Next time you have a moment, take a deep breath inside your house and really pay attention to what you're smelling. Is there dog funk in the carpets? Is that a damp mould smell permeating from your wardrobes? What about last night's fish tacos?
Check hidden areas.
This might include chimneys and even wall cavities if there has been an entry point for a pesky critter. It's also wise to check and make sure the roof vent is now blocks. If you do suspect a dead animal is causing the smell, it might be time to call in a rodent or pest control specialist!
Smell your armpits, feet, and groin area.
These parts of your body are usually the most pungent, so you may be able to smell them more than the rest of your body. If you think you have body odor but you're not sure, take a whiff of your underarms, your feet, and your genitals.
A weird smell in a house can come from numerous sources, including appliances, furniture, carpets, fabrics or issues like mold or mildew. Occasionally, odors may be caused by sewer gas, natural gas leaks or animals that have died between walls, in attics or under decks.
A musty or dusty smell is often a sign of mold or mildew, especially in humid or moisture-prone environments like the basement, laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom. Mold and mildew can create severe respiratory problems and can exacerbate allergies and asthma in sensitive individuals.
Either way, we sometimes get oblivious to the smells in our own home sometimes. It's called olfactory adaptation. Olfactory adaptation, alternatively known as olfactory fatigue and nose blindness, is just a temporary inability to identify certain smells after prolonged exposure to it.
The receptors in your nose that would normally respond to your own particular brand of smells practically shut down after being bombarded with the same scents for so long. Basically, your nose goes numb to your own stank so you don't go mad.
“Basically, your nose goes numb to your own stank so you don't go mad.” It's the same reason why you can't smell your own home: Your sense of smell is quick to adapt and slow to reset. So. Not to freak you out or anything, but maybe you do smell — maybe all the time, or maybe on particularly sweaty days.
If your home has a stale, musty scent, there could be a handful of explanations, including a plumbing leak, high humidity, poor airflow, dirty HVAC equipment, or soiled carpet.
Common culprits to watch out for include mold and mildew, dust, dirty laundry, stains and spills, pet accidents and leftover food. Once you determine the source of the smell, dispose of it and clean the area as needed.
It's often described as musty and earthy, and may even smell like rotting vegetables or plants. You might notice a musty smell, but not be able to see any mold growing. In this case, you should look for areas that might be exposed to water. Mold needs moisture to grow.
Some of the best odor eliminators are coffee grounds, tea, vinegar, oats, and baking soda. Leaving a bowl of any of these odor absorbers out in a room that's due for a little freshening up will help clear out the less-than-pleasant smells from the air.
Musty smells in homes can be caused by a range of issues, from improperly dried linens to dampness and mold. No matter the cause, a musty smell is often worrisome and should always be investigated. The good news is that most musty smells are not a sign of serious issue, and are often quick to rectify.
Many accounts refer to insertion of finger into anus mostly for gratification from stimulation of prostate gland, but index case Mr. M. continued doing this to get rid of constipation that eventually led to feelings of guilt, stinky fingers, not able to defecate normally, and dysphoric emotions.
Bromidrophobia may be the result of today's emphasis on cleanliness that has led us to believe that bodily scents are dirty or taboo. This mental health issue can lead to an unhealthy obsession with ensuring that our regular odors are removed or masked. Bromidrophobics can also have a fear of others' body odors.
In fact, according to research published in Nature, your nose can detect about one trillion smells! But your own underarms could reek and you might not be able to tell: Humans are prone to what scientists call olfactory fatigue; our sense of smell just gets plain tired out by familiar odors and stops detecting them.
A strong vaginal odor may be a sign of vaginitis, or it may be a temporary smell related to your hygiene, lifestyle or other changes. Take note of whether you have other symptoms. If the odor is related to an infection, you'll usually notice other changes, like vaginal itching, burning and discharge.
Often sufferers fall into depression and shut out the world because of their stench. But doctors say the stench is entirely in their head. Instead of a glandular problem, these people actually suffer from Olfactory Reference Syndrome (ORS).
Everyone's place has a smell. Some homes smell like fancy perfume or Anthropologie candles; others smell like cats.
A lack of ventilation, darkness, and high humidity can all cause mold to flourish, which tends to be the root of that unpleasant “old house smell.” That scent is actually caused by mVOCs (Mold Volatile Organic Compounds), which is a chemical associated with the mold life cycle that is strong enough to emit a bad odor.
The odors in a house come from many things, and each home has a signature smell and some are not so pleasant. Every item in your house has a scent, whether you are able to smell them or not.