How to get rid of smell.. [Archive]

wolfsoul

09-25-2006, 03:49 PM

This is a pretty embarassing issue but we all have things like this I guess. Everyone says my house smells fine. As of late I have been a clean-freak, I keep my house very clean, the rats get bathed every day, the dogs are well groomed and get bathed every few weeks. I clean the litter box and the rat cage everyday. My friends and family were blunt in the past when I let things go, and told me when it was bad. But the past few months have been great, everyone has been very proud of how well I've been taking care of the house and they all say they don't smell a thing.

However, I do have one friend who is VERY sensitive to smell. She came over today and could barely come through the door. She said that the kitchen and bathroom are fine (strange, as that's where my rats are and the litter box is) but that my livingroom wreaks of cat pee and rat.

I don't understand -- the rats are never in the livingroom and the cat is locked out of the livingroom during the day (he knocks things down).

Everyone else says my livingroom is the best smelling room of the house -- it's the one I'm in the most so it gets the most care. It DOES have a carpet, but I buy the carpet foaming stuff to clean it. I have blankets hanging on the walls but I wash them.

I've tried everything. I don't know what else to do.

She honestly really hurt my feelings today and made me cry right in front of her. My rats are getting old and aren't going to be around much longer and when she said that when they die she will take me out to buy a new carpet, I just burst into tears. I really want her to be able to come over but I really don't want my rats to die in order for it to happen.

She's more sensitive to smell than anyone else I've ever met. I don't understand how she smells rats and cat pee in my livingroom when neither are there -- but apparently she does.

What can I do? Air fresheners give her a headache, so I can't use them. I have a fan blowing to move the air around. All of the windows are open. I clean my carpet once a week. I wash the walls atleast once a month. Is there anything natural, or something that doesn't have a strong scent, that I can use to make it smell better? :( I feel so hopeless, I don't know what else to do. It would really help if she can pinpoint the smell but she just says it's the whole room. I've gone over EVERYTHING, smelling, but I just can't find the source. :( Even if I leave the house for a long time and come back, I still don't smell it, and neither does anyone else.

Jessika

09-25-2006, 03:53 PM

Well, unless everyone else is lying to you, I would apologize to her and say there is nothing else you can do since she is the ONLY one who has a problem with it. However, I have found a water and vinegar solution helps get rid of the cat urine smell. Double-Oh liked to use our dirty laundry as his litterbox (eventhough his box is cleaned daily) and we would have to put cups of vinegar in every load of laundry for the longest time.

But honestly, how did she bring it up? Was she rude about it? Was she being sincere? You can not help that she is so sensitive to smell. Perhaps go visit her instead of her visiting you if she can't stand the smell?? You can only do so much for her. After all, it is YOUR house.

caseysmom

09-25-2006, 04:00 PM

Jessika

09-25-2006, 04:04 PM

I am sensitive to smell also but honestly would not have said anything. My friends are much more important to me than a little smell, sorry but I think you deserve someone who accepts that you have animals.
Not only that, but one that respects the fact that you keep your house as clean as you do for that exact reason.

wolfsoul

09-25-2006, 04:06 PM

She's basically told me since she's known me (over a year) that that is why she never comes to visit me. She knows it hurts me that she never comes over. She apologized today and said she was sorry "but someone had to tell me." But she's the only one who has an issue...:( I guess today was just the worst it's ever been for her. I can't go to her house as I don't have a vehicle and I don't particularily like her husband. She has alot more animals than me, and I know she has alot more money so she gets things "specially" cleaned, and she has a self cleaning litter box...but I just don't have the money for that kind of thing. I clean how any normal person cleans...

I'll try the vinegar idea, thanks. :) Does anyone find that baking soda works well? I used to sprinkle it on my carpets but never found it to make a difference.

Jessika

09-25-2006, 04:14 PM

I heard that baking soda works pretty well too but have never tried it myself to know how well it actually works

wolfsoul

09-25-2006, 04:25 PM

I think I might go looking for a carpet cleaner tonight. I honestly can't find anything wrong with the carpet, but maybe she's the only one who can tell.. :confused: And I'll get baking soda, lemon juice...I already have hydrogen peroxide...Anything else I'm forgetting?

