I've recently noticed a strong odor in my apartment that smells like cat urine or ammonia, but I don't own any pets. I live in an apartment complex with three young children, one of whom has a weak immune system. The apartment is connected to others, and we keep our garbage in the garage for a week before taking it out. I'm looking for advice on what could be causing this smell and how I can get rid of it.
3 Answers
I once had a similar issue that turned out to be a water leak making the carpets moldy. If you're not smelling something specific in your garage, check for any water damage or wet spots around your place. You might also want to examine any pipes or fixtures for leaks.
It sounds like the garbage could be a culprit, especially if it's sitting for a week. You might want to try placing a bowl of vinegar in your garage to see if that helps absorb the smell. Also, check if there’s a chance a cat got into your garage or an animal made a mess under your patio steps.
I actually did the vinegar thing and put it on the staircase. My partner said the garage smells better now, but who knows? I’m still wondering about those patio steps—it's open underneath, and I’m worried a rodent might have gotten under there.
Another angle to consider is potential electrical problems. If you've got any outlets or switches that feel warm to the touch, that could create an ammonia-like smell due to the deterioration of the insulation. I’d definitely check those areas, especially if you’ve been using your air conditioning unit a lot lately.
I’m using the air conditioner, and it’s situated in a wall without any overheating issues. But I’m keeping an eye on those outlets now, good call!
Yeah, I empathize with that! We had a slow leak that we didn't notice for a while, and it led to a pretty nasty mold situation. It smelled just like cat urine even though we didn’t have cats.