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What's that smell?

18 replies

Engineweld · 17/11/2024 13:40

8 weeks ago, GS came to stay. New bed, new mattress, newly decorated a month prior to him staying, new bedding.
Before he moved in, I always kept the bedroom door halfway open 1)for circulation 2)my cat likes to mooch
The problem started within the first week. There was a sort of sharp tangy smell coming from his room. I stripped his bed, washed it with lots of fabric conditioner, and the smell went. Within the week, it came back again. It seemed to only go away when I put fresh bedding on but always came back within days.
GS left last week, I stripped the bed, haven't bothered remaking it but I can still smell whatever it is.
I've totally disinfected the room top to bottom including the floor and blinds.
There's next to nothing in the room except a sewing table, tv and metal bed frame so now I'm wondering if it's the mattress. I can smell that faint tangy smell on it, but I've put bicarb of soda all over it, steam cleaned it, used febreeze and left an air freshener in there.
I thought I was being paranoid about the smell but now my daughter can smell it slightly too.
I don't have damp anywhere and I'd never smelt anything before.
Could it be the mattress? Do teenagers rooms smell like that these days?

OP posts:
Paddybare · 17/11/2024 13:46

Vape ‘smoke’ can have a smell like that. A possibility?

LlamaDrama20 · 17/11/2024 13:53

How old is he?

Engineweld · 17/11/2024 15:18

LlamaDrama20 · 17/11/2024 13:53

How old is he?

He's 19 ..I just can't seem to get rid of the smell no matter what I do

OP posts:
Engineweld · 17/11/2024 15:21

Paddybare · 17/11/2024 13:46

Vape ‘smoke’ can have a smell like that. A possibility?

He doesn't smoke or vape ..

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 17/11/2024 15:42

Did you use a mattress protector?
Teen boys can smell a bit funky

Crabwoman · 17/11/2024 15:56

Does it smell a bit fishy as well? My parents' spare bedroom smelt 'off' for years - like a sharp, tangy, fishy smell, and it turned out to be the wiring in the ceiling light. Apparently, a fishy smell goes hand in hand with electrical fires.

If the room isn't used very often, then him using the electrics in there could have triggered it.

KnickerlessParsons · 17/11/2024 15:57

Weed?

heldinadream · 17/11/2024 16:01

Engineweld · 17/11/2024 15:21

He doesn't smoke or vape ..

Are you sure? Loads of people smoke and/or vape but hide it from loved ones. And very successfully too.
I'd almost put money on it being this...

Autumnweddingguest · 17/11/2024 16:01

Hmm. My adult DS2 'doesn't vape' either. But he has been staying with us and that smell is definitely coming from vapes. Also teenage boys can smell quite pungent. Even if they shower or bathe daily unless they use plenty of soap and elbow grease.

porridgecake · 17/11/2024 16:05

Crabwoman · 17/11/2024 15:56

Does it smell a bit fishy as well? My parents' spare bedroom smelt 'off' for years - like a sharp, tangy, fishy smell, and it turned out to be the wiring in the ceiling light. Apparently, a fishy smell goes hand in hand with electrical fires.

If the room isn't used very often, then him using the electrics in there could have triggered it.

We had this happen in one of the bedrooms not long after we moved in. We had to get someone in to look at the hot water tank and he could smell a fishy smell and discovered a switch burning out. I had no idea about this until he explained to us.

mnreader · 17/11/2024 16:06

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

rightoguvnor · 17/11/2024 16:10

Sometimes soft furnishings are packed in 'protective atmospheres' (gas) to stop damp developing while in storage and I've read that it can take up to six months for it to dissipate. Wasn't there a furore some years ago about the use of this on sofas?

Engineweld · 17/11/2024 16:52

dementedpixie · 17/11/2024 15:42

Did you use a mattress protector?
Teen boys can smell a bit funky

Unfortunately I didn't

OP posts:
Engineweld · 17/11/2024 16:53

Crabwoman · 17/11/2024 15:56

Does it smell a bit fishy as well? My parents' spare bedroom smelt 'off' for years - like a sharp, tangy, fishy smell, and it turned out to be the wiring in the ceiling light. Apparently, a fishy smell goes hand in hand with electrical fires.

If the room isn't used very often, then him using the electrics in there could have triggered it.

I used it probably twice a week as it's my sewing room too ..I don't know about fishy, just a tangy acrid smell

OP posts:
Engineweld · 17/11/2024 16:58

Autumnweddingguest · 17/11/2024 16:01

Hmm. My adult DS2 'doesn't vape' either. But he has been staying with us and that smell is definitely coming from vapes. Also teenage boys can smell quite pungent. Even if they shower or bathe daily unless they use plenty of soap and elbow grease.

He's never been into smoking or vaping ..plus he'd have no problem with admitting it as I vape too ..I started off vaping indoors but realised I was defeating the object of stopping smoking, so now only vape outside ..but I have never come across this smell before

OP posts:
JumpstartMondays · 17/11/2024 16:59

Engineweld · 17/11/2024 15:21

He doesn't smoke or vape ..

That you know of....

Engineweld · 17/11/2024 17:00

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

I've been smelling the mattress and can't seem to find anything wrong with it ..it was only when he was sleeping on it ..maybe I've just forgot how bad teenage boys can smell??

OP posts:
Engineweld · 17/11/2024 17:02

KnickerlessParsons · 17/11/2024 15:57

Weed?

It's definitely not that ..my neighbour smokes it really bad so I know that smell ..especially in summer when I'm trying to enjoy the peace and quiet outside and all I smell os that 😡

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