Odd chemical smell

[Crispym]

Hi peeps

I recently stayed in a lodge in Scotland which had an en suite bathroom. Unfortunately, there was a really bad smell in there (not that sort) which just wouldn’t go away despite lots of ventilation. This meant that we couldn’t use the room and my wife had to sleep in another bedroom.

The smell was very much like stale cigarette ashtrays and the site owner, although attentive, wasn’t able to identify its source. I also smelled a very similar odour in the corridor of a Premier Inn I stayed at more recently.

Any ideas what could have caused it?

Thanks
Chris

 

[Jacob]

Sounds like somebody has been smoking in the bogs!

 

[rogxwhit]

Squirrels.

 

[Jacob]

Squirrels.

Yes keep your eyes open for this sort of thing

 

[rogxwhit]

They get in the aircon ducts and hang about, smoking, farting and cracking hazelnuts ...

 

[baldkev]

And the smell of dead squirrel in a ventilation system cant be good

 

[Jones]

In hotel corridors I think it's decaying old carpet underlay that gives that odd dusty smell.

 

[gregmcateer]

Possible source, which I first learned about from a painter and decorator - the light pendant plastic can decay over time - you know when they go brittle - it gives off a word smell

 

[Johnwa]

The smell off ĺight pendant plastic and bakelite lampholders is a very fishy smell when hot. Years of experience in electrical maintenance taught to use my nose in conjunction with my eyes as well as my test meter for finding faults. The most obvious stink was a knackered Selenium plate rectifiier, the smell stays in your memory bank forever.

 

[Crispym]

Interesting thought about the underlay. The bathroom was laid with a (probably) vinyl floor covering but could well have been something under it. The smell was very strong and pervading.
I didn’t suspect squirrels. These are Scottish ones and I didn’t see any telltale signs of empty cans of Tennants anywhere.

 

[Sandyn]

These are Scottish ones and I didn’t see any telltale signs of empty cans of Tennants anywhere.

See any Bucky bottles?? That's what most of them drink now.

 

[Jacob]

See any Bucky bottles?? That's what most of them drink now.

No we've gone over to Magner's Cider it's more available. a.k.a. "wreck the hoose juice".
It does seem to bring on incontinence, which is very likely the cause of your pong.
Watch out for mouldering Tam O Shanters left in dark corners - you never know what's underneath them.

 

[Jameshow]

Interesting thought about the underlay. The bathroom was laid with a (probably) vinyl floor covering but could well have been something under it. The smell was very strong and pervading.
I didn’t suspect squirrels. These are Scottish ones and I didn’t see any telltale signs of empty cans of Tennants anywhere.

Will you stop looking at me it's weird!!

 

[dickm]

Had an old aunt many years ago who had a nose like a bloodhound. I'd recently installed central heating in our old house, taking the pipe under the floor in the hall, which had some elderly rubber backed carpet. Aunt came to visit, and asked immediately "what's that smell of burning rubber". I couldn't smell anything, but she sniffed around and said it was in the hall, so guess it must have been the slightly warmed carpet.
Interestingly, the gene seems to have passed to my older daughter; she is called in regularly to trace leaks in their labs.