General 'stale' smell in house. Help!

[moonstorm]

I can't really describe it. It's not a food/ bad smell as such, but the house just doesn't smell 'nice' (or at least smell of nothing). I don't think it's a damp smell (it actually seems worse when the house has been locked up after a hot day)

We've redecorated since moving in and have replaced all carpets and curtains and the carpets have been washed recently. I have my windows permanently open when at home. We do have some mildew problems in the bathroom, but I am constantly trying to tackle this and it's not that bad...

I don't use many chemicals, so my house doesn't have the same low level perfume-y tyoe smell that other family members have who do use flash liquids etc. (ds had breathing problems when born, so we cut them out completely on advice, and haven't returned to using them since).

Does anyone have any suggestions??? I am pregnant, so I know I am more sensetive to smells, but even ds notices the sudden stale smell upon opening the front door.

Please help! It's really getting to me. Smells make such an impression when you go to someone's house and I am starting to feel awkward inviting people round.

Thanks for reading this essay!!!

Do you have any feather-filled cushions or quilts etc? They can smell musty and stale.
I am typing from my own stinky sofa. Despite spending an hour beating the cushions outside a few days ago.
Bloody thing, worst purchase I ever made....

We get this a bit too, I am the only one who seems to notice it however. Afraid I haven't got many suggestions that you haven't already tied. I do sometimes think that carpets get a bit pongy, even after cleaning, maybe try sprinkling bicarb over them, leaving for a few hours and hoovering up?

If cushions and pillows smell musty, a short blast in the tumble dryer helps.

Cushions could be an idea... The settee is new our treat after having a second had one for 12 years!

I might move all of the coats and shoes into a different area for a while - just occured to me it could be due to musty shoes/ coats??? (Doesn't have the obvious 'shoe closet' smell though...

Can you get shoes cleaned?? Inside I mean...

From reading these threads, I intend to try bicarb soon. I might sprinkle it on the floor in the morning and hoover in the evening...

Thanks for the quick replies.

You could try putting a few drops of tea tree oil in the shoes, fabreezing the coats and putting a little dish of bicarb in the coat area, too.

our drains sometimes get smelly. Could the u bend be a bit manky in one of your sinks?

Our house smells of wet dog if I don't Hoover for a while. Think it's coz we've still got the carpet the old owners had with their dog.

Wish we had enough cash to replace it!

Thanks for those tips. Will try them. I a, starting to think it's down to the hall carpet (which I do clean regularly, but might not be enough anymore). Was going to be temporary 5 years ago...

Where do you get tea tree oil from?

Thanks

Boots sell little bottles of it. Prob body shop too. Might try it with out doggy carpet

Check that radiators don't have a slow leak. It can soak into carpets and stink!

I was going to say what pantaloons did about drains - I sometimes come back in after a day out and get a whiff of something unpleasant, and when I went round sniffing like a bloodhound it seemed to be coming from the kitchen sink. Now if I remember to give it a dose of drain cleaner or soda crystals every so often it doesn't smell so bad....

Get some soda crystals and dump half a bag down each plughole, leave for a while then wash down with scalding water. A few drops of lavender, lemon or tea tree oil in your hoover filter makes it smell fresh without being too perfumey. Advice to sprinke bicarb everywhere is also good. At this time of year I empty bins constantly and try to avoid storing much veg because even a single spud a day past its best will reek. And what about a fan while your windows are open? I speak as a dog owner who also lives in a stale smelling house.

Ooh those tips ae great. Thank you.

Could be your hoover. If it gets stale then it makes a stale air smell every time you use it. Try sticking a cotton wool ball with 10 drops of your favourite essential oil inside the new bag. Our house has the same problem. Not sure why. It smells great when I've just washed the floors but apart from that it has a noticeable stale smell, despite open windows and lots of lovely home baking by my DP when he's not at work. Mind you I don't blitz the house every day...