You shouldn’t have to plug your nose when relaxing at home
Many underlying issues contribute to foul smells in the home.
Mold smells musty and contributes to respiratory issues.
Gas leaks often reek of rotten eggs.
Certain electrical problems create an unpleasant fish smell.
Plumbing issues, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and low-quality drywall can cause foul odors.
Your home is your sanctuary, and sudden, weird smells can burst that relaxing bubble quicker than you can say, “ew, sulfur.” Before performing steps to keep your home smelling fresh and clean, you need to understand what causes these funky odors. Here are 10 things that could be causing some unexplained smells in your home, from the expected to the absolutely surprising—and what you should do about them.
| Cause of Smell | Most Common Signs |
|---|---|
| Mold, mildew, or dust | Musty or earthy odor; visible mold or mildew growth in damp areas |
| Gas leak | Rotten egg or sulfur-like smell; hissing sound near gas appliances |
| Electrical problems | Fishy or metallic smell; flickering lights |
| Problematic drywall | Rotten egg smell; failing HVAC systems; tarnished metals |
| Plumbing issues | Sewage smell; slow drains or gurgling noises |
| VOCs | Chemical smell from new furniture or renovation materials |
| Pest problems | Foul or ammonia-like smell; droppings or gnaw marks |
| Pet messes | Urine or feces smell |
| Old food | Rotten or sour smell; presence of fruit flies or other insects |
| Outside odors | Smells coming from open windows or vents |
Mold, mildew, and dust are a common trinity of funky smell causes. Each contributes to household odors in its own way, though mold presents some legitimate health risks. This foul fungus thrives in moisture, so take care of leaks ASAP, as mold can aggravate respiratory and allergy problems.
What to Do: You can keep dust and mildew at bay by performing regular cleaning tasks like sweeping and dusting, and laying down an air purifier or two. For mold, keep a constant eye on your basement and bathrooms and consider installing a dehumidifier (mold hates dry air).
If you spy a large outbreak of mold, contact a local mold remediation service to nip it in the bud before it spreads throughout the home.
If you smell rotten eggs and are fairly certain your carton is in the refrigerator where it belongs, a gas leak is a likely culprit. Natural gas is actually completely odorless, but gas companies add an odorant that creates that tell-tale sulfur smell. This smell helps homeowners suss out gas leaks as soon as possible, allowing them to flee the home and contact authorities.
What to Do: Gas leaks are extremely dangerous, causing fires, explosions, and even respiratory failure. If you suspect a gas leak, do not turn on any appliances or use your landline. Instead, vacate the premises immediately, and call your gas company’s emergency line for more instructions.
Believe it or not, overheating or burning electrical components create a fishy smell throughout the home. So if you smell fish somewhere, it’s more likely frayed wires than an errant salmon. All manner of electrical problems contribute to these odors, including loose cords, overloaded circuits, faulty outlets, incorrectly sized breakers, overheated electrical shielding, and more.
What to Do: To get rid of burning or smoky smells, air out your home and turn off the power in areas affected. Be sure to contact a local electrician right away if you encounter these odors.
If someone cuts corners during the home building process, you may later deal with problem drywall. Like gas leaks, this type of low-quality drywall emits a sulfur smell (rotten eggs). Other tell-tale signs of this low-grade drywall include the early failure of HVAC systems, tarnished silver jewelry, and copper wires coated in a black residue. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission shares other identifying signs to help you narrow down this problem.
What to Do: If you suspect the presence of problem drywall, call in a local drywall repair pro to assess, and possibly replace, it.
A whole spate of plumbing issues causes foul odors throughout the home, particularly in and around bathrooms and the basement. Noticing an icky sewage smell wafting around your home? It’s likely related to a plumbing issue.
The cause of this smell varies, from a dried-up P-trap to a clogged pipe, damaged anode rod, or a backed-up sewage drain.
