Why is there a cat pee smell in my daughters bedroom?

[annedonnelly]

Years ago we noticed a smell in the bathroom while my parents used the bath. There was no sign of it when I was in the bath!

It turned out that the plastic light fitting was decaying. My parents bathed late at night and needed the light on. I bathed earlier and didn't switch the light on. The smell was from the heat of the light bulb warming the old plastic.

Took us a while to figure that one out.

 

[Thomk]

So what may have happenned is this - I decorated aver a year ago and had to dry out, repair and PVA one of the window reveals as it had suffered from leaks from a blocked gutter pipe (the water was leaking behind the gutter and into the reveal as it wasn't flowing properly). I cleared the gutter of course before redecorating and everything was perfect. A few months ago the next bedroom along was showing signs of leaking again (same side of the house, same gutter) so I more rigorously fixed the gutter problem!

I wonder if water has gone into the repaired reveal and has caused this smell (a combination of damp with rotting something/chemical reaction etc). Maybe when it all dries out for good it will all go away???

 

[slowmotion]

Years ago we noticed a smell in the bathroom while my parents used the bath. There was no sign of it when I was in the bath!

It turned out that the plastic light fitting was decaying. My parents bathed late at night and needed the light on. I bathed earlier and didn't switch the light on. The smell was from the heat of the light bulb warming the old plastic.

Took us a while to figure that one out.

Scorched Bakelite smells of fish. It used to be used in a lot of electrical fittings and junction boxes.

 

[Rezillo]

Scorched Bakelite smells of fish. It used to be used in a lot of electrical fittings and junction boxes.

Yes, a really revolting smell - it does decay in prolonged heat. Ceiling roses, or junction boxes in the ceiling void, might affect the room above if there is any air movement through floorboards.

 

[slowmotion]

Yes, a really revolting smell - it does decay in prolonged heat. Ceiling roses, or junction boxes in the ceiling void, might affect the room above if there is any air movement through floorboards.

Off-topic alert: "Burn tests" are a common way of helping to identify different types of plastic.

Edit: see here...
http://www.loyresearchgroup.com/uploads/1/0/2/2/10227236/new_id_chart_.pdf

 

[annedonnelly]

Yep, it was a Bakelite light fitting

 

[Turdus philomelos]

Trainers/shoes that have been soaked I think. I have noticed this from some students who wear trainers. Not sure what causes this, but it does smell just like cat wee.

 

[slowmotion]

Trainers/shoes that have been soaked I think. I have noticed this from some students who wear trainers. Not sure what causes this, but it does smell just like cat wee.

I think that it's the glue they use. It can smell utterly horrible.

 

[Globalti]

On trainers and cycling shoes, the sweat that gets trapped under the insole decays and gives off amines, which are a fishy cat pee smell. Shimano cycling shoes (and others probably) also have a layer of board under the insole, which gets permanently damp and gives off the cat pee smell. That's why you ought to remove the insole after wearing.

The fishy smell also comes from plastic light fittings that are only rated for a 60w bulb but have been fitted with a 100w bulb and are overheating.

 

[slowmotion]

On trainers and cycling shoes, the sweat that gets trapped under the insole decays and gives off amines, which are a fishy cat pee smell. Shimano cycling shoes (and others probably) also have a layer of board under the insole, which gets permanently damp and gives off the cat pee smell. That's why you ought to remove the insole after wearing.

The fishy smell also comes from plastic light fittings that are only rated for a 60w bulb but have been fitted with a 100w bulb and are overheating.

They tend to make electrical fittings out of Melamine Formaldehyde these days. It has a very distinctive smell which is actually quite useful if you are trying to detect electrical faults.