Dorm Room smells, what do I do?

RoboChocobo

For the last 2 months I've noticed a stench growing stronger in my Dorm Room.

I'm not sure on the cause of the odor. I can smell it in various parts of the room. It reminds me of the kind of "musk" that people have. Normally I'd try not to be an ass about something like that. However I'm not sure the smell is 100% him. More like 80%. It reminds me of him, but at the same time there isn't any one thing in the room that I can pin the stench on. It's almost all over the room, and feels stronger in certain places. I don't want to start a spanish inquisition over it all, but I don't know how much longer I can take the stench. It just invades everything.

I've noticed the quality of the air is better OUTSIDE the room than it is inside. No amount of fresh air gets rid of it, and I can't seem to track it down. I think it might be his towels which he leaves on the floor, or his dirty clothes which he dumps at the bottom of the closet, but that doesn't make sense because otherwise the smell wouldn't be over at the other end of the room as well (although it DOES seem weaker over here)

Since it's probably just my Room mate in general, do you have some low tech remedies I could use to mask the stench? I normally would just ask him if he smells something, or bug him about it, but there's a bit of tension right now between us over his "living habits" and I just want to keep things going smoothly.

So what should I do to mask it? The windows are open 24/7, I've got a fan blowing in air from the outside, Door's open.

Should I use Air Spray, febreeze random shit while he's out, get an air freshener, leave an open box of baking soda lying out, buy some dried herbs/ potpourri? This is just a stop gap for now, so you don't need to worry too much about long term for the moment. Just some advice and any personal experience with this. Please hurry, I don't know how much longer I can take this stench before I accidentally snap at my room mate.

STATE OF THE ART ROBOT

Check to make sure there is no mold growing in your bathroom somewhere. my roommate found some mold growing behind the toilet and when that problem was fixed the smell gradually went away.

Voro

Get some Lysol Disinfectant and spray the shit out of everything. That's taken care of most odors around my apartment.

RoboChocobo

We don't have a Bathroom or Sink. just 2 cots, and 2 closet things, with towel racks and coat hangers he doesn't use.

My Roommates a slob much in the way that one might remember the line from the Catcher in the line, except a bit more....idiotic at times.

Like he doesn't leave a bunch of junk lying around like I do (he has a bit more storage space to be fair), but he just dumps it all in his closet. I've seen him leave cereal bowls wth some milk still in them lying around without throwing them out. Very sloppy with his available space, and it's a pain in the ass that way.

Gihgehls

Is roommate a pot smoker?

EggyToast

does he shower? Or do laundry? And if he does, does he hang up his bathtowel or just leave it in a pile on the floor, never washing it?

All of those things can lead to nasty BO lingering in a space. the best way is to confront the guy. Be happy that you're making a future girlfriend a) happy and b) possible.

brandotheninjamaster

yeah, wet towels can mildew real quick.

Dropping Loads

Your roommate probably also hates the smell and can't figure out what it is. Be teammates, and try and figure out the cause together.

If you do decide to start spraying the room, febreeze is the gentlest option. After that, go the Lysol route. If something is actively generating stench, you need to kill it for health reasons, and not just cover up the odor.

In a dorm room it can also be tough to get your towels completely dry, which sucks. I don't have a good suggestion for that.

ChopperDave

RoboChocobo wrote: »

We don't have a Bathroom or Sink. just 2 cots, and 2 closet things, with towel racks and coat hangers he doesn't use.

My Roommates a slob much in the way that one might remember the line from the Catcher in the line, except a bit more....idiotic at times.

Like he doesn't leave a bunch of junk lying around like I do (he has a bit more storage space to be fair), but he just dumps it all in his closet. I've seen him leave cereal bowls wth some milk still in them lying around without throwing them out. Very sloppy with his available space, and it's a pain in the ass that way.

I know it sucks to be confrontational, but you gotta lay down some laws here. This isn't just about your own comfort, it's a basic sense of hygeine.

Tell him that wet items need to be either: hung up to dry, or stored in an enclosed place (like a hamper). Otherwise they'll get mildew fast, which sucks.

More importantly, get him to throw his shit away. Leaving perishable foods lying around is just unacceptable. Stuff rots and molds, which is both unpleasant for you and a health hazard in some extreme cases.

If you don't tell him to clean up his act, you'll probably find yourself "mom"ing him and cleaning up after his mess. This is NOT A SITUATION YOU WANT TO BE IN. It only encourages him to be more of a slob, because he doesn't even have to hold to his own standards anymore - you'll just clean everything for him.