Freckles

09-25-2006, 04:30 PM

You might ask some of your other friends again to be honest with you and tell you if there are any odors. Tell them it won't hurt your feelings, but you really need to know.

I'm a Natures Miracle fan.

catnapper

09-25-2006, 05:18 PM

Invest $9 for a blacklight. Turn the livingroom lights off and whatever glows needs to be cleaned with an enzyme cleaner. You can get that pretty inexpensively nowadays thanks to generic brands (nature's Miracle would be the most expensive and has been long prooven to work, so many feel its worth the additional cost)

I also swear by Oust air freshener. I too hate perfumy smells. I spray the Oust in the center of the room. It smells for like 5 minutes and then nothing but clean air. The smells dissipates and goes away real quick. I think its just there to hide the original stinky smell for a few minutes. Just one word though, no animals should be in the room when you use it because there's a caution label on it about using it around animals.

caseysmom

09-25-2006, 05:20 PM

Walmart has something that I think is just as good if not better than nature's miracle, catmandu recommended it. It is cheaper and its in the pet section.

christa

09-25-2006, 05:53 PM

We have a few of these from QVC and they are WONDERFUL! Especially for the litterbox! We have one right by the litterbox & never ever smell it!

Ionic Air Cleaner (http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp?nest=%2Fasp%2FisItemNumberRedirect.as p&search=SQ&frames=y&referrer=QVC&CLASSLEVEL=&cm_re=PAGE-_-SEARCH-_-SEARCH&txtDesc=ionic&SearchClass=)

wolfsoul

09-25-2006, 05:54 PM

Invest $9 for a blacklight. Turn the livingroom lights off and whatever glows needs to be cleaned with an enzyme cleaner. You can get that pretty inexpensively nowadays thanks to generic brands (nature's Miracle would be the most expensive and has been long prooven to work, so many feel its worth the additional cost)

That'ss a great idea! :D I'm going to go out tonight and get a blacklight. I've heard the bulbs you buy at places like SUperstore aren't any good -- I'll just be going to Extra Foods, which is a bit like a smaller Superstore. Anyone know if it will be okay, or should I just go to Spencer in the mall and buy one I know is good? Only problem is they're more expensive and the mall is farther away.

I'm having a couple people come over tonight to tell me what they think. I've told people to be honest before and I'm sure they have been. My mom is always very honest about things like this and even she thinks it smells fine. Kelly just has a crazy nose that picks up things no one else can smell.

wolfsoul

09-25-2006, 05:58 PM

BC_MoM

09-25-2006, 06:02 PM

Our living room smells like urine, too, Jordan. :( The people who lived here before us had cats and let them pee all over.

When we were nursing our grandparents dog and she was having troubles going to the bathroom, we let her go in the living room because she wouldn't with us holding her up (she needed to be supported) outside. Molly ruined the living room carpet when we were house training her.

We've tried EVERYTHING. We're just going to have to rip up the carpet and put laminate down. *sigh*

I can't believe your friend would say something like that! :( I sure as heck wouldn't say that to a friend.

shais_mom

09-26-2006, 12:21 AM

I don't have any solution other then what you are already doing. I think it was incredibly rude of her to say to you what she did and I am not particulary a rattie fan. But is it possible she just is trying to find a way to NOT come to your house? :confused:
In my house the guy I bought it from - his daughter lived here and was a drug addict (she has since cleaned herself up) and had a cat that used the floor as a litter box. When he decided to sell the house - he ripped up the carpet and painted KILZ all over the floor http://www.kilz.com/ and there is no smell. Course this is a bit drastic.
When I was potty training Keegan she kept going to a spot in the floor where a floor furnace had been. We ripped it out and my dad put plywood there.
I kept a rug over it and she just kept peeing on that spot. Finally I asked my parents when they came over to paint Kilz on it and they painted like 2-3 coats. Then we put some carpet over it. She never peed there after that!
My mom has a super sensitive nose and usually when she comes to my house she doesn't smell anything. The last time she was here she said she smelled cat pee. I of course didn't smell anything. I changed the litter in the box but I didn't smell it. One of my friends when she feeds my cats she always asks me how come my house doesn't smell like cat pee - even in the closet where the box is. I said I dunno. It isn't pee that I smell usually its the poo.

