Guest Has Something that Smells Terrible

[Susan3965]

Hi all, 

I’m currently hosting a guest in my studio apartment that’s attached to our house with a shared wall. He’s been here for one week, and there is a horribly foul odor coming from the apartment. It started 2 days after he arrived, and now it’s so bad that it’s permeated through to several rooms of our house. 
I’ve asked him nicely to “check his garbage” for anything rotting. Finally today I peeked inside while he was gone - the smell is horrible and intense! Almost knocked me over. What could it be?? And what do I do?? 
He’s scheduled to be there for 3 more weeks!

[Lenore22]

Can you describe the smell a little more? Is it chemically? Does it smell burnt? Or like something died? Does it smell farty like he didn't flush? Is it sickeningly sweet? Or could this be an ethnic food to which are not accustomed?

I would handle them differently. If it was chemically or burnt, I would act immediately with great urgency. If "poopy" it could be a sewer issue- same with a mildew/mold smell-- all reasons for concern as a host/homeowner. 

It sounds like you've started talking, which is great. Maybe see if he can show you where the smell might be coming from? And go from there. If your are polite and he is hostile, you may need to seek support from a 3rd party.

[Susan3965]

He’s not at all hostile... and I’ve been very kind and non accusatory. He’s got to be smelling it, but it doesn’t seem to bother him? It’s definitely coming from inside the apartment - when I opened the door it was like a wall of odor. 

[Helen427]

@Susan3965  Have you checked online search engines to see if you can locate any history on him?
It may help give you some leads what it may or may not be  if there are photos or other information.

All the best

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Susan3965  it remains me on a story about a guest who traveled with his dead pet. I hope this is not the same guest 😄

We had jews guests whose food smelled absolutely terrible to us.

Whatever it is you will need an ozonator when he checks out

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

I remember that post too~🤣 🤣 🤣  @Branka-and-Silvia0 

[Emilia42]

@Susan3965 Can the guest smell it too? Are you sure something hasn't died within your walls?

[Susan3965]

I’m sure he can smell it. It smells like rotting food/garbage. 

[Helen350]

Durian?? @Susan3965 ?

Re Emilia's thought, I once had several sleepless nights of noisy scratching and scurrying from above my ceiling... Followed by a week of foul stench. A stench SO bad it 'burnt' my throat, and I had to sleep with 2 windows open and a through draught for another week, despite it being March & cold! It was the only way I could breathe! (Says she who NEVER opens windows in winter - not until the heating goes off in May!) - Thankfully this was before the days of Airbnb/paying guests!

[Susan3965]

@Emilia42  He says he hasn’t noticed anything!

[Emilia42]

@Susan3965 It is probably him that smells then! eww

[Linda108]

I agree with @Lenore22  in that you need to pin down the details of the type of odor.  Meanwhile, continue your communication with the guest, treating him as a partner in solving this mystery.  Your post assumes that he is cause of the smell and to approach him with that attitude is likely to make him defensive.  Keep us posted and good luck!

[Sarah977]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 Ever see the old Polanski movie 'Repulsion'? Catherine Deneuve played the lead and carried a dead rabbit around in her handbag.

I wonder what your Jewish guests were cooking that smelled so bad. My Jewish grandma loved to cook and bake and her house always smelled delicious. Chicken soup and apple struedel.

[Susan3965]

Yikes!! A dead rabbit? 😂
Thankfully it doesn’t smell like a dead animal. It smells like garbage/rotting food mixed with sweat? 
The thing is, it’s a new construction apartment. Before this, it still smelled like paint and drywall. 

[Sarah977]

@Susan3965 Unless the guest has rotting food somewhere, I know some people's feet can smell really revolting. Like super stinky cheese.

It can sometimes be a result of a medical condition, or like an ex-boyfriend I had, it was because he wore nylon socks his mom used to send for Xmas or his birthday. Once I got him to switch to cotton or wool socks, the problem disappeared.