Friend's house stinks:

[IdesOmarch]

I don't get this, plus its not healthy at all. And the pet patrol, or whatever they're called will take pets away from you if a house is like this I"ve heard. I don't get people that can stand to live in sheer filth and stinch like this. I would absolutely have a talk with them about it. I had one friend like this years ago, and I stopped ever going to his house because of this, it was so bad, he would stink like his house, so I stopped having this person as a friend completely, because total funk smell is another deal breaker for me. I can't be around someone that you can smell 20 feet away, and I don't mean a pleasant perfume smell, but stinch, BO, whatever.

 

[BeefJerky]

Just ask her to meet you somewhere else, if the house is really that bad then just avoid going there. Only until she mentions why you don't stop by just..very tactfully..tell her whats up.

 

[sparklynails23]

I don't get this, plus its not healthy at all. And the pet patrol, or whatever they're called will take pets away from you if a house is like this I"ve heard. I don't get people that can stand to live in sheer filth and stinch like this. I would absolutely have a talk with them about it. I had one friend like this years ago, and I stopped ever going to his house because of this, it was so bad, he would stink like his house, so I stopped having this person as a friend completely, because total funk smell is another deal breaker for me. I can't be around someone that you can smell 20 feet away, and I don't mean a pleasant perfume smell, but stinch, BO, whatever.

Yeah, I don't think that having an unsanitary house is being a good pet owner. It's like those icky people on pet hoarders. They always think they're good pet owners, too.

 

[disdanny]

That was the situation at my sister's home. I told her flat out that it smelled bad, but she was so accustomed to it that she didn't care. When she moved out, I had to rip out all the flooring and seal the subfloors (several coats) to contain the odors.
The smell permeated everything she owned. Even now, almost 10 years later, if I get something of hers out of storage, it still has that lingering odor.

 

[Cinderella94]

I don't get this, plus its not healthy at all. And the pet patrol, or whatever they're called will take pets away from you if a house is like this I"ve heard. I don't get people that can stand to live in sheer filth and stinch like this. I would absolutely have a talk with them about it.

IdesOmarch...I usually agree with you on, well, nothing, but I had been thinking this same thing the entire time I read this thread. How is it sanitary, for anyone? If I considered myself a real friend of this person I would talk to them about it.

 

[Wishing on a star]

peed, pooped, vomited on her carpet EVERYWHERE.

That sounds just awful...
It really sounds like an issue with unfit and unsanitary living conditions.
It really sounds like the 'stench' is the least of the issues.

I don't think that you can say anything.
I don't see it turning out well.
I would however, always find a way to avoid spending time in her home.

 

[Cinderella94]

That sounds just awful...
It really sounds like an issue with unfit and unsanitary living conditions.
It really sounds like the 'stench' is the least of the issues.

This.

The stench is just a result of the other disgusting issues.

 

[HOGFAN]

Well the other day she did say that she wants to rip up the carpet and put in the 'clicking' wood laminate. I jumped on that and told her I would come down and help her. And yes, the rest of the house is nasty..she lets the cats up on the kitchen countertops:scared.bathrooms nasty,etc. She is a professional businesswoman and I was blown away by her living conditions.

 

[JDX4]

You sound like a good friend. She probably doesn't realize that her house is so stinky. She is probably immune to the smell. If you help her rip out the carpet, that may help. If it is in the subfloor, strongly encourage her to get that changed before she puts in the laminate or the smell will still be there.

If she hadn't mentioned the laminate, I was going to suggest that you say something like, "Lately, I've noticed a bit of a cat smell in your house. I'll help you look up some things on the internet about how to get rid of that."

Kind of act like the smell is a new problem, and not that big of of a deal, but that you know that she would want to fix it.

 

[quentina]

How/should I tell her..She has several animals in her house that have peed, pooped, vomited on her carpet EVERYWHERE. The smell is almost unbearable.Im sure she doesnt notice it because she is used to it..Any suggestions?

I have a great friend with the same issue....I just don't go there anymore. My kids are to young to not walk in and say....EEWWW, what's that smell? It's horrifying! I don't know how they live there......

 

[HonnyDipp]

I have no problem telling you how I feel, especially if I'm standing in your house and I'm surrounded by filth. I'd rather tell you to your face that you have a problem then discuss the issue behind their backs. I've never been the kind of person to smile in a persons face when I really want to barf.

 

[robinb]

You don't, unless she asks you.

She knows. She may not be aware of how bad the smell is to the unitiated, but she knows it smells.

I would guess that she knows it smells, but she may not be aware of how much it smells to people who are not used to it. I know someone whose house absolutely stinks (from pets and dirty diapers) and when I visit for a few hours even I become acclimated to the stench. I think that your sense of smell just becomes overwhelmed and their sense of smell may be completely gone. At least that's what I tell myself about these people because I can't imagine living that way.

 

[shortbun]

My sister told her friend. They discussed solutions. The only thing they resoved was that the woman was not getting rid of the animals so fixing the house was a waste of time. I'm pretty sure she told the woman-her best friend since high school-because she could not go into her house anymore and needed to explain. I think you need a deep friendship based on trust to be able to go there.

I have a friend who has one dog. Her house stinks from the mixed smell of dog and the deodorizer she uses to mask it. It is awful!!! My husband, son and I are not ever going there again unless it's nice enough to stay outside on their deck.