Odor in House - Hard to Eliminate (subfloor, washer, pool)

[Aylalou]

My friend is moving to Arizona. She bought one of those tin trailer type houses in a retirement community. There is an odor in there that she describes as "more than musty". She has tried every kind of deodorizer, has kept the windows open for a weekend in November while she stayed elsewhere but she can't get rid of it. Any ideas?

[sailordave]

Is it a new trailer or an old one? The musty odor could be a damp area that never seems to dry. Better do a good flashlight search of the home. Another thing to conside is the air conditioning system. If not properly maintained it can develop serious growth. Best to try to locate the source of the odor and correct the problem before fighting a general odor in the home. My folks had a particulary bad odor in one home. They fought it with air fresheners and all sorts of stuff. I went for a visit and got tired of the smell and found the source of the problem. Their spare bathroom had a shower that was never used. Because it had never been used, the shower drain had gone dry and was allowing the sewage pipe odors to come inside the home. I ran the water for several minutes in the shower and within an hour or so the odor was gone. If it's that kind of smell, check the sinks, showers, and the sewage vent pipe (for blockage).

[teatime]

Some of them have a formaldehyde odor because some of the construction materials contain formaldehyde. Hope it's not that.

[songinthewind7]

Also get a can like a coffee can for instance and put some charcoal briquets in it. Put it in the spot that you think the smell is coming from and it should disappear in a couple of days.

[shadowwalker]

I know it sounds stupid. Get on your hands and knees and smell every square foot of the carpet and lynoluim floor. If it's old pet pee or they cleaned the carpet too much and its disintragrating you'll find it. Also check for leaks under the sink,clothes washer and dish washer. You might have a leak under the trailer too and it's making a pool of water/wastewater and smelling. Might check those spots too.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

I know it sounds stupid. Get on your hands and knees and smell every square foot of the carpet and lynoluim floor. If it's old pet pee or they cleaned the carpet too much and its disintragrating you'll find it.

That's what I was thinking. Sometimes even if carpet looks clean it can still be nasty, and the padding underneath can be even worse. If the smell is coming from the carpet I suggest ripping it up and painting the subfloor with two coats of Kilz.

[Sandy Nelson]

An alternative to getting on your knees to smell every inch of the carpet is to purchase a black light (less than $10.00). In the dark room, pass the black light over the carpet and look for stains that give off a glow.

Sandy