we have had an odor in our basement that smells like dead animal only when our dryer is on. My husband tore down the walls,nothing was in there, replaced dryer vent, we bought a new washer and dryer but the smell is still there. We looked in all the celling bays for dead mice nothing there . We have our own septic new x5 years ago. Any ideas outhere? We have a cement floor in the washer and dryer room. Thanks lin

How long has the odor been present? Adead mouse stops stinking in less than 2 weeks, rats twice that long.

How long has the odor been present?? Adead mouse stops stinking in less than 2 weeks, rats twice that long.

A few months

We can eliminate a dead rodent in this case. Now we should start searching for mold,mildew or a source of sewer gas. Can you desribe the odor?

I suggest looking for excess buildup of lint in the dryer hose. The moist lint is a perfect place for mildew to start. Sometimes with a thick buildup, the lint in the dryer hose never really dries.

We can eliminate a dead rodent in this case. Now we should start searching for mold,mildew or a source of sewer gas. Can you desribe the odor??

Would mold or mildew smell? Sewer gas I think we can eliminate that because when we use the washer machine the smell doesn't start. Only when it is damp out (heavy rain) or when we use the dryer. Also we did take the walls down in the washer and dryer room and we did notice the smell is stronger when we used the dryer last night. My mom came in the house and thought it smelled like bad trash but its not Im a very clean person. To my husband and I it really smells like something dead. Boggled!! Can think of anything else. Thanks for talking back lin

This is the difficult part with smells, everyone doesn't desribe it in the same terms. Trash and dead flesh aren't even close in smell. DIY GUy thinks lint and that's certainly a possibility. Disconnect the tubing that exits the dryer and clean back inside the dryer and then out through the tubing. Smell stronger with the awllboard down suggests mold inside the walls, you should be able to see mold or mildew, any blotches or blackish spots?

This is the difficult part with smells, everyone doesn't desribe it in the same terms. Trash and dead flesh aren't even close in smell. DIY GUy thinks lint and thats certainly a possiblity. Disconnect the tubing that exits the dryer and clean back inside the dryer and then out through the tubing. Smell stronger with the awllboard down suggests mold inside the walls, you should be able to see mold or mildew, any blotches or blackish spots??

When we put in the new dryer, we replaced all the tubing. Now that the walls are down, no there is no mold or mildew. Do mold or mildew smell? You had mentioned sewer gases, not to sound dumb but is it the same smell as if you were out in your yard and your septic tank needed to be emptied? My husband, right now is looking at the pipes in the bathroom , we have a little trap door to get behind the pipes in the abutting bedroom( we live in a ranch style home, small 1 level with 3 bedrooms)now I have the dryer going now, with no clothes in it and it doesn't smell at all, but as soon as I put wet clothes in there the smell comes back!! Don't forget we have a brand new dryer and washer because of this. We are going to try and bleach the walls and see what happends. Hope to hear from you soon lin


when we put in the new dryer, we replaced all the tubing. now that the walls are down, no there is no mold or mildew. do mold or mildew smell? you had mentioned sewer gases, not to sound dumb but is it the same smell as if you were out in your yard and your septic tank needed to be emptied? my husband, right now is looking at the pipes in the bathroom , we have a little trap door to get behind the pipes in the abutting bedroom( we live in a ranch style home, small 1 level with 3 bedrooms)now I have the dryer going now, with no clothes in it and it doesnt smell at all, but as soon as I put wet clothes in there the smell comes back!!! dont forget we have a brand new dryer and washer because of this. we are going to try and bleach the walls and see what happends. hope to hear from you soon lin

You know something, I think it is the foundation wall, I just put on my dryer and the odor came back, (sounds dumb but I could smell it on the cement walls.) The walls were painted white before we closed them up years ago, so when we did take down the wall board this week, the paint has turned a brownish color, not that bad, but the wall board was fine. What's your thought?

when we put in the new dryer, we replaced all the tubing. now that the walls are down, no there is no mold or mildew. do mold or mildew smell? you had mentioned sewer gases, not to sound dumb but is it the same smell as if you were out in your yard and your septic tank needed to be emptied? my husband, right now is looking at the pipes in the bathroom , we have a little trap door to get behind the pipes in the abutting bedroom( we live in a ranch style home, small 1 level with 3 bedrooms)now I have the dryer going now, with no clothes in it and it doesnt smell at all, but as soon as I put wet clothes in there the smell comes back!!! dont forget we have a brand new dryer and washer because of this. we are going to try and bleach the walls and see what happends. hope to hear from you soon lin



you know something, I think it is the foundation wall, I just put on my dryer and the odor came back, (sounds dumb but I could smell it on the cement walls.) The walls were painted white before we closed them up years ago, so when we did take down the wall board this week, the paint has turned a brownish color, not that bad,, but the wall board was fine. whats your thought?

We found the smell!! When we finished off our basement 15 years ago, for some reason, we can't remember what, my husband put a Y extension on the stink pipe that went down to the washer and dyer room. The cap was off the end of the pipe and we could feel cold air come out of it. Then when we turned on the dryer, heat rises, went right up to the open stink pipe. The only think is, the pip has to clogged some where, my be a bird. So when the snow stops today he will going on the roof to see what is blocking the stink pipe! Crazy huh? When if your interested Ill let you know what we found later. Lin