New home came with lingering odors. Help

I just moved into a 10 year old townhouse. I found out from my home
inspector that the previous owners were very untidy people. They
hardly ever cleaned (I'm guessing they didn't at all) and they never
changed the furnace air filter in the 5 year they owned the place (the
thing looked like a giant dust ball). The vent fan in the master
bathroom was broken, but my home inspector said he saw no signs of
mold or mildew in the bathroom. The fan was replaced. There were
lots of other little problems and a few major ones (garage door was
rotting and sliding door seal broken and moisture got in).

The previous owners must have been using an air freshener (I think
they had scented candles) because the moment I stepped into the door
after they moved out I smelled a strange musty smell throughout the
whole house. It's kind of hard to explain, kind of an "old dingy
closet" smell. In addition the bathrooms had a "soap" smell to them,
most likely because of all the soap scum on the tub. The water in the
place has a mild taste/odor to it but not bad enough to explain what
I'm smelling in the whole house.

The first night there I noticed my nose started to get stuffed up and
my snot was slightly bloody. Over the next few days I've started
coughing a lot and have had a runny nose. Today I feel somewhat weak
as if I have a cold or flu (though I'm not coughing as much).
Getting sick might have been a coincidence or due to stress, but I'm
beginning to doubt that.

The previous owners had a tiny little dog (it didn't seem to smell)
and a baby so I had the carpets steam cleaned with a truck mounted
device. They put down deodorizer and use detergent and hot water.
They did not use any sanitizing agent such as bleach or the like.
Even after doing some areas twice the carpet was still discolored. I
was told it was worn out and that it would have to be replaced.

I then had a cleaning service come in and do a rather thorough job of
cleaning the place. They didn't wash down the walls or ceiling
though.

Finally I spray Fabreese all over the house.

The smell went away (or was masked) for about a day and then returned.
It seems worse in certain places like the master bedroom closet
(there's a panel in there going somewhere, not sure where), one of the
guest bedrooms and the storage closet in the finished basement (which
raps around under the stairs and is partialy carpetted). The stairway
down to the basement also smells, but that smells more like motor oil
since the door to the garage is halfway down the stairs. The basement
has carpetting and a "cardboard" tile ceiling (like you see in office
buildings). I saw no sign of water damage at all, but the place was
very dirty and the air intake vents were filthy.

Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
open last night.

I was told I can spray diluted bleach on everything, but that sounds
drastic and has a potential to damage things. I've also been told I
should get an allergenic (carbon) air filter for the furnace and to
just run the fan.

My question is what can I do to get rid of these odor(s)?

Should I have my ducts cleaned out since the previous owner never
changed the air filter?

Any ideas?

Morac,
I feel your pain. I have a bloodhound nose and any type of smell can really
affect my mood quite a bit. You definitely need to replace your carpet and
the padding. I'm sure that will improve your situation quite a bit. Clean
the walls and repaint - that would help too. After the old carpet is
removed, you may notice damp areas or mold, I don't know. Time to bleach
that old floor. If the previous owners were untidy, that's already a
negative. Having a pet is a double dose of the problem. As you already
found out, carpet steaming will not help your situation at all. After doing
all these which will cost you $$, you may want to invest in a whole house
air cleaner system that would installed near the air filter.

Don't worry, take it one step at a time :-) Congratulations on your new
home. Once all this work is done, you'll be alright.


"Morac" <morac99-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c9758464.0310231115.1ba69a4e@posting.google.c om...
> I just moved into a 10 year old townhouse. I found out from my home
> inspector that the previous owners were very untidy people. They
> hardly ever cleaned (I'm guessing they didn't at all) and they never
> changed the furnace air filter in the 5 year they owned the place (the
> thing looked like a giant dust ball). The vent fan in the master
> bathroom was broken, but my home inspector said he saw no signs of
> mold or mildew in the bathroom. The fan was replaced. There were
> lots of other little problems and a few major ones (garage door was
> rotting and sliding door seal broken and moisture got in).
>
> The previous owners must have been using an air freshener (I think
> they had scented candles) because the moment I stepped into the door
> after they moved out I smelled a strange musty smell throughout the
> whole house. It's kind of hard to explain, kind of an "old dingy
> closet" smell. In addition the bathrooms had a "soap" smell to them,
> most likely because of all the soap scum on the tub. The water in the
> place has a mild taste/odor to it but not bad enough to explain what
> I'm smelling in the whole house.
>
> The first night there I noticed my nose started to get stuffed up and
> my snot was slightly bloody. Over the next few days I've started
> coughing a lot and have had a runny nose. Today I feel somewhat weak
> as if I have a cold or flu (though I'm not coughing as much).
> Getting sick might have been a coincidence or due to stress, but I'm
> beginning to doubt that.
>
> The previous owners had a tiny little dog (it didn't seem to smell)
> and a baby so I had the carpets steam cleaned with a truck mounted
> device. They put down deodorizer and use detergent and hot water.
> They did not use any sanitizing agent such as bleach or the like.
> Even after doing some areas twice the carpet was still discolored. I
> was told it was worn out and that it would have to be replaced.
>
> I then had a cleaning service come in and do a rather thorough job of
> cleaning the place. They didn't wash down the walls or ceiling
> though.
>
> Finally I spray Fabreese all over the house.
>
> The smell went away (or was masked) for about a day and then returned.
> It seems worse in certain places like the master bedroom closet
> (there's a panel in there going somewhere, not sure where), one of the
> guest bedrooms and the storage closet in the finished basement (which
> raps around under the stairs and is partialy carpetted). The stairway
> down to the basement also smells, but that smells more like motor oil
> since the door to the garage is halfway down the stairs. The basement
> has carpetting and a "cardboard" tile ceiling (like you see in office
> buildings). I saw no sign of water damage at all, but the place was
> very dirty and the air intake vents were filthy.
>
> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
> partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
> temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
> open last night.
>
> I was told I can spray diluted bleach on everything, but that sounds
> drastic and has a potential to damage things. I've also been told I
> should get an allergenic (carbon) air filter for the furnace and to
> just run the fan.
>
> My question is what can I do to get rid of these odor(s)?
>
> Should I have my ducts cleaned out since the previous owner never
> changed the air filter?
>
> Any ideas?

"Morac" <morac99-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c9758464.0310231115.1ba69a4e@posting.google.c om...
> I just moved into a 10 year old townhouse. I found out from my home
> inspector that the previous owners were very untidy people. They
> hardly ever cleaned (I'm guessing they didn't at all) and they never
> changed the furnace air filter in the 5 year they owned the place (the
> thing looked like a giant dust ball). The vent fan in the master
> bathroom was broken, but my home inspector said he saw no signs of
> mold or mildew in the bathroom. The fan was replaced. There were
> lots of other little problems and a few major ones (garage door was
> rotting and sliding door seal broken and moisture got in).
>
> The previous owners must have been using an air freshener (I think
> they had scented candles) because the moment I stepped into the door
> after they moved out I smelled a strange musty smell throughout the
> whole house. It's kind of hard to explain, kind of an "old dingy
> closet" smell. In addition the bathrooms had a "soap" smell to them,
> most likely because of all the soap scum on the tub. The water in the
> place has a mild taste/odor to it but not bad enough to explain what
> I'm smelling in the whole house.
>
> The first night there I noticed my nose started to get stuffed up and
> my snot was slightly bloody. Over the next few days I've started
> coughing a lot and have had a runny nose. Today I feel somewhat weak
> as if I have a cold or flu (though I'm not coughing as much).
> Getting sick might have been a coincidence or due to stress, but I'm
> beginning to doubt that.
>
> The previous owners had a tiny little dog (it didn't seem to smell)
> and a baby so I had the carpets steam cleaned with a truck mounted
> device. They put down deodorizer and use detergent and hot water.
> They did not use any sanitizing agent such as bleach or the like.
> Even after doing some areas twice the carpet was still discolored. I
> was told it was worn out and that it would have to be replaced.
>
> I then had a cleaning service come in and do a rather thorough job of
> cleaning the place. They didn't wash down the walls or ceiling
> though.
>
> Finally I spray Fabreese all over the house.
>
> The smell went away (or was masked) for about a day and then returned.
> It seems worse in certain places like the master bedroom closet
> (there's a panel in there going somewhere, not sure where), one of the
> guest bedrooms and the storage closet in the finished basement (which
> raps around under the stairs and is partialy carpetted). The stairway
> down to the basement also smells, but that smells more like motor oil
> since the door to the garage is halfway down the stairs. The basement
> has carpetting and a "cardboard" tile ceiling (like you see in office
> buildings). I saw no sign of water damage at all, but the place was
> very dirty and the air intake vents were filthy.
>
> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
> partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
> temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
> open last night.
>
> I was told I can spray diluted bleach on everything, but that sounds
> drastic and has a potential to damage things. I've also been told I
> should get an allergenic (carbon) air filter for the furnace and to
> just run the fan.
>
> My question is what can I do to get rid of these odor(s)?
>
> Should I have my ducts cleaned out since the previous owner never
> changed the air filter?
>
> Any ideas?

First, I would suspect that the place is damp. You don't say where you
live, so it is hard to be too specific. I would first get a dehumidifier
for the basement. Running the AC if the climate is warm will help. Put the
furnace fan to the "on" position so it runs 24/7 to keep the air moving.
You can get electrostatic or electronic filters for your furnace, but that
won't help with the smell, just particulate. Most duct cleaning is a scam.
The only thing that I would consider having done is a cleaning that steams
the ductwork. Anything else is a waste of money.

You can use bleach on hard surfaces, but it will damage most fabric. The
problem is that you don't often see mold on hard surfaces except for shower
surrounds. I would suspect that the carpeting is an issue. I would get rid
of it. I just took out all my carpeting. I cleaned it religiously with a
Steam-N-Vac unit. I couldn't believe how much crap worked its way through
the carpeting and pad. I replaced it with laminate flooring that I got at
Lumber Liquidators for a very good price. The laminate is much easier to
clean and doesn't absorb smell and harbor dust mites.

The next issue is probably the walls. If I were you I would clean them with
TSP and a little bleach. Then I would put on a sealing primer to seal in
the smell. Then I would paint. Don't forget the ceiling. Go to a real
paint store like Sherwin Williams and ask for advice about product
selection.

The combination of the dehumidifier, improved furnace filter (like a 3M
Filtreat filter), running the furnace fan 24/7, cleaning all hard surfaces
with bleach, cleaning/priming/painting the walls, and replacing the
carpeting should take care of your smell problems. If not, sell the place
while it is freshly painted!!!

Remember, moving is very stressful. You may just have a cold and a smelly
house. There might not be a cause and effect relationship between the two.

Morac wrote:
>
> I just moved into a 10 year old townhouse. I found out from my home
> inspector that the previous owners were very untidy people. They
> hardly ever cleaned (I'm guessing they didn't at all) and they never
> changed the furnace air filter in the 5 year they owned the place (the
> thing looked like a giant dust ball). The vent fan in the master
> bathroom was broken, but my home inspector said he saw no signs of
> mold or mildew in the bathroom. The fan was replaced. There were
> lots of other little problems and a few major ones (garage door was
> rotting and sliding door seal broken and moisture got in).
>
> The previous owners must have been using an air freshener (I think
> they had scented candles) because the moment I stepped into the door
> after they moved out I smelled a strange musty smell throughout the
> whole house. It's kind of hard to explain, kind of an "old dingy
> closet" smell.

<SNIP>

I'm very sorry to say that I think you are in for a "problem house".
You may be particularly sensitive to allergens and/or toxic products
given off by molds. It's quite possible the previous owners were
not sensitive to it and lived happily there.

The "musty" odor is a tip-off to underlying problems. Always an
indicator of moisture problems. Tracking down the source is not
easy. But the fact that you have localized it to the closet area
may be a big help. Start doing detective work. You may have to open
walls up to find the problem. Spraying bleach around willy-nilly
is not the answer and may compound your sensitivity.

Most insurers have dropped mold coverage, but it may be worth asking.

The molds produce what are called mycotoxins. It is these which can
produce severe health problems, not unlike what you have experienced.
There is a wealth of info on the 'Net on the subject. Do this search
to begin your research:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...-1&q=mycotoxin

There are home test kits and there are commercial inspection services
which may help. Do a search for "mold remediation" or similar.

Not all molds are the dreaded "black mold", but its effects are
serious. To find out about this strain, go here:
http://www.thefairways.com/index.htm

Here's one (commercial) site with some good tips:
http://www.moldcheck.com/MoldCleanUp.asp

Take your time. Don't rush into a hasty "fix".
Do the detective work and the research.

