Ask Yadi: Should I tell my family their house smells?

Published On: July 25, 2025

CLEVELAND, Oh – While visiting a family member’s home, I noticed a foul odor, despite their pets being well-behaved and trained to go outside.

I wasn’t trying to offend this person, but I couldn’t get over the smell. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from or what caused it. It smelled like someone had a bathroom accident in the house. I looked around but didn’t see anything. When I threw something in the trash, I confirmed that wasn’t the source of the odor.

This person keeps a clean home, so I was surprised by the odor. I mentioned it to them because they are family and I wanted to help. I would want to know if someone smelled something at my house.

It did not go well. They got extremely upset and offended. They immediately pulled out the mop to clean the floors. But the smell persisted.

What I thought was a resolved issue has persisted for months, with my family member repeatedly telling others the story about how I said their house smelled. Now I regret saying anything. Have you ever been to someone’s house and it smelled? Do you tell them?

ANSWER

: This situation could be uncomfortable for all parties involved. How close you are to someone should help determine whether to say something. If the person is sensitive about cleanliness, maybe it’s best to cut your visit short and not say anything.

If this person is more open-minded and would not take offense, then I don’t see anything wrong with mentioning it. Privately of course, not at a party or when other people are around.

No matter how well a pet is trained, they aren’t perfect and sometimes may have an accident. Sometimes, they try to hide it and will go in an unexpected place where it is not clearly visible. And, sometimes people don’t completely clean up.

I understand about detecting odors, as I have a very sensitive nose. I, too, would want someone to tell me if they smelled something off at my house. Sometimes, you become accustomed to your own environment and may not notice an odor, especially if its source isn’t visible.

But I would have a discussion with them. Mention that you weren’t trying to offend them. Let them know it makes you uncomfortable that they are always bringing it up when you thought it was resolved. If a situation arises again, you may want to consider keeping your comments to yourself to avoid any hurt feelings.