AbbyMom

09-26-2006, 06:15 AM

For a while I kept foster cats in our spare bedroom. When a pair showed up with ringworm, I bought an large ionic air filter from Sears on sale.

This was to capture the ringworm spores, but I was very impressed by how much cleaner the room smelled. It was quiet, too.

I also used Nature's Miracle on those "accidents" and it works.

I'm sorry your friend said those things to you. I had a coworker with a super sensitive nose and she was just like that. She always said she couldn't help herself.

Good luck to you.

Pawsitive Thinking

09-26-2006, 06:50 AM

Arrange to meet your friend somewhere other than your house - her nose may be super-sensitive but the rest of her certainly isn't!!

areias

09-26-2006, 07:18 AM

mina'smomma

09-26-2006, 07:53 AM

Let me start by saying that I'm sorry your friend was so mean to you.

When the girls expressed their thoughts on Pawpaw and I going on our honeymoon (they peed in our bags) we tried to get everything to get the smell out of my trunk, our clothes and the duffle bags. I finally started using Gain as a last resort, and that did the trick.

I also took about a tablespoon and diluted it in hot water and sprayed my trunk and let it air dry and that took that smell out too.

mruffruff

09-26-2006, 01:21 PM

I'm sorry your friend wasn't at least more subtle.

I don't have anyone coming to my house to tell me that it smells---except me!

When I walk in the house, I know if it stinks. Sometimes it smells of urine. That means I get out my black light and my spray bottle of Simple Solution. I spray anything that glows even a little bit, and some stuff "just 'cuz". I add some Arm & Hammer litter deodorant to freshly-scooped litter boxes and sprinkle some on the carpets. By morning, the smells are gone.

But there are times when it smells like an unbathed old person. (And it isn't ME!) My sister thinks my dead dad has come to visit; smells just like him. I can't figure out how to get rid of this smell.

Finding the cause is the hardest part. When my sister smells the cats at my house, I just figure it's because she expects it to smell since she doesn't like cats at all.

Pembroke_Corgi

09-26-2006, 02:46 PM

Arrange to meet your friend somewhere other than your house - her nose may be super-sensitive but the rest of her certainly isn't!!
Agreed. Maybe go for coffee with her instead. I have a cousin who is the same way. Whenever she visits my mom's house (who has only 1 cat) she makes a big deal about it. She always manages to hurt my mom's feelings, too. Some people just don't have any tact. :(

ETA: I don't invite anyone over to my house that doesn't like pets enough to have dinner while 3 dogs and 1 cat beg. :p

wolfsoul

09-27-2006, 12:16 AM

Thanks everyone for the advice. :)

The problem with meeting her other places is that she says I smell like my house (as everyone smells like their houses). We hang out all the time, but mostly because we work together and go to the same functions -- as far as doing things socially, she avoids it. She really isn't trying to be mean -- she says she wants to help. Today she said she was sorry and that she didn't want to mention my rats because she knows it makes me sad, but she wanted to know if she thought I'd have to put them down before she went out of town next month -- that way she'd know if she had to spare some time to help me clean. My other friend said she will give me her couich. My couch came with the house and the people who lived here smoked ALOT so it does smell kind of smokey.

I went out today and bought two air purifiers and a bunch of cleaning stuff. My mom came with me and I got her to smell my house. She says she doesn't smell a thing. She said my bathroom (which has the rats) smells like a public bathroom...She can't smell anything near the litterbox (in the kitchen)...And she said the livingroom does have something kinda funny that she can't quite put her finger on, but it isn't cat pee or rat. She thinks she mostly just smells "old house" smell.

CathyBogart

09-27-2006, 01:59 AM

I'm glad you posted this, as I have noticed a urine smell in my bedroom for the last few days. (thank you Jasper!) I found a company near me from which I could rent a steam cleaner for a day for $75. Maybe something like that would work for you too? Good luck, and please keep us posted if you find something that works well!

