Hi all,
I've moved into a new rental recently and have noticed a dusty type odour coming out of the carpet downstairs. It's a two storey townhouse with the problem area being on the ground floor with the carpet on the cement slab.
The odour is likened to when you pull up old carpet or beat a rug out. It's not a bad smell as such, more a heaviness in the air.
It causes me issues with my sinuses and throat. It gets worse in the early evening until it's too uncomfortable for me to stay down there and i retreat upstairs. It feels like it is rising out of the floor.
I've contacted the real estate agent a number of times. They assure me that it was steam cleaned before i moved in. After I wasn't getting anywhere with them i organised my own steam clean of the carpet. This didn't help. I insisted the real estate do something about it as i can't really have full use of the place at the moment and they got another carpet cleaner out who was "the expert". It was cleaned again and a lot of lemon stuff sprayed about. The next day though, the issue came back.
Breathing it in harks me back to the days when you walked out of a pub when smoking was allowed and you could feel a heaviness in your breath when you hit the fresh air again.
I have no idea what else to do. I'm stuck it seems as no one seems to be able to work out what's happening and given this issue comes early evening the real estate isn't interested in coming around to check it out.
Any advice on what it could be or what i can do?
thanks
Jordan
Dusty Carpet Odour Coming from Floor
Comments
there's that powder stuff you sprinkle on carpets and vacuum up. it might ruin carpets but it could stop the smell, or at least replace the smell
Bicap soda?
Are the garages/car spaces located under the townhouse?
Thanks for the thoughts.
No, the car spaces aren't under me and there are no vents or anything. There's no dust to clean up as the place has been cleaned to death.
The rising thick air has no real smell apart from a dusty taste or feeling in the back of my throat.
My kids stayed over last night and both now have headaches and sore sinuses.
Becomes really bad at night. Maybe vapour coming up through the cement slab?Could it be the glue from the carpet underlay?
Don't think it would be the slab. Could be the carpet fume or as Kajke mentioned glue. Does seem odd. Only thing to try is an HEPA filter air purifier as I suggested until you work out exactly what it is.
What about a gas leak? The townhouse is connected to town gas. The meter isn't running when there's nothing on, but would they run the line under the slab?
Again, it feels like it's rising from the floor and I get bad sinus and unwell feeling from itYou would smell the gas. Go outside and see if you can smell anything. It could be previous water damage. See if any wet areas outside of building. Poor drainage. Just at a loss for dusty smell other than dust in carpet, but you have already had the carpet cleaned several times. The underlay could be rotted. Mouldy.
Are there any signs of a previous water leak?/flooding? This could also account for an odour if the affected area, including carpet/underlay, wasn't aired out/cleaned properly or replaced, depending on how bad it was.
There's no water damage or sign of previous flooding. Drainage seems fine.
Maybe it's mould in the underlay. Not sure how I can check without ripping the carpet up. Given I rent, this isn't happening.
Real estate agent will come out tomorrow apparently to check what's going on. I don't think she believes me and keeps telling me that the carpet cleaning guy said there was no issue when he left.
Very frustrating. Not even sure who to tell the agent to get to check the place out 😐Is it possible to break your lease and move somewhere without carpets?
I talked to the agent. They said sure but I'm up for the costs of lost revenue and readvertising. So not much of an option I don't think.
Unless there's a secret way outHow long did the previous tenants live in the property? Do a google search and see if you can find that out. It would be interesting if they also broke their lease because of the smell.
Get your self an air purifier with a HEPA filter. Dust the room, shelves walls, skirts behind desks anywhere dust. Is there an air conditioning duct/ heater outlet. Guy at work had issues as he was over a ceiling duct. He has sinus issues and that was probably the main reason he had issues. Have you had previous sore throats. Do you have large tonsils. He got tonsilis and after awhile ended up in hospital with pneumonia. Just throwing some ideas out there.
Ill post the link to a supplier for a good air purifier when I find it. Not cheap, but for your health worth considering. Here you go. For a small room. https://inovaairpurifiers.com.au/products/airclean-e7 Not an OZB, but hey its Aus made and Aus company. We have the large unit.
Also open up the windows to air out the room with fresh air.