Confront him politely about it. Chances are, he's just a dunce about hygeine, knows it, and will appreciate your input. If the shit continues, start telling him what he needs to do. If he STILL doesn't stop, then tell him that whatever he doesn't put away or throw away, you will throw out yourself. If a towel is on the floor, throw it in the dumpster; if he leaves uneaten food out, throw it in the dumpster; etc etc. He'll be pissed off for a little bit but get the message right quick.

Doc

It's likely the towels.

Black Ice

STATE OF THE ART ROBOT wrote: »

Check to make sure there is no mold growing in your bathroom somewhere. my roommate found some mold growing behind the toilet and when that problem was fixed the smell gradually went away.

Also, what Doc said. Did you guys change towels and sheets?

Slagmire

Might not hurt to scrub down the walls with pine-sol, floor too if it's not going to be bad for it.

RocketSauce

Mold likes a dark, wet environment. Most likely the part of the closet your hobo roommate is using to store his used clothes/towels. Tell his ass to get a hamper and do laundry. Your friends and lady friends won't be coming over to often if that's what awaits them.

brandotheninjamaster

ChopperDave wrote: »

RoboChocobo wrote: »

We don't have a Bathroom or Sink. just 2 cots, and 2 closet things, with towel racks and coat hangers he doesn't use.

My Roommates a slob much in the way that one might remember the line from the Catcher in the line, except a bit more....idiotic at times.

Like he doesn't leave a bunch of junk lying around like I do (he has a bit more storage space to be fair), but he just dumps it all in his closet. I've seen him leave cereal bowls wth some milk still in them lying around without throwing them out. Very sloppy with his available space, and it's a pain in the ass that way.

I know it sucks to be confrontational, but you gotta lay down some laws here. This isn't just about your own comfort, it's a basic sense of hygeine.

Tell him that wet items need to be either: hung up to dry, or stored in an enclosed place (like a hamper). Otherwise they'll get mildew fast, which sucks.

More importantly, get him to throw his shit away. Leaving perishable foods lying around is just unacceptable. Stuff rots and molds, which is both unpleasant for you and a health hazard in some extreme cases.

If you don't tell him to clean up his act, you'll probably find yourself "mom"ing him and cleaning up after his mess. This is NOT A SITUATION YOU WANT TO BE IN. It only encourages him to be more of a slob, because he doesn't even have to hold to his own standards anymore - you'll just clean everything for him.

Confront him politely about it. Chances are, he's just a dunce about hygeine, knows it, and will appreciate your input. If the shit continues, start telling him what he needs to do. If he STILL doesn't stop, then tell him that whatever he doesn't put away or throw away, you will throw out yourself. If a towel is on the floor, throw it in the dumpster; if he leaves uneaten food out, throw it in the dumpster; etc etc. He'll be pissed off for a little bit but get the message right quick.

Or odds are he will be so mortified and embarrassed that he will clean up his act.

Synapse

Just have a cleaning day or something, where you ask him to participate, wash all of his clothes/sheets/towels, and you do the same. Vacuum/sweep, wipe down the walls, dust etc etc. Be friendly about it, maybe bring in some beers for the afterwards. It would certainly help you pinpoint the odors, and you'd have a clean and fresh room.

syrion

Dorm rooms tend to be filthy. Not just dirty, but deep down and ingrained filthy. First off, instead of carpet if possible use throw rugs that you can put in the wash. If the floor is just too ugly, make sure you vacuum once every two weeks at minimum (I know it's a pain to vacuum in the dorms but still). Throw out your carpet every year if you live in the dorms more than one year.

Wash everywhere: not just where you'd think about, but really odd places like on top of the door jamb. In Ehringhaus on the UNC campus I dusted this part of the room and this half-inch-thick slab of disgusting grit fell off it into my face. It was... unique.

I did this to combat a funk, which my roommate thought was me and which I thought was him. His strategy was to go and buy this crap:



DO NOT USE THAT CRAP.

The most likely culprit, honestly, is someone who doesn't change their underwear, bath towel, pajamas, or other "likely to get sweated on" items often enough.

Also: I strongly advise that you wear undershirts and sleep in them as well. Nothing sucks worse than your bed getting funky, and wearing an undershirt to bed means that the undershirt gets funky and your bed doesn't. Still, wash your bedclothes regularly. Similarly, wear shorts (as well as underwear) to sleep in.