ETA: It doesn't seem to me that a mild animal smell could be THAT unpleasant. The rats would perhaps be a little musky, but if your place is that clean, I don't see how it could be SUCH a big deal. I think she's way overreacting.

wolfsoul

09-28-2006, 09:10 AM

I did find a steam cleaner the other day for $70, so I think I'm going to get it. :)

I had another friend come over. She says she definatly smells rats, but she couldn't smell any cat pee. She mostly smelled perfume, which is funny because I don't use air fresheners.

I pulled everything out of my livingroom and scrubbed the entire floor with bleach. I've never pulled out the couch before and it was pretty gross behind it. I bleached the top and bottom of the carpet and let it hang outside. I bleached the walls, the couch, everything. I left the door open and a fan blowing lastnight and I must say I do notice a difference. It's much fresher in here. I put a new layer of paint sealer on the top half of the rat cage to help cover the smell -- I'd like to try to sell it, as I know it's the cage and not the rats that smell. It's leaked into the wood and there's really nothing that can be done. I just don't know what I'll put my rats in afterwards. I suppose I can let them go free in the house, I do it sometimes..but I don't think that will help my problem lol. I have limited laundry days here so my mom is going to come and get me on Monday and take me to her place so I can do all my laundry. That will help alot -- I fully admit my room smells terrible because it's basically my laundry room. The door is always closed though and I sleep on the couch to avoid it lol.

Kelly is going to come back tomorrow to let me know if it's any better.

binka_nugget

09-28-2006, 11:09 AM

If you decide to sell the cage.. let me know LOL. I want ratties and I LOVE your cage. I don't have room for something wide but something like yours would fit really nicely in my room. :p

areias

09-28-2006, 11:52 AM

Thanks everyone for the advice. :)

The problem with meeting her other places is that she says I smell like my house (as everyone smells like their houses). We hang out all the time, but mostly because we work together and go to the same functions -- as far as doing things socially, she avoids it. She really isn't trying to be mean -- she says she wants to help. Today she said she was sorry and that she didn't want to mention my rats because she knows it makes me sad, but she wanted to know if she thought I'd have to put them down before she went out of town next month -- that way she'd know if she had to spare some time to help me clean.

It sounds like there is more issue to this than the smell of your house. It sounds like there is something mentally wrong with her. That kind of astonished me...I wouldn't ever expect someone to ask me when I was going to put my animal down, so they could have a convenience.

wolfsoul

09-28-2006, 07:31 PM

If you decide to sell the cage.. let me know LOL. I want ratties and I LOVE your cage. I don't have room for something wide but something like yours would fit really nicely in my room. :p

You can definatly have it, dude. I'm going to throw on some more coats of paint sealer and put some caulking along the edges where stuff tends to build up, then you can take it the next time you come up here. I'm heading to Van in a few weeks so I may actually be able to bring it with -- it depends on whether or not Marla is bringing the truck or the van. If she brings the pickup we can just throw it in the back. I'm not sure what part of the Lower Mainland we'll be in though.

BC_MoM

09-28-2006, 07:33 PM

Kelly is going to come back tomorrow to let me know if it's any better.

I wonder if it will be too clean?

binka_nugget

09-28-2006, 07:46 PM

You can definatly have it, dude. I'm going to throw on some more coats of paint sealer and put some caulking along the edges where stuff tends to build up, then you can take it the next time you come up here. I'm heading to Van in a few weeks so I may actually be able to bring it with -- it depends on whether or not Marla is bringing the truck or the van. If she brings the pickup we can just throw it in the back. I'm not sure what part of the Lower Mainland we'll be in though.

