What the Smell? Olfactory Assault!

We've been living in this small low-income apartment for a decade now....and we do our best to make the most of our situation.

It's nothing special - quiet modest really - but it's the first real "home" my husband and I have had in a long time.

We do our best to keep everything clean and in good order, and even though the usual staying power of our neighbors is six months to a year as they move into bigger homes rather quickly. I kind of envy them that, I will admit. We're stuck here come hell or high water.

It's not the first time we have been plagued with a horrendous smell from sources unknown, and before you ask - it's not anything spoiled or unclean in our personal dwelling. I'm overtly fastidious about keeping things in order in that respect, and my husband is no less diligent.

This time is smells like rotted flesh and some odd spices or seasonings, and it is absolutely overwhelming. It's taking everything in my power not to throw up right now. Over the years, we've collected a variety of odor-busters from fresheners to incense and candles all the way to industrial grade solvents in an attempt to stave off the invasive smells.

I've lit a candle tonight and opened as many windows as possible.
I'm hoping the rain remains at bay until the worst of the odor has cleared out.

I'm just amazed at how many people don't understand the two main cardinal rules of apartment dwelling - sound travels, smells permeate.

I have to go now, someone in the unit next door just decided to crank the volume up to eleven.

*sigh*

Happy Holidays.

Don't look at me like that.... the dog did it.

a reply to: Hefficide

I didn't know you were a Great Dane in a previous life!

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Could it be something as simple as one of the neighbors has let their garbage pile up? Or their toilet stop up? If you are renting -report it to the landlord. Anyway, sounds dreadful, and I hope you figure out what it is.

(Of course I'm thinking 'killer clown' (John Wayne Gacy) and all those bodies he had buried under the house. But that's my twisted mind....... couldn't possibly be anything that sinister.)

Hope you find it and eradicate it! Oh, one more thing..... mouse died in the wall? I had a mouse die in a closet once and GAWD! Those things are small, but the smell was fierce!

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I have saw a couple things make really funky smells. A spent mouse trap in a long forgotten spot under a dishwasher or refrigerator. Or you could have a problem like I'm having at the moment, a terrible smell coming from the shower drain. Maybe someone can give me some advice on the drain smell??? Good luck on your stench-search!! Over heard stories pic animals dieing between floor joists and between walls. Hopefully you just have a soiled mouse trap under twee dishwasher. Let us know how this turns out for ya

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

In our quad, there is only one other resident currently occupying a unit. The other two units are vacant at the moment. They're right below us and while we've never had a chance to formally meet, they seem nice and have two beautiful little ones. We've exchanged friendly greetings in passing, but nothing substantial enough to warrant knocking on the door and intruding on their family time together.

I'm thinking it may have been a cooking experiment gone slightly awry....since I lit the candle it's masked a large percentage of whatever the most noxious elements were. There's no way it could have been a little mouse, it was far too thick and heady for such a little wee beastie.

We usually don't like bringing these types of complaints to management attention, mainly because we don't like getting folks in trouble over small things. Yes, it's discomforting and can really ruin the evening until the smells diffuse but neither of us want any tenants (especially ones just getting by with two wee ones) getting written up over what could have just been an accident.

I'll talk to hubby when he wakes up and see if he feels it's enough to warrant an office visit.

Thanks for the kind advice.
*hugs*

(edit to add : You mentioned G.W. Gacy and I was thinking more along the lines of a Jeffery Dahmer dinner party, lol!)

I had these neighbors once who cooked chitlens and something else. I tell you, the smell was worse than sewage. It lingered for a long time, too. It might be bad cooking or something like that. Or, maybe something crawled into a wall and died. How long has it been like that?

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

When apartments are vacant for a while the "P" traps under neath the sinks dry out, allowing sewer gas to rise. Simple fix might be your maintance men to turn on the water in the lower apartments to fill the "P" traps back up.

a reply to: rustydog

Baking soda and vinegar. Look it up!

Hope you all get your odors in order!

Sounds like it may be sewer gas to me. It could be somehow coming from a different apartment too. Sewer gas is funny, most times the gas goes through the vent pipe on the roof, but sometimes it will back up through a dry trap or around a leaky seal on a toilet. Sometimes it can smell very bad and burn your eyes while other times it smells a little sweet.

They have testers for that. Maybe you could call the landlord and tell them and ask if one of the vacant apartments has a dried out drain. If the vent isn't right, the water can be sucked out the trap. Sometimes a pigeon will fall into the sewer pipe and block it off too. I saw one onetime sitting on a sewer vent pipe and fall off but it fell backwards and hit the roof. It was trying to stay warm but got overcome by the fumes but it could have just as easily fell into the pipe.

