stuffy carpet smell

Tommysocks11

Hello, last year we decorated a room for our child and got it painted, new furniture and new carpet etc but there was a smell after carpet went down, we got it changed and still a smell so on to third carpet now and still it exists, we dont know what to do as we can't put her into this room now, we tried vinegar, bread soda, open windows etc but to no avail, any ideas what could be causing this, its a newish house so no damp issues either

PMBC

This is only a long shot but .....
A work colleague had a similar problem years back in the Sitting Room. Same process with carpets.
It turned out to be an old (?bakelite) ceiling rose on the light fitting that was producing the smell as it warmed up when the light was switched on in the evening.
How old is the house, how are the floors and walls constructed, is there an old fireplace or press covered over?
Hope some of this helps.

elperello

Can you describe the smell?
What did you do with the removed carpets?

punisher5112

Water leak from pipes?

Room adequately ventilated? Most likely as new house.

Have you got down and sniffed the carpet?

Do you heat the room?

Try leaving the door open and see will the smell die down.

NSAman

Agree with PMBC... did you change the light fitting? we did up a room and the smell was awful. We thought it was the new couch and thought the smell would go. It turned out to be new light fittings that had been installed and when they heated up the smell was terrible. Queue much embarrassment on our part with the furniture company....

ldy4mxonucwsq6

If you are getting them from the same place each time then it could be related to the storage conditions in their warehouse.

New carpets do off gas as well so it could be that (so does fresh paint and new furniture).

Can you describe the smell and is it definitely from the carpet?

I had an issue with a paint batch about 2 years ago and it caused a terrible smell, think sour cat pee smell just rancid, in the room (huge job to remedy and it was paid for by the paint distributor) so maybe check your walls as well as the smell could be coming from there. The paint was brand new, walls were prepped properly and paint smelled normal until it dried on the walls.

chooseusername

Tommysocks11 wrote: »

Hello, last year we decorated a room for our child and got it painted, new furniture and new carpet etc but there was a smell after carpet went down, we got it changed and still a smell so on to third carpet now and still it exists, we dont know what to do as we can't put her into this room now, we tried vinegar, bread soda, open windows etc but to no avail, any ideas what could be causing this, its a newish house so no damp issues either

Was it Valspar emulsion paint by any chance?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/20/bq-customers-compensated-complaining-paint-smells-like-cat-urine/

ldy4mxonucwsq6

chooseusername wrote: »

Was it Valspar emulsion paint by any chance?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/20/bq-customers-compensated-complaining-paint-smells-like-cat-urine/

Not only valspar paint, a few of the other big brands too. Mine wasn't valspar but the same issue, absolute nightmare and took a long time to figure out and remedy.

https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/forums/this-paint-stinks-t843.html

Sleeper12

Could the underlay be causing the smell? I suppose the carpet fitters would have suggested that already

Tommysocks11

Yes we changed underlay with each carpet and are assured its not that, ya the room was painted before the carpet went down and there was no smell so we ruled that out, same as light fitting that seems fine, must be carpet but seriously what are the odds of having 3 smelly new carpets in the room, im just confused as to what the hell it is

punisher5112

Isn't baking soda meant to be great for smells....

elperello

Tommysocks11 wrote: »

Yes we changed underlay with each carpet and are assured its not that, ya the room was painted before the carpet went down and there was no smell so we ruled that out, same as light fitting that seems fine, must be carpet but seriously what are the odds of having 3 smelly new carpets in the room, im just confused as to what the hell it is

I asked what you did with the carpets.
If you still had them ie. left in a shed or garage you could check and see if the smell is still on them.

Not wishing to upset you but are you sure the child is not disposing of or storing any food or liquid in the room?

Calypso Realm

What is the smell exactly? If you've had three new carpets and all give off what I presume is the same odour, then it's unlikely, IMO to be the carpet. Unless, of course it's the smell new carpets give out (which is why I enquired as to the nature of the smell) which in some instances can even attract cats to pee on them! You need to ventilate room well for days after purchase.

Actually, I'm surprised the baking soda didn't work but perhaps you need to use more of it. Mixing lemon juice with it in a spray container can also be good at absorbing odours in rooms.

ldy4mxonucwsq6

If you close up the room completely and run the heating/heaters full blast (just in that room) for as long as possible it can speed up the off-gassing process (if that's what's causing the smell).

Running a dehumidifier or air purifier in the room while 'baking' helps too if you have access to either.

Once done open the room up again, windows wide open, use fans etc and ventilate for several hours.

Carpet emits VOC's for a long time but shouldn't be noticeable smell after a few days really, so if this is an ongoing thing then I don't think it's the carpet.

Tommysocks11

Ya took up first 2 carpets and put them in shed and few months later smell seemed to go, we took up 3rd carpet yesterday and that was down for around 3 months, the smell seemed to ease in the roon last night and will check it again later, surely the gassing smell should be gone after this period of being down as house is new with mechanical ventilation and we used baking soda and heating room and left windows open too etc, no our daughter is not sleeping in this room as we couldnt put her in there with the smell

ldy4mxonucwsq6

Tommysocks11 wrote: »

Ya took up first 2 carpets and put them in shed and few months later smell seemed to go, we took up 3rd carpet yesterday and that was down for around 3 months, the smell seemed to ease in the roon last night and will check it again later, surely the gassing smell should be gone after this period of being down as house is new with mechanical ventilation and we used baking soda and heating room and left windows open too etc, no our daughter is not sleeping in this room as we couldnt put her in there with the smell

Do the carpets in your shed still smell?