Unexplained odor

[EagleFan]

About fifteen minutes ago there was a sudden strong odor in the house. It smells a lot like disinfectant. Almost like a doctor's office.

I have no clue where it is coming from though. It seems consistent all throughout the living room and dining room. I don't notice it in the kitchen or bathroom or upstairs. Doesn't smelllike natural gas but I checked near the hot water heater closet and I don't notice the odor there.

I am at a loss as it doesn't seem stronger in one area of those rooms as it may be near a source of an odor.

Any clue what this could possibly be?

I noticed it about 5 minutes after my wife and girls went out. Can't see it coming in from outside, being that strong (especially with the strong wind we are having I can't see any odor coming in that concentrated).

I think it has leveld off some now but I can't entirely tell if I am just getting used to it or it actually is less noticeable. I am going to go move my car, to get some fresh air and see if I notice it as badly when I get back inside.

[RainMaker]

I had something like that and it ended up being a piece of meat that was left in a bag for a couple months. My Mom had given be a bag full of magazines (don't ask) and thrown some leftover meatload in there. I never went through the bag and left it in the laundry room. One day I noticed a horrific stench and it took my about 8 hours to figure out what it was and where it was coming from.

I'd look for food somewhere as that is often a culprit. Any chance an animal could have died in the walls? My first apartment in the city would get raccoons that would die in the wall in the lobby and would give off this horrendous stench.

Oh and if you don't have a carbon monoxide detector, get one.

[EagleFan]

Still can't find anything yet. Going to check with the neighbor that shares a wall with me to see if maybe she was cleaning. Wife and kids are back and they smell it too (at least I am not going crazy).

Seems odd that it was that quick and that overwhelming.

Have a carbon monoxide detector and that isn't picking up anything (a good thing).

Had a squirrel die it the walls a couple years ago and it smells nothing like that. This is literally just like a strong disinfectant smell, like you may smell at the doctor's or hospital. It is a familiar strong smell but I can't think of exactly where I smelled it before.

[Suicane75]

I had this same problem last week. Turned out to be my feet. That smelled more like Fritos and ass though.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

I had this same problem last week. Turned out to be my feet. That smelled more like Fritos and ass though.

[RainMaker]

Not to scare you, but in college we'd drive past the rural parts of the state and you could always smell the meth labs from the road. Strong chemical scent that didn't make much sense.

[Rizon]

Did you smell it outside, or just inside?
Obviously ... was anything just cleaned, the oven maybe? Or were the floors just vacuumed.

[Rizon]

Originally Posted by Rizon

Did you smell it outside, or just inside?

nm, just read that.

I've had smells that have been sucked inside from the outside by way of the house fan.

[stevew]

Are you sure that something didn't spill from the force of the door shutting? My kids slam the door sometimes. Like bleach under a sink?

[sabotai]

Odd.......I would have thought someone living in New Jersey would be used to unexplained odors.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by stevew

Are you sure that something didn't spill from the force of the door shutting? My kids slam the door sometimes. Like bleach under a sink?

Checked for that.

It's still there. Maybe not as strong but it is still around. Also in the same areas, don't notice it in the kitchen or bathroom (where the cleaning supplies would be that could spill).

The odd part is that there is no area that seems to be the strongest. It's pretty much the same level in the areas where we can smell it nothing in other areas.

I'll see if it is still aroun tomorrow and start moving everything in the area to see if there is anything that makes sense.

I am still holding to a theory that it came over from next door (hopefully cleaning and not the whole meth lab theory). Nice enough lady that lives next door; could see that maybe she was cleaning (I saw her car out there when I first noticed the odor but she had gone out when I was going to go ask). Maybe I'll be lucky and her daughter will be over (she is hot as hell) when I stop over...

I will have lost all trust in humanity if it ends up being that she is running a meth lab...

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

The odd part is that there is no area that seems to be the strongest. It's pretty much the same level in the areas where we can smell it nothing in other areas.

What's your central heating & vents set-up like? I mean, can you match that up to the smell/no-smell zone?

Once you couldn't identify a source in the house, my next thought was that it was being circulated by the heating system.

[PilotMan]

Servant ghosts. They clean, but you can't see it.

[B & B]

These are the best types of spirits, only to be outdone by Brothel Ghosts.

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Servant ghosts. They clean, but you can't see it.

I thought it just might have been the ghost of Mr. Clean crop dusting.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Servant ghosts. They clean, but you can't see it.

Originally Posted by B & B

These are the best types of spirits, only to be outdone by Brothel Ghosts.

Sweet, now I am waiting to see ared light that can't be explained...