Jim

Sheesh. Next time you buy a house check it out. I would not buy a
house with anything rotting, a smell of any kind, or without an
extensive evaluation. If you are in the market to buy a house, buy
and follow a house inspection book first. Okay, I know this doesn't
help your current condition. Remove carpeting, padding, draperies,
etc. A leak or pet stains can cause bad odors. Use a detergent with
bleach added and clean everything. Then go on a weekend vacation
(you'll need it after all that cleaning) and run an ozone generator
while gone.

Lift up your carpets, have your ducts cleaned, and paint the walls are my
suggestions in addition to what everyone else said.





"Morac" <morac99-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c9758464.0310231115.1ba69a4e@posting.google.c om...
> I just moved into a 10 year old townhouse. I found out from my home
> inspector that the previous owners were very untidy people. They
> hardly ever cleaned (I'm guessing they didn't at all) and they never
> changed the furnace air filter in the 5 year they owned the place (the
> thing looked like a giant dust ball). The vent fan in the master
> bathroom was broken, but my home inspector said he saw no signs of
> mold or mildew in the bathroom. The fan was replaced. There were
> lots of other little problems and a few major ones (garage door was
> rotting and sliding door seal broken and moisture got in).
>
> The previous owners must have been using an air freshener (I think
> they had scented candles) because the moment I stepped into the door
> after they moved out I smelled a strange musty smell throughout the
> whole house. It's kind of hard to explain, kind of an "old dingy
> closet" smell. In addition the bathrooms had a "soap" smell to them,
> most likely because of all the soap scum on the tub. The water in the
> place has a mild taste/odor to it but not bad enough to explain what
> I'm smelling in the whole house.
>
> The first night there I noticed my nose started to get stuffed up and
> my snot was slightly bloody. Over the next few days I've started
> coughing a lot and have had a runny nose. Today I feel somewhat weak
> as if I have a cold or flu (though I'm not coughing as much).
> Getting sick might have been a coincidence or due to stress, but I'm
> beginning to doubt that.
>
> The previous owners had a tiny little dog (it didn't seem to smell)
> and a baby so I had the carpets steam cleaned with a truck mounted
> device. They put down deodorizer and use detergent and hot water.
> They did not use any sanitizing agent such as bleach or the like.
> Even after doing some areas twice the carpet was still discolored. I
> was told it was worn out and that it would have to be replaced.
>
> I then had a cleaning service come in and do a rather thorough job of
> cleaning the place. They didn't wash down the walls or ceiling
> though.
>
> Finally I spray Fabreese all over the house.
>
> The smell went away (or was masked) for about a day and then returned.
> It seems worse in certain places like the master bedroom closet
> (there's a panel in there going somewhere, not sure where), one of the
> guest bedrooms and the storage closet in the finished basement (which
> raps around under the stairs and is partialy carpetted). The stairway
> down to the basement also smells, but that smells more like motor oil
> since the door to the garage is halfway down the stairs. The basement
> has carpetting and a "cardboard" tile ceiling (like you see in office
> buildings). I saw no sign of water damage at all, but the place was
> very dirty and the air intake vents were filthy.
>
> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
> partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
> temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
> open last night.
>
> I was told I can spray diluted bleach on everything, but that sounds
> drastic and has a potential to damage things. I've also been told I
> should get an allergenic (carbon) air filter for the furnace and to
> just run the fan.
>
> My question is what can I do to get rid of these odor(s)?
>
> Should I have my ducts cleaned out since the previous owner never
> changed the air filter?
>
> Any ideas?

Reminds me of my house when I bought it. It didn't smell so bad when I was
looking at it, but when I moved in - Whoa! I found that they left their dog
inside and it pissed all over the place. I ripped up the carpet to find it
stained the oak floor under it. Then came the fleas I was getting attacked.
My ankles were getting bit up and I couldn't sleep. I pitched a fit and made
the previous owners pay to have the place sprayed.

