Smell help - need to pick your brains

[mstang67chic]

I was going to say to call the police and say that you thought they were making meth. But, since you've already talked to someone....shrugs.

So.........if nothing comes from the inspection, how about you call the police and ask them to make a welfare check on these people. Your reason? The smell is so bad you are afraid someone or something is dead in their apartment.

 

[tiredmommy]

Does kiddo have asthma? If so, maybe you can make a complaint that they are making your child sick?

 

[donna723]

What would happen if you called the Health Department? You don't have to tell them that you know that the guy is the source of that horrible smell! Since you "don't know" what's causing the smell, you're assuming that the people downstairs have an apartment full of rotting garbage or something and anything that smells that bad couldn't possibly be good for your health or the health of the other tenants in the building.

 

[SRL]

I forgot to mention that I've heard people swear by this Fresh Wave:
http://fresh-wave.com/

It sounds like the stinky dorm kit is what you need!

 

[Star*]

Maybe..........you should just let the tub in your apartment run and run........and run............and run----------and WHOOSH.....flood goes into their apartment and OH so sorry man - did that water get on you? Now you have to vacate your house? Someone has to come and INSPECT it? OMG I am Sooooooooo (not) Sorry.

This actually happened to a friend of mine. By accident of course - the guy who lives below her is a police officer and all his clothes INCLUDING his uniform and revolver were soaked..Cost her $400.00 for Servpro to come in so find out if YOU are responsible for the MISHAP....but if not? Toss in some DIAL soap....and let er rip tide.

 

[AnnieO]

They sell it in bigger bags - my Mom had one under the seat of her car, as she smoked...

 

[HaoZi]

You have an issue with cracks between your apartment and the downstairs apartment. Something isnt tight enough if the smells are getting from one floor to the other. In other words, it isnt sealed tightly enough. By any chance are any of the walls brick? That is common for the mortar to become porous over time and the odors from one unit to find their way to the other units. Pretty much the only way to stop that is to go back over the mortar with maybe sealant to seal them completely. Maybe paint the brick with one of those paints that stop odors. As far as floors go, if you can get your landlord to go for it, I might attempt to put down another vapor barrier but this time with a sealant that contains an odor blocker. With the pipes, you need to have good caulking in his house and yours. He should not have any holes in his house that would allow his apartment smells to leave his apartment except for his fan over his range and of course, his open windows.

Janet, are there specific products you suggests using as sealants? I asked about a paint-on type sealant and they hadn't heard about one.

 

[HaoZi]

Oh, they checked the apartment, and the apartment itself is clean. It's just this guy who smells so nasty. OMW.

 

[AnnieO]

Something MUST be wrong... How can one person smell THAT BAD, without it being part of the apartment???

 

[HaoZi]

Being as they get notice someone will be in the apartment, I'm sure some cleaning got done, too, 'cause I've heard reports otherwise at different periods in time. I know I clean more when I expect company!

 

[InsaneCdn]

Something MUST be wrong... How can one person smell THAT BAD, without it being part of the apartment???

Health issues.
Such as... some sort of an ostomy that isn't being cared for properly... just as one idea.
Or gangrene. (however that is spelled!)

 

[AnnieO]

Yup, clearly something is wrong, if I read what you're saying right... Sigh.

 

[HaoZi]

I don't think this guy wears much of anything but shorts, so while I don't see him much, surely I'd have notice an ostomy bag of some type if that was the case, no? Maybe not. I wish he'd wear more clothes, mystery can be a good thing.

 

[mstang67chic]

I'm still going with the welfare check idea.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Maybe the poor fellow has: Trimethylaminuria

 

[HaoZi]

Always possible, but he could stop eating fast food every day and wash more often. Trust me, you can tell when she washes his clothes, and it's once a month or so...
Anyone have any leads on that odor-stopping paint stuff? I mentioned you ladies suggested some industrial products and they hadn't heard of such things but were interested (they also have other apartments where people complain about smoke smells getting into non-smoking apartments, etc).

 

[flutterby]

I don't know about the paint, but you could try this: http://www.amazon.com/OdoBan-Odor-E...Q9HY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330341718&sr=8-1

It's not my preferred because it's not all natural, but it works, and it's the only thing like it that I've found that comes in a concentrate (I run it through the carpet scrubber). You can use it on about any surface.

 

[HaoZi]

It's on my Wish List!

 

[HaoZi]

Has anyone used this ZorbX spray stuff? I see they sell it at the local Lowe's.

 

[Hound dog]

I'm going to guess if it's the man for certain and not the apartment, then he's got a bowel ostomy bag, going to guess lower as if all he wears is shorts, you'd see it if it were upper bowel. IF that is the case, well honestly they can get pretty rank pretty fast. It takes a lot to gag me, but sometimes an ostomy will......depending on the reason for it. There is a reason they sell deodorizer tablets that you put into the bags. And it would explain the stink on his clothes too.

Or it could be a severe case of refusing to bathe. I have a friend who's Dad flat out refused for more than 20 yrs. He didn't use deodorant either. He reeked. Her mom kept the house spotless. My friend is still trying to figure out how her mom had 14 kids by the man. He passed away very young, early 40's. He was gone before I knew her so I never met him.