Mysterious basement smell

[Anonymous]

Hi - looking for recommendations for a service or company that can help investigate a mysterious basement smell. The pest control company didn’t find anything. I tried baking soda, charcoal bags that absorb odors, scented candles, reed and electric diffusers, and nothing seems to be working, even after a carpet change. Help please!

[Anonymous]

What does it smell like? Have you run water in all the drains down there?

[Anonymous]

What kind of smell is it ?
Investigate for any water leaks and having carpet is a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

It’s hard to describe the smell (which is why I’m looking for a service to help investigate it) but maybe musty? I haven’t seen any leaks and the reason we chose carpet is because we host family with small children who stay there and it’s comfortable. The smell only appeared after a family friend lived down there for a few months. It’s bothering me that I can’t identify it so therefore can’t figure out a solution to get rid of it

[Anonymous]

Musty suggests a water problem, unfortunately. When was the house built? When was the basement finished?

I would by a humidity meter and see what it’s reading down there. High humidity can definitely make a musty smell more prominent. Depending on the timing of the family friend’s stay that could certainly account for the coincidence.

[Anonymous]

Could be dead mouse. We have had a mouse problem recently and one way I know we’ve caught one is the smell.

The pest control guy is coming back tomorrow but my guess is that because it’s been so dry the mice are coming in to look for water.

[Anonymous]

What does a dead mouse smell like?

[Anonymous]

Likely a dead mouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does a dead mouse smell like?

Can’t really describe it but once you smell it, it is distinctive. It surprisingly strong for something so small. Musky maybe? Some people say like rotting cabbage but that’s not what I smell.

[Anonymous]

np here. So if you never find the dead mouse, does the smell go away eventually?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:np here. So if you never find the dead mouse, does the smell go away eventually?

Yes. When mice die in the walls people need to wait it out.

[Anonymous]

Will dead mice be discovered in the walls during a gut reno that takes everything down to the studs?

[Anonymous]

Do you have a dehumidifier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s hard to describe the smell (which is why I’m looking for a service to help investigate it) but maybe musty? I haven’t seen any leaks and the reason we chose carpet is because we host family with small children who stay there and it’s comfortable. The smell only appeared after a family friend lived down there for a few months. It’s bothering me that I can’t identify it so therefore can’t figure out a solution to get rid of it

This might be a long shot but could it be rotting food? Did you check everywhere (drawers, back of closet, etc.)?

Have you tried airing out your basement with windows fully open for a while? Are you running a dehumidifier?

[Anonymous]

We had a dead mouse and I know the smell but I wouldn’t describe it as “musty” and it should go away pretty quickly.