Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's probably old person smell. There's nothing to be done about it. It's a biological thing where old people's skin secretions change. It can happen starting in middle age.

No, the smell is usually a result of not being able to bathe/wash hair as often. Most elderly people with good hygiene don’t smell bad.

Not sure of the accuracy but posting for counterpoint: https://www.agingcare.com/articles/old-person-smell-174839.htm

Anonymous wrote:It's probably old person smell. There's nothing to be done about it. It's a biological thing where old people's skin secretions change. It can happen starting in middle age.

No, the smell is usually a result of not being able to bathe/wash hair as often. Most elderly people with good hygiene don’t smell bad.

It's probably old person smell. There's nothing to be done about it. It's a biological thing where old people's skin secretions change. It can happen starting in middle age.

OP - I have no advice but just wanted to say that I am so distressed for you. Unless your DH is willing to go to their house and try to figure out the source, I'm having a hard time figuring out a solution...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Periodontal disease.

That's what comes to mind for me.

Sounds like it, but how would their house smell, too?

Maybe it’s a variety of smells from different sources, which is why it’s hard to pin down. If the ILs are not taking care of their teeth, maybe the house cleaning is slipping too. OP, I would try and encourage addressing the source - see a doctor/dentist, hire a house cleaner, etc. put it terms of your love and care for them, particularly as they age. I wouldn’t say anything about the smell. I mean, what if it is the “old person” smell? Not much you can do about it and it will just hurt feelings,

My husband's grandparents had this issue. It was their jackets sitting in a musty closet (possibly with mothballs.) They hadn't washed their coats in years.

Have them dry clean or launder their coats and see if that helps.

Anonymous wrote:I realize that I have a sensitive nose but I don’t believe for an instant that You couldn’t know or ding out where the smell is coming from.

If a person sighs or breathes heavily next to you and you’re smelling it, it is their breath. If they walk by you and it comes off their whole body, it is they’re clothes. If their whole house smells it is their home.

I am guessing by the description that the whole home smells that it is mothballs. They smell like a combination of fecal material, ammonia and weird heavy perfume.

In what universe do mothballs smell like s***???

Anonymous wrote:I’m not fully caught up on this thread, so maybe it’s already been suggested, but clothes that sit wet too long REEK.

DH lived with grandma for a while when she had mobility issues and she’s get a load in the wash then take a couple of days to have the energy to move it to the dryer. It was not good. Like sort of old cheese meets mildew?

Front loading washers can make this problem much worse. I have a particular synthetic blend that reeks after being washed in my mother in laws front loader

I lived in an Eastern European country where most people used unrefined sunflower oil to cook with - we all reeked from it. A nasty smell just oozed from our pores. I couldn't stand it and ended up buying expensive imported oil. Perhaps OP's ILs use something like it.

I was in JC Penney's on Black Friday. I can't tell you how many people there just reeked of whatever it was they had cooked. It's like when my DH uses the cast iron skillet to cook stuff. I have to close all the bedroom doors (we have a ranch) otherwise all the rooms in the house smell like whatever he cooked. I can't stand it. DH and the boys don't smell it. DD and I certainly do.

Pregnancy makes your sense of smell react to all sorts of things. They might smell like they always did, but pregnancy can make lots of things smell revolting.

I realize that I have a sensitive nose but I don’t believe for an instant that You couldn’t know or ding out where the smell is coming from.

If a person sighs or breathes heavily next to you and you’re smelling it, it is their breath. If they walk by you and it comes off their whole body, it is they’re clothes. If their whole house smells it is their home.

I am guessing by the description that the whole home smells that it is mothballs. They smell like a combination of fecal material, ammonia and weird heavy perfume.

How’s it going OP?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone in this thread is really obsessed with the smell of ass and genitals. I mean, beyond the pale.

Well, neither ass nor genitals stink after you wash them.

Do you?

Ah, I see you are back.

Of course. But in fully clothed adults, you are much more likely to be smelling periodontal disease, as noted above, or an issue with the laundry and mold, as noted above.

Your fascination with other areas speaks more to you than the situation.

The person above is a different poster , I'm the one who first posted about smelly ass. And yes, if you do not wash it you can smell it thru clothes.

My one aunt has very bad teeth - some rotten, broken, missing - and has terrible breath. We’ve offered to help pay for the dental work but that causes a big fight so we ignore now. Very sad and distressing situation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone in this thread is really obsessed with the smell of ass and genitals. I mean, beyond the pale.

Well, neither ass nor genitals stink after you wash them.

Do you?

Ah, I see you are back.

Of course. But in fully clothed adults, you are much more likely to be smelling periodontal disease, as noted above, or an issue with the laundry and mold, as noted above.

Your fascination with other areas speaks more to you than the situation.