Smelly Room

[SenoritaViva]

Dneice has lived with us for almost a year (age 19). Her room never used to smell but now is potent with what I used to imagine was teenage boy smell (I grew up with brothers which I think is why I was convinced of my sexist views).
Why does it smell? We are moving into her room for a couple of nights at Christmas and I can't bear the thought of it!

Rotten food, mould, body odour from unwashed clothes are the first things that come to mind (also from dn experience)

Is her room aired regularly, teenagers seem to be allergic to fresh air in their rooms.

I think it is the clothes washing! It was better when she worked shorter hours as would add in clothes when I put a wash on. She's now working long hours and we are not so in tune (different working hours/patterns to me). She never puts a wash on herself, although I've made clear she should/can whenever she wants to.

Think I may need to gently mention something in a tactful way. Sigh.

She's better than most teenagers at airing her room and I'm more militant than most about food upstairs as my children are under ten so she's had to fit into a house that's essentially designed for younger (and middle aged!) people and rules such as no food upstairs.

Also bed clothes? Can't remember the last time she changed or washed them?!?

Surely it's not up to me to insist/direct/do the washing?! I get so many mixed messages here: she's young and can't help it vs she's an adult and should be treated like one. Sometimes hard to pitch.

When my ds's room smelled I bought him some antibacterial deodorant and that really helped, and as an air freshener I used zoflora in a spray bottle mixed with laundry cleanser (tesco own) and water. It really neutralises smells and with windows opened it's fresh again.

Thank you! She is not at all smelly herself... I think she'll be mortified so need to be subtle

Can you just say nearer the time

Can I do some of your washing to get it cleared for you before we sleep in your room

It’s probably mainly the bedding which presumably you or her will wash beforehand

Also may be too much but what about a pop up clothes basket for her room

Wash all her clothes and sheets (make sure her sheets are done every week) and red the room out of anything like trainers. Wash them if they are washable. Wash her duvet if you can get it in the machine and if not go to the laundrette and get it washed and also get her new pillows. Put a mattress protector on her bed so it gets washed every other time you do her sheets.

Put some vanish carpet stuff on the carpet and hoover it out too and hoover the mattress as well.

That should help

When my ex partners DN 15 lived with us the smell that came from his room was like death itself. A bike combination of spunk, sweat, farts, unwashed clothes and rotten food

Vile not bike ffs

Why not give her clean sheets for her to change the bed every week and ask her to pop the dirty ones in the machine?

No one is born knowing this stuff. Just explain that clothes need washing, beds need airing and changing, windows opening, rubbish removing etc.