After scrubbing and new carpeting I got the smell under control.
John



"Morac" <morac99-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c9758464.0310231115.1ba69a4e@posting.google.c om...
> I just moved into a 10 year old townhouse. I found out from my home
> inspector that the previous owners were very untidy people. They
> hardly ever cleaned (I'm guessing they didn't at all) and they never
> changed the furnace air filter in the 5 year they owned the place (the
> thing looked like a giant dust ball). The vent fan in the master
> bathroom was broken, but my home inspector said he saw no signs of
> mold or mildew in the bathroom. The fan was replaced. There were
> lots of other little problems and a few major ones (garage door was
> rotting and sliding door seal broken and moisture got in).
>
> The previous owners must have been using an air freshener (I think
> they had scented candles) because the moment I stepped into the door
> after they moved out I smelled a strange musty smell throughout the
> whole house. It's kind of hard to explain, kind of an "old dingy
> closet" smell. In addition the bathrooms had a "soap" smell to them,
> most likely because of all the soap scum on the tub. The water in the
> place has a mild taste/odor to it but not bad enough to explain what
> I'm smelling in the whole house.
>
> The first night there I noticed my nose started to get stuffed up and
> my snot was slightly bloody. Over the next few days I've started
> coughing a lot and have had a runny nose. Today I feel somewhat weak
> as if I have a cold or flu (though I'm not coughing as much).
> Getting sick might have been a coincidence or due to stress, but I'm
> beginning to doubt that.
>
> The previous owners had a tiny little dog (it didn't seem to smell)
> and a baby so I had the carpets steam cleaned with a truck mounted
> device. They put down deodorizer and use detergent and hot water.
> They did not use any sanitizing agent such as bleach or the like.
> Even after doing some areas twice the carpet was still discolored. I
> was told it was worn out and that it would have to be replaced.
>
> I then had a cleaning service come in and do a rather thorough job of
> cleaning the place. They didn't wash down the walls or ceiling
> though.
>
> Finally I spray Fabreese all over the house.
>
> The smell went away (or was masked) for about a day and then returned.
> It seems worse in certain places like the master bedroom closet
> (there's a panel in there going somewhere, not sure where), one of the
> guest bedrooms and the storage closet in the finished basement (which
> raps around under the stairs and is partialy carpetted). The stairway
> down to the basement also smells, but that smells more like motor oil
> since the door to the garage is halfway down the stairs. The basement
> has carpetting and a "cardboard" tile ceiling (like you see in office
> buildings). I saw no sign of water damage at all, but the place was
> very dirty and the air intake vents were filthy.
>
> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
> partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
> temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
> open last night.
>
> I was told I can spray diluted bleach on everything, but that sounds
> drastic and has a potential to damage things. I've also been told I
> should get an allergenic (carbon) air filter for the furnace and to
> just run the fan.
>
> My question is what can I do to get rid of these odor(s)?
>
> Should I have my ducts cleaned out since the previous owner never
> changed the air filter?
>
> Any ideas?

(Sorry, I can't seem to pull up he original post...)

>> It seems worse in certain places like the master bedroom closet
>> (there's a panel in there going somewhere, not sure where), one of

On the other side of the wall from that "panel" - your bathroom
by any chance? (and probably specifically your tub/shower?)

>> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
>> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went
>> away partially after opening all the windows and letting the house

Wetness. Would you recognize sewer gas if you smelt it? But
that's not necessarily it. Rain much in your town? If so,
you might have a big old roof leak around a vent stack and be
catching a lot of outside water making its way down into the
house and eventually mildewing. Or it could be the fixtures
in that bathtub leaking bend the wall. You might want to
start by pulling that mystery panel and having a look/smell.

Beyond that? Babies don't leave smells like that, neither do
most pets. Pull some registers and eyeball some ductwork.
If they're full of crud or wet, then you've got a possible
solution.

Daring to speak for the newsgroup: please let us know what you
come up with.

--
Baisez-les s'ils ne peuvent pas prendre une plaisanterie
--------------------------------------------------------
Tom Pendergast e-mail is for sissies, say it on line

Just use laquer thinner.Get 5gallons and mop the place down. Ceilings
,walls,floors, windows. Get a small container filled with vinigar and set it
inside the return air vent. Turn the fan onbefor you use the thinner. Open
all doors and windows.

