[Mainjem]

Hi there. I just bought a home and we are preparing to move in. Now that we've signed on the dotted line and have the home I've noticed a strong urine smell in the master bedroom and master bathroom. i'm really unsure of what the source of the smell could be. Is it the bathroom? Is it the carpeting? The house is extremely clean and the carpeting is newer. Home was built in the early 2000's. We are not on a well. I really don't want to waste money on new carpeting if it's not the source. And it smells of human urine not animal urine but I could be wrong here as well. Contractors that have come in have noticed it as well . Could I have a bigger issue in regards to the bathroom? Any thoughts or advice out there?

 

[spaceman spif]

If the house has been sitting a while, the traps may have dried up which lets sewer gas into the house, but that usually doesn't smell specifically like urine. Have you flushed the toilets and run the showers and sinks?

 

[Mainjem]

If the house has been sitting a while, the traps may have dried up which lets sewer gas into the house, but that usually doesn't smell specifically like urine. Have you flushed the toilets and run the showers and sinks?

Yes - all plumbing seems to be working in fine condition

 

[BayouRunner]

I bought a house for investment a few years ago and it had a urine smell as well, It was pretty bad though, we eventually wound up retiling after cleanup because we could not get rid of it all. Anyway what I was getting at is I found out if you use a blacklight when its dark you can easily find if its urine or not. It will glow!! The house I bought was extremely bad but it showed up everywhere, it was from cats. Use the blacklight and then you will be able to treat the one area that is bad

 

[Bret86844]

Shut the door between the rooms and see if you can narrow down which room it's coming from.

In our house the half bath smelled strongly. It turnout out that the toilet had been leaking underneath (wax ring had failed) and there was nastiness underneath. During our reno we put in a new toilet with a new wax ring and the smell is gone.

 

[joecaption]

Is there carpeting in the bathroom to?
Is so that was a really, really bad idea and needs to go.
I'd be pulling the toilet, checking for a bad flange and soft area around the toilet, then install a new wax ring.
If someone built up that floor and the flange is now sitting below the flooring and they did not use a thicker wax ring it's going to leak.

 

[Mainjem]

So we replaced the carpet and padding in the bedroom. It was soiled. Subfloor appeared not to be stained. The master bathroom (no carpeting) however reeks of pee smell. I'm going to try a good cleaning with vinegar and baking soda as well as use the vinegar in the toilet tank as well as check into the was rig idea. Not sure if this will work ... Fingers crossed!!

 

[SPS-1]

Smells are very difficult to track down. Replacing the carpet was really the only sure way to cross that possible source off the list. Consider also what is above, below or behind the smelly bathroom. Could be mold from a water leak near the bathroom.

 

[KarenStein]

Does it smell like "Cat piss?" If it does ..... someone was cooking meth in there.

Urine odors are pretty well destroyed by cleaning with one of those "Oxy" cleaners. Just don't use a sponge mop - the stuff eats up foam rubber, and it's really bad for carpet padding.

There's a problem for you; the new carpet is very likely covering up whatever is really stinking. You can't get to the odor without pulling the carpet back.