What to Do: Run water through all drains at least once a month to minimize these issues, and contact a local plumber for help identifying and fixing the source of the problem.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be present in multiple locations throughout your home, from hairspray to plywood, and each creates its own unique odor. Common VOCs include formaldehyde, butane, ethylene glycol, acetone, and methylene chloride.
What to Do: The smell goes away when you eliminate the source, so toss old cleaning agents, paint cans, and hairspray, among other items. For particleboard and certain types of plywood, act with caution when purchasing such items, searching for brands containing little to no additional VOCs. It is virtually impossible to avoid all VOCs in daily life, but a little diligence goes a long way.
Homes feature plenty of nooks and crannies for rodents and other pests to create secret hideaways. Pests are never going to make your home smell good, and unfortunately, the circle of life means that these co-habitants may perish in your walls. If multiple rodents or even one large mammal dies and rots behind a wall, your nose will let you know.
What to Do: Contact a local animal removal company to get that smell out of your home. Many of these companies also disinfect the impacted areas upon removal.
We love our furry friends, but if they have an accident in the home, the smell can linger. If you have an alpha cat trying to mark its territory in your home, you’ll also likely encounter the oh-so-nasty smell of cat spray.
What to Do: Pet owners know best how to keep an eye on their cats and clean as necessary. In some cases, though, you may not catch every incident, or the smell could be coming from the missteps of the home’s previous owner. Luckily, a local floor-cleaning service specializing in animal waste can help you here.
It’s also important to note that some issues in the home mimic the smell of cat urine, including certain types of mold and landscaping shrubs–like ornamental boxwood. If you don’t have a cat, these are also worth keeping in mind.
Food may smell delicious at first, but give it a few days on the counter, and it won’t smell the same. If someone accidentally dropped a bit of their sandwich or left lunch in your home office, you’ll know by the rotting stench before too long.
What to Do: Maintain regular cleaning tasks, checking behind furniture and in various nooks and crannies every once in a while. Your garbage disposal is also a haven for rotting food debris. Clean and disinfect it regularly.
Sometimes, a funky smell seems to be emanating from inside the home, but is actually coming from outside. Intense smells often travel long distances before reaching your door, so take a step outside and smell the funky roses before searching indoors for the source of any smell.
What to Do: Once confirmed, tighten up your home’s insulation to minimize unwanted odor-causing particles. Take on the cost to apply weatherstripping on windows and doors and, in severe cases, run air purifiers throughout your home. Also, stay current on your HVAC system’s air filters, cleaning or replacing as necessary.
Smells are never fun, but sometimes they’re more than just a nuisance—they could indicate a hazard. In that case, consider the smell as a helpful warning sign for something that needs to be addressed. Here are some tips to help keep your home safe and free from harmful odors:
Schedule regular inspections from a local home inspector and maintenance for your home’s systems.
Be vigilant for any unusual odors and sort them out promptly.
Keep an eye out for warning signs like water stains, mold growth, flickering lights, or unusual sounds.
Ensure proper ventilation, like using exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens, and use a dehumidifier if needed.
Seal cracks and gaps and store food securely to prevent pest infestations that can lead to health concerns.
Any unexplained smell in your house should be investigated. However, some home odors are "red flag" worrisome because they pose immediate health and safety risks. Odors should be taken seriously when accompanied by headaches, nausea, or lightheadedness. If you smell an egg-like aroma, this is probably natural gas. You should leave the home immediately, and contact your gas company.
Take this one seriously! If your oven smells like gas when it’s off, this is a telltale sign of a gas leak that can lead to a fire or explosion. In addition, a small leak has the potential to turn into a major leak without warning if any part of your piping or tubing breaks. Potential sources of a leak include the gas valve, burner, joint, or connection lines behind the stove. If the leak appears to be significant, you should contact the gas company or fire department.
While Freon is mostly odorless, a Freon leak will produce a faint chloroform-like smell. Some people find that Freon's odor has a subtle sweetness to it. Some telltale signs of a Freon leak beyond odor include ice crystals on your evaporator coil, bubbling sounds, and hissing noises.