"I-zheet M'drurz" <diespammer@icubed.com> wrote in message news:<Xns941DC0B654D8Ftomicubedcom@130.133.1.4>...
> On the other side of the wall from that "panel" - your bathroom
> by any chance? (and probably specifically your tub/shower?)
>

Actually yes, the other side is a bathroom where the broken venting
fan was. I'm guessing that's where the shutoff valve is. I'll look
inside when I get a chance. BTW even with a new venting fan, it
doesn't seem to vent very well. After showering the room stayed humid
for quite a while. Very strange for a fan that is so noisy.

> Wetness. Would you recognize sewer gas if you smelt it? But
> that's not necessarily it. Rain much in your town? If so,
> you might have a big old roof leak around a vent stack and be
> catching a lot of outside water making its way down into the
> house and eventually mildewing. Or it could be the fixtures
> in that bathtub leaking bend the wall. You might want to
> start by pulling that mystery panel and having a look/smell.

I'm quite sure it isn't sewer gas and it hasn't rained for a few days.
I didn't really smell it today, but then my nose is kind of stuffed
up. I did take a cold tablet which helped and I still didn't smell
anything. It's also gotten much colder (going down to below freezing
at night). With winter coming, it may be hard to find the source
since the humidity tends to go down a lot and odors are harder to
detect when its cold. I also ran the central fan 24/7 today. I'm
hoping maybe it will go away on its own over the winter, but I'm not
holding my breath.

I'm going away for a few days. If my cold is related to the house it
should go away or diminish, if it doesn't than it could just be a cold
(though I suppose it could still be stress and its been a very
stressful week). I may also just be alergic to dust (the place was
just cleaned and had tons of dust).

BTW the odor (when I smell it) isn't overpowering and I don't consider
it overly offensive, but it definately shouldn't be there.

I would be super pissed off with the inspector.

"Morac" <morac99-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c9758464.0310232123.2d8d0556@posting.google.c om...

>
> I'm going away for a few days. If my cold is related to the house it
> should go away or diminish, if it doesn't than it could just be a cold
> (though I suppose it could still be stress and its been a very
> stressful week). I may also just be alergic to dust (the place was
> just cleaned and had tons of dust).

Colds go away in 7 to 10 days whether you treat them or not. Therefore, if
you leave and your cold goes away it means nothing. On the other hand, it
you stay and it never goes away you are probably having an allergic
reaction.

"Morac" <morac99-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c9758464.0310231115.1ba69a4e@posting.google.c om...

<snipped>

> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
> partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
> temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
> open last night.

Since you specifically mention the basement and master bedroom closet, I
strongly suspect moisture problems (current or past) causing the smell.
Water damage isn't always visible. You can have mold growing behind walls
which can release a "musty" smell. The panel you mention in the master
closet is possibly a plumbing access panel. Is there a bathroom on the
adjoining wall. Open the panel and sniff in there. If it has the same
musty smell, there may be or have been water leaking from the shower/tub. I
don't have experience with basements but I know moisture problems are not
uncommon. How about having someone (a contractor) check the walls with a
moisture meter next time it rains. They will be able to tell if there is an
elevated amount of moisture in the basement walls. Good luck!

I suggest unfortunately--replace ALL carpet and pain all surfaces.
I would clean the floors under the old carpet (before installation of new)
with a bleach and water solution. You can save a lot of $ by ripping up
your own carpet. YOU should wear a mask of some type!!!!!

Paint all the walls-yes, you need to at least wash them down with bleach and
water.
I would use a good quality paint.

In the basement-use a paint that is a water sealent. If the floor is
concrete you will also need to seal that!!

Make sure you vacuum every little nook and crany-I know you had a cleaning
service in but there are those "little places that are missed.

When cleaning the floors before recarpeting them, I would steam the
baseboards--with something like a steam buggy or something like that! It
helps to flush out all the dirt--use a brush also.

What about the kitchen--paint inside the cabinets-wash them first.

Check all the walls in every closet with a "work light" by your side--one of
those hallogen ones. If there is a wall that you don't like the looks
of--replace it-or at least cover it.

Good luck--it's too bad you didn't insist on all this BEFORE the
sale--unless you got this as a REAL bargain!!

Good luck--and if you need advice about specific stains and products-holler
at me!!

