Wellness

[Puppy Lips]

The second I read the OP, I remembered the smell in my Grandmother's house. I have no idea where the smell came from, but it was a distinct and not particularly good smell. Funny how you remember those things.

[TootyJane]

On 5/29/2014 poregirl said:

old furniture that has been sat on for years such serves as stank sponge. My grandma's furniture stunk to high heaven. Apolstered Furniture thats kept forever is rarely cleaned.

This what I thought reading this post and all of the responses. I've recently noticed "that smell" at my Mom's house. She is 87 now, regularly bathes, has the carpets cleaned on a regular basis but her furniture is as she would say "old as dirt"! I'm pretty sure she's never had her upholstered furniture professionally cleaned. I don't think she'd be up for buying new furniture either. Her cleaning lady, who comes in every week, started leaving those Glade room freshened around so I'm guessing she's noticed the smell too. I'm not sure how to handle the situation either as I don't want to offend Mom. Great post!

[TRUE]

Its not just "seniors" a lot of people just stink or don't keep house like some of us do. Some people in my own family I wouldn't sit on their toilets let alone ever sleep over!! Some just don't keep things clean I see mold in showers,, hair and who knows what around toilets and dog smell everywhere on furniture. So it isn't just us oldies.....

[frenchteach]

I am not attacking anyone, but this post made me teary-eyed. My Mom passed away a little over a year ago, at 87, having spent only 3 months at an elder care facility. I know the smell. I am sure there are many reasons, which, if we live to be old enough, we won't notice on ourselves, either. But now, I miss her, and I miss even that place where she passed away, and I know if I walked back in there, I would not find it offensive. It just was how it smelled.

[TRUE]

On 5/30/2014 frenchteach said: I am not attacking anyone, but this post made me teary-eyed. My Mom passed away a little over a year ago, at 87, having spent only 3 months at an elder care facility. I know the smell. I am sure there are many reasons, which, if we live to be old enough, we won't notice on ourselves, either. But now, I miss her, and I miss even that place where she passed away, and I know if I walked back in there, I would not find it offensive. It just was how it smelled.

I'm so sorry I can relate as my mom was in a very nice home I didn't think she would die there but she did in 3 months also yet....it never had that smell. It was immaculate a real home she had her own bedroom with her own things like tv, clothing etc but when I used the one of the bathrooms for the help it was stocked with Febreeze. Its great I use it here at the beach......I also burn tarts at least one 24/7 I can't stand musty or moldy smells.

Unlike you I have to turn my head when I go past that house had I known she would only last 3 months I feel guilt for not bringing her to my home but only have 2 bedrooms upstairs and am upset with a sister who also could have brought her home. But things happen the way they're supposed too.

[EMPRES]

I haven't read all the responses. I'm just going to say that I can picture that smell, engrained in my brain. After losing both my beloved Grandparents last year, I would give absolutely (almost) anything to be able to see them and smell that again! Mixed with Grandpas coffee breath too, of course... Sorry to be soo sappy, but I never minded that smell. It meant I was with them

[OC FRESH]

On 5/30/2014 mistriTsquirrel said:

OP, I know the odor of which you speak...though I don't usually smell it on women, for some reason.

It isn't a dirty hair smell, a dirty clothes smell, a urine smell, a feces smell, a stinky armpit or foot smell, a dirty carpet smell, a stinky dog smell, a cat urine smell, etc...it's different.

My parents' couch has that odor. My dad spent many hours on that couch each day. He died last month at the age of 67, so he wasn't very old. I attributed the smell to the fact that he needed assistance bathing...which meant he wasn't getting a shower every day like he did before he had his strokes. On the other hand, he was on a lot of medication (other posters mentioned that could be a factor).

When he was at the hospice facility, the nurses bathed him daily, and his skin smelled good...not like a bath product, but just like clean skin. Of course, he was taken off of most of his medications when he entered hospice...but he went in on the 25th and died on the 28th, so I doubt that was a factor.

I'm thinking it's just more difficult to wash every nook and cranny regularly when you aren't as limber, as energetic or as motivated as you once were. Then again, young people who don't bathe don't take on that smell...they just smell like dirty hair, feet, armpit and booty.

I wonder if maybe it's hormonally-related...or related to some decline of metabolic functions?

Now you've got me wondering...

P.S.-- I aspire to be an "old folk" some day, because it beats the alternative...and if some young whipper-snapper tells me my house smells, I'll tell him or her to get his or her gosh-darned rear end out of my estate, and to take his or her whatchacallits and hickey-madoos with him/her. Perhaps I will also instruct that disrespectful nincompoop to avoid stepping on my azaleas, or tripping over my garden gnome on his/her way out the door which may or may not hit that person on the backside on their way out.

You are too much! You come up with the most perfect squirrel pics. on any subject.

Those pearls!

[TRUE]

There are a whole lot more things to worry about like ever think of theater seats? gag...or when you go to the doctor whats been sitting there or the lab even worse.. it grosses me out its a dirty world out there....

[Annabellethecat66]

TRUE you are so right! I have to be careful because I could very easily become germaphobe. Just thinking about things gives me the creeps. Ugh! Think about people trying on clothes. That's one reason I only buy clothes from QVC or HSN.

[NYC Susan]

On 5/30/2014 OC FRESH said:

On 5/30/2014 mistriTsquirrel said:

OP, I know the odor of which you speak...though I don't usually smell it on women, for some reason.

It <em>isn't</em> a dirty hair smell, a dirty clothes smell, a urine smell, a feces smell, a stinky armpit or foot smell, a dirty carpet smell, a stinky dog smell, a cat urine smell, etc...it's <em>different</em>.

My parents' couch has that odor. My dad spent many hours on that couch each day. He died last month at the age of 67, so he wasn't very old. I attributed the smell to the fact that he needed assistance bathing...which meant he wasn't getting a shower every day like he did before he had his strokes. On the other hand, he was on a lot of medication (other posters mentioned that could be a factor).

When he was at the hospice facility, the nurses bathed him daily, and his skin smelled good...not like a bath product, but just like clean skin. Of course, he was taken off of most of his medications when he entered hospice...but he went in on the 25th and died on the 28th, so I doubt that was a factor.

I'm thinking it's just more difficult to wash every nook and cranny regularly when you aren't as limber, as energetic or as motivated as you once were. Then again, young people who don't bathe don't take on that smell...they just smell like dirty hair, feet, armpit and booty.

I wonder if maybe it's hormonally-related...or related to some decline of metabolic functions?

Now you've got me wondering...

P.S.-- I aspire to be an "old folk" some day, because it beats the alternative...and if some young whipper-snapper tells me my house smells, I'll tell him or her to get his or her gosh-darned rear end out of my estate, and to take his or her whatchacallits and hickey-madoos with him/her. Perhaps I will also instruct that disrespectful nincompoop to avoid stepping on my azaleas, or tripping over my garden gnome on his/her way out the door which may or may not hit that person on the backside on their way out.

You are too much! You come up with the most perfect squirrel pics. on any subject.

Those pearls!

I agree - This is beyond adorable!!