Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Put it on a timer, and zap the room for one hour.
You will be able to smell the dramatic difference.
Repeat as needed. . . Just don't run it too long.
Any UV sensitive furnishings will be affected.
That's another good suggestion--especially as the room is completely empty right now.
Both that and the ozone machine seem to be available on the second hand market, too, which is good as those are things that I'll likely use once, then turn around and resell when I'm done using them to resolve this issue.
consider adding to your rental agreement, for all future renters,
that it is NOT permitted to put mattress directly on floor.
that is standard to put in rental agreements. it is a problem to have mattress on floor for a number of reasons, including damp, mold, pest control, and (as you are finding) odor. i have lived in areas of the country that are known for mold, and rental agreements included no mattress on floor, plus windows required to be open a certain amount of time each day for air circulation.
Flamethrower? Small nuclear device? I think my mother considered those after I left home to go to college. Ultimately, they got rid of everything cloth from my room, and used baking soda on the carpet until the results were acceptable.
consider adding to your rental agreement, for all future renters,
that it is NOT permitted to put mattress directly on floor.
that is standard to put in rental agreements. it is a problem to have mattress on floor for a number of reasons, including damp, mold, pest control, and (as you are finding) odor. i have lived in areas of the country that are known for mold, and rental agreements included no mattress on floor, plus windows required to be open a certain amount of time each day for air circulation.
This was a one-off situation (long story), so he'll likely be my one and only renter. Other than the lingering odor, he was a stellar renter and the extra income was well worth the odor left behind when he moved out.
The whole mattress sans bed frame seems to be a common thing with young men around here (especially those starting out without much in the way of material possessions) and is something that I've noticed from my time being friends with (and sometimes dating) men when I was in my late teens and twenties visit them at their homes and in my work that often brings me into rental properties.
I'm guessing that that language is somewhat regional as I was a renter for twelve years and never had that clause is any of my leases. Granted, I always rented from small, independent landlords and I haven't been a renter since 2007, so things might have changed in recent years in regards to general rules and regulations in a lease agreement.
I really think that the ozone machine will do the trick and am set to borrow one from a friend next Sunday. If it works, I'll be back with an update!
Does the room have a ceiling fan? If so, try fully cleaning the fan. If not then do the light fixture. Does it have a window AC unit or is it a ducted in AC? If window unit then the smell is in the unit. If your not sure how to do a proper cleaning have it serviced. If ducted then remove and clean the air vents. Have you tackled the closets? Smells can linger in the closets. A professional floor cleaner could probably get rid of the smell if it’s in the floor. If the floor was tile or vinyl then it would be easy. With hardwood floors there are more gaps for those doors to linger.
Does the room have a ceiling fan? If so, try fully cleaning the fan. If not then do the light fixture. Does it have a window AC unit or is it a ducted in AC? If window unit then the smell is in the unit. If your not sure how to do a proper cleaning have it serviced. If ducted then remove and clean the air vents. Have you tackled the closets? Smells can linger in the closets. A professional floor cleaner could probably get rid of the smell if it’s in the floor. If the floor was tile or vinyl then it would be easy. With hardwood floors there are more gaps for those doors to linger.
Scrubbed from top to bottom, including the inside of the closets, the fan, the light the tops of the doors, etc. The room is cooled with a window unit in the summertime but that's as clean as a whistle and hasn't been in the room since last September when it was removed and cleaned for the season before being stored.
The house has baseboard hydronic heating; the baseboards fins were detailed with the shop vac and the flooring beneath them wiped with a vinegar and water solution. I was able to get the smell out of the curtains and rug by washing them thoroughly and hanging them up on the line outside.
The room is completely empty right now--including the closets and the windows and floor bare. I really do think that the ozone machine should work as the friend from whom I'm borrowing it used it to remove the stale cigarette odor from a used car. If it worked on that, it should work on this which isn't nearly as noxious as a smoker's car.
I was going to suggest vinegar but I see you've done that.
We looked at purchasing a house a few years back that reeked highly of cat pee. I went on rental forums and found a product landlords and flippers swore by (I think it began with an "O"). We didn't buy the house so I wasn't able to try it. I did use KOE as mentioned above and that was a good product.
Shellac is an encapsulator of odors but it doesn't get rid of them. But a couple of coats may make it more bearable, or get rid of it completely for 5+ years. I *have* used that on cat pee and it worked well.
I've heard good things about ozone machines so I'm eager to see how that worked for you
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. Ultimately, they got rid of everything cloth from my room, and used baking soda on the carpet until the results were acceptable.
