That Old Folks Smell

Harpa · ‎03-10-2010

I took my 91-year old DM to get her hair cut yesterday. I walked into her house and noticed that old folks smell. She was neat & tidy, her hair washed, as was her home, but it just had that smell. Though I'm sure she doesn't bathe every day.

Where in the world does that come from? And how can I get rid of it?

It's too embarrassing to say anything to my Mom!

Suzeecat · ‎05-05-2010

Febreeze?

Nikalette · ‎07-09-2012

I was a home care nurse for years and never noticed that smell in homes or on the person. seniors don't need to bathe more than 2 x a week..it dries their skin. Maybe it is her clothes? If she doesn't get them into the drier quickly enough. You can do detective work, find the source, and offer to help with whatever the problem is...seniors have loss of strength and other issues, but they don't get a smell. It is something specific that could just as easily come in a young person's home? I've found worse smells in my daughter's room than in any senior's home. Senior is the acceptable terminology these days, btw. "Old folks" has a negative sound, almost like "colored" for African Americans or "crippled" for disabled people. I'm sure you don't mean it, but terminology changes. Not being word police, it is the terms chosen by the groups themselves that we should respect.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

I have noticed that smell in homes where the windows are not opened to allow fresh air inside. My grandmothers house had this smell, because she would only open her two bathroom windows, since they were too small for anyone to crawl through, and she would open her kitchen window through the day because you needed a ladder to get to it from the outside. Placing containers of ammonia or charcoal briquets throughout the house is a great way to absorb this type of stale odor, as well as using electronic air cleaners. Had I known about Don Aslett's X-O neutralizer back then, I would have used that to have gotten rid of the stale smell.

little miss sunshine · ‎03-10-2010

On 5/29/2014 Nikalette said: I was a home care nurse for years and never noticed that smell in homes or on the person. seniors don't need to bathe more than 2 x a week..it dries their skin. Maybe it is her clothes? If she doesn't get them into the drier quickly enough. You can do detective work, find the source, and offer to help with whatever the problem is...seniors have loss of strength and other issues, but they don't get a smell. It is something specific that could just as easily come in a young person's home? I've found worse smells in my daughter's room than in any senior's home. Senior is the acceptable terminology these days, btw. "Old folks" has a negative sound, almost like "colored" for African Americans or "crippled" for disabled people. I'm sure you don't mean it, but terminology changes. Not being word police, it is the terms chosen by the groups themselves that we should respect.

I agree. Help your mom find the cause and stop your prejudicial idea of "old folks" smell. It could be as simple as putting a dehumidifier in her closet, "Damp Rid" might work too.

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

My mother is 92 and although there's no old smell I have made some observations that may account for it. Mom showers every day. We had her shower fixed up so that it's easy for her to get in and out safely. Be sure that's the case for your DM. Some of my mother's friends walk around in their PJs all day if there's nothing to do. They probably don't wash on those days. Encourage your mother to get dressed each day. Second, my mother has always prided herself on her housekeeping abilities but her eyesight and her reach have declined and she either can't see or can't get to clean certain spots. Now she has a cleaning woman once a week. Finally, at 92 my mother is not buying any new stuff. Her furniture is over 40 years old. As far as I know she has never had professional shampoo cleaning of her couches or armchairs. That's a lot of accumulated odors. You can call in professional carpet and furniture cleaners but your DM might be insulted. And if you buy shower gel or perfume, if your DM is anything like mine she will save it and not use it every day. All I can say is good luck.

Harpa · ‎03-10-2010

I'm afraid my "prejudicial" use of the term, old folks smell, is going to stay. The only places I've ever smelled that is in nursing homes w/ older folks, with whom I have a deep heart for!

Thanks for the ideas! I did have to open a window. Hopefully, I can get down to do a thorough spring cleaning, but I know she'll be yelling at me every step of the way.

Lacey1 · ‎03-09-2010

I've done home health care. I've noticed that many homes have 'odors'. Cat owners, smokers, cluttered homes, damp homes, etc. all have distinct, lingering odors. I have noticed that the home owner becomes accustomed to their homes and do NOT notice the various odors. It doesn't matter if the person is older, or not. I would NEVER tell a loved one that their home smelled.

I took care of one lady. She was in her 90's. The bathroom was upstairs, she lived on the first floor. She would use buckets and cans to defecate/void in. She was physically unable to climb the stairs. Yes, she was embarrassed about the bathroom situation. She would add vanilla/Lysol, to the buckets, whatever she could find to mask the odors until someone could remove the waste material. It would have been so hurtful to tell that woman that her house, 'smelled like old lady', or whatever.

Your house might smell like Febreeze, incense, air freshener, Potpourri, etc. and plenty of people might find that to be offensive. Try to be more sensitive. If it doesn't bother the person that lives, there-don't mention it.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

Use Fabreze. Consider dust smells. Older furniture. But open windows when you can or use an overhead fan if she has one. It's just a fact of life, as things get older, I think they taken on certain scents. Wondering about boxes of baking soda too. Check under her appliances for dust that's harder to clean up. Otherwise, it's age of furniture too.

Others are right about what comes out of people pores on med's. Ever been around someone who is big on "garlic" foods? Boy howdie. JMHO