray that was really hard to access (back of the fridge if I recall), that was disgusting. It smelled like something had died 🤢 We managed to access it, empty and clean it and then it was fine-thank goodness!

This. You may be able to locate a small hole at the bottom back of the fridge which leads into a tray. It's annoying as you have to pull the fridge out completely to sort it out

Speaking from experience ….

There is probably a drip tray at the external base rear of the fridge. This tray gets contaminated by the detritus in the fridge cavity which leaches down the little drainage hole in the internal rear of your fridge.

Pull the fridge out again and look for that drip tray. Use a torch. Read the handbook.
Clean it out. You will probably find the smell goes away.
Took me weeks to work out what you are trying to ascertain. All good in my kitchen now and has never happened again.

Sounds like the drip tray is your culprit.

I would say it this too we'd had a milk carton leak overnight one time in Summer and some of it had gone into the hole at the bottom of the fridge and into the wee tray at the back, the smell was revolting in just a few hours.

Wow, it definitely sounds like the drip tray, that's why the fridge itself doesn't smell. I'm on it!! Thank you so much, what would I do without MN.

Check your oven for something you forgot you put in there.

I've done it! Not a word in the manual but once I looked it was obvious, it was screwed on.at the back. Absolutely disgusting - note to self, be more vigilant about stuff sticking to the back and getting down the little drain hole. I've never had this problem before in 60 years of fridge ownership, just lucky I guess.

Thank you all again.

Brilliant! So pleased it worked!