VERY strange smell in downstairs loo.......

[Silvercoconut]

Apologies for the long and detailed post hahaha
My downstairs toilet is small, no window, has an extractor fan which turns on with the light switch.
I keep the Henry hoover in there, a couple of shelves have surplus bottles of liquid washing detergent on them, a bottle of nail polish remover, bottle of perfume, can of hair mousse.

It's never used unless somebody comes to visit and needs to wee. Since last Sunday, there has been an extremely strong smell of smoke in there!
Not like a barbecue or a bonfire, not exactly like cigarettes but maybe slightly cigaretty. (We don't smoke)
A bit like the smell of paper after it's been burnt, with a slight undertone of TCP maybe? Or cigar smell?

Literally from one day to the next. Nobody has been in it. I have checked every single bottle shelf, behind the toilet, the extractor fan, the hoover, everything and cannot find the source of this odour, nothing has leaked.
Left the door open, sprayed freshener, febreze, lit a candle, NOTHING.
THE SMELL WILL NOT GO.

Any ideas what it could be?? I am totally totally stumped!!!!

@berkshire65
😱 Yes I have, it's barely ever used, but about 10 days ago I had a friend over and she used the downstairs loo. She obviously would have turned the light on and therefore the extractor fan would have gone off.
It was after she left I noticed the smell.
When I pop in to grab the hoover I don't bother.
General consensus then is that it's an electrical issue omg, I'll be calling someone tomorrow.
Thank you!

Is someone having a sneaky smoke in there?

Get an electrician out

Was also going to say this

Maybe it's a ghost ...

If the light / extractor hadn't been turned on for months, it could just be a build up of dust on the bulb or motor which has got heated and burnt, causing the smell too.

Has anyone else been in there and can smell the burning smell too?

If so, as others have said electric fault?

If not, COVID can cause phantom burning smells ?

Could it be that because
"It's never used unless somebody comes to visit and needs to wee."
the toilet is not flushed frequently and there is stagnant water. In the heatwave the water starts to smell.
This happened to me. In the heatwave, bathroom that is not used a lot smells like there is a gas leak and I have to run water through the pipes every day to clear any stagnant water. Smells of gas has cleared.

Henry’s always smell weird ime