Yippee :D

Are you guys going to a show? Is Solo coming?! Eeee! I wanna meet him!

shais_mom

09-28-2006, 11:22 PM

You can definatly have it, dude. I'm going to throw on some more coats of paint sealer and put some caulking along the edges where stuff tends to build up, then you can take it the next time you come up here. I'm heading to Van in a few weeks so I may actually be able to bring it with -- it depends on whether or not Marla is bringing the truck or the van. If she brings the pickup we can just throw it in the back. I'm not sure what part of the Lower Mainland we'll be in though.
I'm not sure what kind of paint sealer you are using but I'd definately see if you can find the kilz I mentioned in my post.

wolfsoul

09-28-2006, 11:37 PM

Yippee :D

Are you guys going to a show? Is Solo coming?! Eeee! I wanna meet him!
We're going to a grooming seminar, I'm not sure if Solo is coming, I'll have to see. I guess it depends on if the hotel allows pets. I probably won't get to the Lower Mainland for shows until next year. Visa the poopoohead is going to lose her coat and Solo won't be ready until March. Jag isn't worth the drive LOL. This year sucks for competing, everyone is busy -- might be able to get down there for an obedience or rally-o trial this year.

I'll have to go to Rona and see if they have Kilz -- it just has to be water-based polyurethane or else it will be unsafe for the ratties. But I could buy anything to cover up the floors -- never even thought of painting over the floors. It'd be hard, but I do know that there is mold underneath the tile in the bathroom. It might be worth trying.

binka_nugget

09-29-2006, 01:26 AM

We're going to a grooming seminar, I'm not sure if Solo is coming, I'll have to see. I guess it depends on if the hotel allows pets. I probably won't get to the Lower Mainland for shows until next year. Visa the poopoohead is going to lose her coat and Solo won't be ready until March. Jag isn't worth the drive LOL. This year sucks for competing, everyone is busy -- might be able to get down there for an obedience or rally-o trial this year.

Ahh cool. Dude, you should totally come down here for the trial on November 19th. I think I'm just gonna go for Kaedyn's CGN. And mayyyyybe get started with his CD if I can get off my butt and train him. :p

wolfsoul

09-29-2006, 10:49 PM

My friend came over today to help me set up one of the air purifiers, and she said she was VERY impressed. She said the livingroom was awesome, it smelled very bleachy lol. She said the hallway still smells pretty bad but she's sure that once I get my room done tomorrow it will be much better. I'm taking half of my laundry to my mom's tomorrow to get done, the other half I'll do here on Sunday. She said she's going to come over again on Monday for another smell test and she may help me do some cleaning. She wants me to make it smell good before my Tupperware party in November.

Ahh cool. Dude, you should totally come down here for the trial on November 19th. I think I'm just gonna go for Kaedyn's CGN. And mayyyyybe get started with his CD if I can get off my butt and train him. :p
Totally, November should work for me. You should enter the Rally-O trial here. It's Oct 28th-29th. I'll be running Visa and Jag the first day, just Visa the second day. It's a titling trial -- $20 per run, 2 Novice runs a day. If you Q the first three you can move up to advanced so you don't waste your other $20, or you can just do the other Novice for ribbons.

Lori Jordan

09-30-2006, 09:49 AM

If the cats and the rats aren't in the living room-are you sure she's smelling that, and not the cleaners that you use? I find I dislike some of the carpet cleaners and such because they have a smell that is similar to urine (maybe it's just me but...). Also, heat tends to bring out smells, so if it was warmer in the house when she was there she might have picked up on that.

The only time I ever told a friend that her place smelled, was when she had 2 guinea pigs and 2 rabbits in her small bedroom. She asked for my opinion, and I told her it might be a bit much, so she rearranged her animals.

I'm sorry you are going through this,As Aries has said"Some cleaners smell like urine,i have the same kind of idea,I have always thought that some cleaners bring the smell out more than others,I had the same problem when i moved into my home,But it was all from my dogs there was no other animals in this house till i came,Mind you the girls were about 6 months old and Bandit was just a baby,This hole house was carpet,even the kitchen i ripped it all out,put laminate down,Honestly i hate carpet expecially when you have pets it always sucks the smell,odour in i used to use the carpet powder.everything nothing worked,and i myself are big on smells,So all carpet is gone.
I went out and bought all those glade air freshners i have one in all rooms (Apple Cinnamon)best smell ever.....and i do not have a problem You have to do something when you have as many animals as i do,it dont matter if you house sparkles you are always going to know that there is animals in my house,and i do not give a crap if people like it or not,I have many friends that hate animals,great people but are never in my home my babies come first,I wish you luck with the carpets!!!