Odd smell in my unit - help!!

[Susie5]

Hi everyone,
I've had an odd smell in my unit - not exactly a bad smell, but noticeable anyway, since I started hosting.  It is much stronger in the winter so seems somehow related to the heating. (or is it just that the windows are closed? hmm.)  I had the plumber in yesterday who basically scratched his head, said "ummmm....." and gave me a bill for $104.  I have baseboard hot water heating and I have tried to see what could be causing it.  So far no luck. I also had the drains cleaned and those guys punched a hole in the pipes, which meant I had to cancel a booking, which made me lose my superhost status... needless to say this **bleep** smell has me flummoxed!  It has already cost me about $2000 in plumbing bills alone.

I Febreze the hell out of it just before someone arrives, and that lasts for a couple of hours, but then the smell comes back. I have  had only one guest mention it in a review - it's a smell you get used to somehow, but I would really love to have it gone. Any ideas for what it could be, or how to cope with it, would be very welcome!  Susie

[Andrea9]

Wow @Susie5, that was an unexpected culprit, especially since it was so faint that it couldn't be recognized as gas! Lucky too, that you discovered it before it became really dangerous.

At least you're all set now for the new hosting season!

[Linda108]

@Susie5  Thanks for getting back with us.  I love how much response you got from the host forum even though it was your nose that ultimately found the culprit!

[Lizzie]

Amazing you managed to solve this @Susie5 and great to hear an update. Glad you are safe. 🙂

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Susie5 did you bought some new furniture at the time when this smell started ?

Please let us know if your air filter helped 

[Susie5]

Hmmmmm. interesting question!  the only thing I bought new was a cover for an Ikea sofa - which is exactly in the area where the smell is!  I am sure I didn't smell anything on it at the time, but I will definitely check it out to see whether somehow it might be giving off a smell now.  Come to think of it, I also bought a new rug but I think the smell was there before then, but definitely something to consider.  Thanks for that suggestion!  I'll let you know how the filter works - it arrives tomorrow through the magic of Amazon!  Susie

[Sandra126]

Do you have rugs? I once had a rug in a room for many years and it was fine, then that room started smelling oddly, indefinable. Since it was the room of a teenage boy I blamed him for years (poor thing). Until we moved out, in fact, as I moved the rugs and furniture away and realised to my shame that it was the rug in his room. It had started smelling oddly after I had it steamcleaned, something was incompatible in the rug itself. Long shot, I know, but it could be one single item in the house which is leeching smell.

[Susie5]

Hi 

yes indeed I did buy a new rug. I'm pretty sure the smell was there before then, but now that i think about it, it could be that rug - and it's one of those rag rugs with multicolor strips of who knows what.  Could have a lot of odd materials in it.  I think I am going to move that rug for a few days and see if the smell goes away.  thanks so much for the sugggestion! Susie

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

new ikea furniture with hardboard peaces also smells bad due to VOC  

[Sandra126]

A rag rug should not be an issue but who knows? From my own experience it was a total surprise and the room was permeated with it, I even repainted the room completely but smell would not go away. Then I moved the rug...