I also had a squirrel in my oil hot water heater one times, it fell down the chimney. Another time I had a partridge flapping in the bottom of the chimney. By the time I got to it it had died, I tossed it out into the ravine. I was kind of leery of opening the cleanout, I did not know what it was.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Report it to the office if it is still stinky around there.

We often have to send out "bad air quality" notices to residents here for stinks of several types.

In the meantime, take some pine sol and wipe down your front door with it. It will help to keep the smell out of your apartment and in the hall. If you have a building like mine, and they are on the opposite side of your hall, the air could be flowing from that side of the building to your side. If that is the case, also put a towel under your door to help stop the smell from coming in.
I get to deal with this stuff a lot...lol

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

I used to live near the Salton Sea in SoCal and if the wind blew from the south during one of the many massive fish die offs the whole Coachella Valley would reek like a well used open pit toilet.

Sounds like sewer gas to me too. We had that problem a couple times a year where we used to live in FL. It was all we could do to not vomit when the gas backed up. It was usually followed within a day or two of a maintenance truck flushing the neighborhood out from the street. We'd be good for a good 4-6 months, then the reek would come back, and so would the boys & the truck.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

If it were something coming from the drains, then vinegar does wonders.

But if it's truly coming from someone else around you, there isn't a lot that you can do. I mean, if you are absolutely sure that you know where the offender is, then report the apartment number (What I did was I put a little water on the nose to help "smell", then I went out in the hallway to see if I couldn't find a strong spot).

Or, if you have a bit of a devil in you - Find the most repulsive Febreeze/Air freshener you can find, and when you smell the odor again, spray it all around their doorway (I've done this twice - first time it was because the owner would smoke right outside our door, and the second because the owner was smoking something not allowed on our lease terms). Both times got rid of the problem.*

Personally, I'd just report the smell, and try to call them over when it is pretty bad.

-fossilera

originally posted by: GENERAL EYES
This time is smells like rotted flesh and some odd spices or seasonings, and it is absolutely overwhelming.

Not to spook you or anything ... but have you had the place blessed? Many times evil spooks will come with a smell like that. It can't hurt to have the place blessed and/or properly smudge and see if that takes care of things. You never know.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

We'll be speaking with the office on Monday to rule out these possible sources.

a reply to: FlyersFan

I will admit, that crossed my mind.

I kind of didn't want to delve into that aspect because I wanted to rule out more conventional sources first. I've read and heard tell locally of stories involving the presence of demonics that sometimes infest dwellings with similar odors.

My husband isn't fond of such talk, so I've learned to keep rather mum on that subject lately....silly me, I keep forgetting it's completely kosher to discuss such things here on site.

I did notice when the white vanilla candle in the living room was lit and some Nag Champa was burned in my personal space that the smell abated rather quickly. I won't get into my religious/spiritual practices because it's convoluted and hard to explain, but I am aware of such malign spirits being calmed by certain scents.

For some reason, white candles and Indian incense works better in these cases...I have smudged with white sage before, but my husband is somewhat sensitive to it's perfume so it's reserved for the stairwell outside. Speaking of which, I haven't had a bundle for some time and should probably hit the shoppes for some in the near future.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

My first thought was someone very close by has done commited a heinous crime and now, unfortunately the stench of this person's actions is beginning to show. Alarm bells rang in my mind when you mentioned "rotten flesh".

I'd notify every department I could think of. Health dept, owner of premises, local council, police, waste management (if in your area). Get to the bottom of it. I would hate to see either yourself or others begin to develop an illness from this. Peace, Love and LIght.

a reply to: Starangel

Thanks for the advice, but the smell abated rather quickly.

Bothering so many people in official capacity over a smell in an apartment seems somewhat excessive.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Perhaps there is a dead rodent somwhere or larger animal. (My money is still on a body of the larger variety) and when rigor mortis subsides the stench then begins.

If you or your health is at risk then in my opinion that's what the relevant departments are for. Good luck with it. Peace, Love and Light.

a reply to: GENERAL EYES

Hey GE ! Best of the season to you ! ( well; under the circumstances )...

Fairly lengthy thread you got going ... and who said Girls don't laugh at fart jokes !!???

Just jumping in rudely - ignoring those that have posted in good faith ... apologies for any similar suggestions that may have preceded mine !

Jokes aside - have you tried pouring buckets full of fresh HOT water, slowly , down all drains - inside and out.

If you find any bubbling up; grate off and give it a plunge or use an eel.

Oh and put on some perfume !