Sijka




"Morac" <morac99-usenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c9758464.0310231115.1ba69a4e@posting.google.c om...
> I just moved into a 10 year old townhouse. I found out from my home
> inspector that the previous owners were very untidy people. They
> hardly ever cleaned (I'm guessing they didn't at all) and they never
> changed the furnace air filter in the 5 year they owned the place (the
> thing looked like a giant dust ball). The vent fan in the master
> bathroom was broken, but my home inspector said he saw no signs of
> mold or mildew in the bathroom. The fan was replaced. There were
> lots of other little problems and a few major ones (garage door was
> rotting and sliding door seal broken and moisture got in).
>
> The previous owners must have been using an air freshener (I think
> they had scented candles) because the moment I stepped into the door
> after they moved out I smelled a strange musty smell throughout the
> whole house. It's kind of hard to explain, kind of an "old dingy
> closet" smell. In addition the bathrooms had a "soap" smell to them,
> most likely because of all the soap scum on the tub. The water in the
> place has a mild taste/odor to it but not bad enough to explain what
> I'm smelling in the whole house.
>
> The first night there I noticed my nose started to get stuffed up and
> my snot was slightly bloody. Over the next few days I've started
> coughing a lot and have had a runny nose. Today I feel somewhat weak
> as if I have a cold or flu (though I'm not coughing as much).
> Getting sick might have been a coincidence or due to stress, but I'm
> beginning to doubt that.
>
> The previous owners had a tiny little dog (it didn't seem to smell)
> and a baby so I had the carpets steam cleaned with a truck mounted
> device. They put down deodorizer and use detergent and hot water.
> They did not use any sanitizing agent such as bleach or the like.
> Even after doing some areas twice the carpet was still discolored. I
> was told it was worn out and that it would have to be replaced.
>
> I then had a cleaning service come in and do a rather thorough job of
> cleaning the place. They didn't wash down the walls or ceiling
> though.
>
> Finally I spray Fabreese all over the house.
>
> The smell went away (or was masked) for about a day and then returned.
> It seems worse in certain places like the master bedroom closet
> (there's a panel in there going somewhere, not sure where), one of the
> guest bedrooms and the storage closet in the finished basement (which
> raps around under the stairs and is partialy carpetted). The stairway
> down to the basement also smells, but that smells more like motor oil
> since the door to the garage is halfway down the stairs. The basement
> has carpetting and a "cardboard" tile ceiling (like you see in office
> buildings). I saw no sign of water damage at all, but the place was
> very dirty and the air intake vents were filthy.
>
> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
> partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
> temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
> open last night.
>
> I was told I can spray diluted bleach on everything, but that sounds
> drastic and has a potential to damage things. I've also been told I
> should get an allergenic (carbon) air filter for the furnace and to
> just run the fan.
>
> My question is what can I do to get rid of these odor(s)?
>
> Should I have my ducts cleaned out since the previous owner never
> changed the air filter?
>
> Any ideas?

In article <c9758464.0310231115.1ba69a4e@posting.google.com>,
morac99-usenet@yahoo.com (Morac) wrote:

>
> The first night there I noticed my nose started to get stuffed up and
> my snot was slightly bloody. Over the next few days I've started
> coughing a lot and have had a runny nose. Today I feel somewhat weak
> as if I have a cold or flu (though I'm not coughing as much).
> Getting sick might have been a coincidence or due to stress, but I'm
> beginning to doubt that.
>

I was gone a few days during damp, mild weather. When I returned, the
house smelled moldy enough to make me cough.
>

>
> Yesterday there was a damp dank smell to the place which seemed
> strongest in the basement and the master bedroom closet. It went away
> partially after opening all the windows and letting the house
> temperature go down to about 50 degrees F. I also left one window
> open last night.
>
Airing didn't help me, either.

> My question is what can I do to get rid of these odor(s)?
>
Noting where the smells were strongest each time I came in helped me
solve it. There was a sulfurous moldy smell in the living room. Some
of the ceiling had a mottled appearance, although the paint was in good
shape. I don't know if the problem was chemical or biological, but
washing with borax stopped the odor.

Another musty odor came from the kitchen. I discovered that a rarely
used potholder on the wall was damp and looked moldy. To be damp, it
must have picked up some salt at some time; salt absorbs water from
humid air. Soaking and drying the potholder stopped the odor.
--
Barbecue Bob serving family-style roast bunny
at convenient restaurants
from Montana to New Mexico