As for clothes mildewing, well, I had a mildew issue the second year while actually using a hamper; after that, I put a towel in the bottom of the closet and spread my dirty clothes out in there except for socks (the dampest item) which I kept in a mesh bag in an unused cabinet above the closet and sprayed with deodorant every time i added to it.

catalyst

This is the story of my fucking (college) life.

ElJeffe

syrion wrote: »

Also: I strongly advise that you wear undershirts and sleep in them as well. Nothing sucks worse than your bed getting funky, and wearing an undershirt to bed means that the undershirt gets funky and your bed doesn't. Still, wash your bedclothes regularly. Similarly, wear shorts (as well as underwear) to sleep in.

Unless you really sweat like a motherfucker, this is overkill. If you wash your sheets every week or two, you won't need to wear multiple layers of clothing to bed to avoid unpleasant stenches.

senor_x

For scent-masking solutions, Method aroma pills are awesome. While initially more expensive, they last longer and smell better. They also come in more natural and pleasant scents rather than the typical overbearing, chemical-y odors of other brands.

The Cat

the solution is commonly known as "shake your roommate until they say uncle and promise to keep their things clean"

well, that's a bit harsh. young people out on their own often don't know how to do laundry properly or how regularly to do it. The towels need to be hung up to dry, so he needs to nip out to the nearest kmart and spent the $5 on a folding line or something. Dirty clothes need to go in a hamper. Another $5 will score him a plastic washing basket that will do the trick. Keeping them in the closet is pretty gross.

If you have to supply your own washing ingredients, try splitting the cost of the laundry powder (one with built-in facbric softener ftw) and a sanitising rinse (Dettol or Canesten are fine). You add it to the final rinse (or stick it in the part of the washing machine where the fabric softener normally goes) and it kills nasties like mould and spores and germs. He needs to do at least one load of washing a week.

And it kind of sounds like you already realise he's a slob, so be firm. Dude needs to learn. Maybe phrase it in terms of "no-one will ever want to be around you or this room while it smells this way and I presume that at some stage you want to get laid?" :P

kathos

Clean your dorm.

Seriously I cannot stress this enough, just random smells and a messy, improperly ventilated dorm room can wreck havoc on the smell factor.

- Clean it up! Laundry get a hamper (IKEA like $10), foodstuffs; take it out!

- Garbage bins (or lack thereof) EMPTY THEM on a regular basis.

- Also body odour, try to shower at least once a day. and if you have carpet in your dorm room floor; get a (portable if possible) vacuum (if not financially feasible just ask a few of your dorm buddies to pitch and use whenever), it'll do wonders.

- Also big thing; masturbation. If you or your roomate masturbate a lot, clean up after yourselves. That shit leaves a smell that rivals local strip clubs (the bad ones!). I cannot stress this enough.

- Open a window in the winter/at night, this'll do you good (if it gets cold just bundle up, worth it).

Your LAST step should be using disinfectants or odor covers. They're just band aid solutions to your real problem.

brandotheninjamaster

Also, if the smell is never identified, Wal-Mart sells powdered carpet deodorizer stuff works wonders. When I had pets that stuff would overpower any oder. If you have hardwood floors, then never mind.

syrion

ElJeffe wrote: »

syrion wrote: »

Also: I strongly advise that you wear undershirts and sleep in them as well. Nothing sucks worse than your bed getting funky, and wearing an undershirt to bed means that the undershirt gets funky and your bed doesn't. Still, wash your bedclothes regularly. Similarly, wear shorts (as well as underwear) to sleep in.

Unless you really sweat like a motherfucker, this is overkill. If you wash your sheets every week or two, you won't need to wear multiple layers of clothing to bed to avoid unpleasant stenches.

Well, I do sweat if I don't wear pajamas; not sure why, but I do. Also I didn't have air conditioning my first year.

tallgeeze

If you can I suggest taking out everything in the room and start fresh like it was your first day there. Once the room is bare you put things back in one by one until the smelly culprit reveals itself.

You may also want to rent a carpet cleaner and give that thing a touch up. Nothing beats the smell of a clean carpet.

SeñorAmor

I had the same type of roommate back when I was in college. Slobby as hell and didn't give a shit about it either. Nothing I tried worked until I went to the RA and told him the story. The RA made up a story and said others on our floor were complaining about a stink coming from our room and we needed to take care of it asap. Since the blame wasn't totally on my roommate (in his eyes), he was more conducive to cleaning up. A couple hours of cleaning later and the smell was gone, as were my roommate's sloppy habits. Killed two birds with one stone there.

t Kathos: nice sig. I used to have one just like it: