Saurkraut smell in pantry cabinet--cannot find source!

9 years ago

So I have a wall of floor to ceiling pantry cabinets in my kitchen, which abuts our basement staircase. There is no plumbing in this wall. I noticed a few days ago, at the coming from the very bottom of one of the cabinets (left end) a funk that can be best described as saurkraut. The only things stored in this cabinet are dry and canned pet food, honey and breakfast items. I have taken out each and every item and cannot locate the smell. Today I was even desperate enough and called a plumber over to see if there was anyway the smell could be sewer related. He told me to put a fresh wave odor absorber jar in the cabinet, but I really want to where or why the smell is happening. Any advice? The smell is driving me batty.

Featured Answer

User

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Is the basement under the cabinets? Did you check the basement? Good that a plumber was called in. I would clean the cabinets really well with a mild solution of soap and water. Let them dry completely, use a fan, air them out for a few days. Then see if the stench is still there. If it is, something could be in your walls. Check the pet food make sure nothing is in the bags. Is the pet food closed? Try charcoal or baking soda to absorb the odor.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

cplover
Original Author
9 years ago
Yes, the basement is under the cabinet. Everything is closed and I have smelled every item in the cabinet. It could be in the space between the cabinet base and the floor-- that seems to be where the stench is coming from.
Related Professionals
Mobile General Contractors · Petersburg General Contractors · Grand Island General Contractors · Poughkeepsie General Contractors · Flagstaff General Contractors · Albany Basement Remodeling · Lafayette Basement Remodeling · Greenfield Basement Remodeling · Calgary Basement Remodeling · Lafayette Bathroom Remodelers · Gulfport Bathroom Remodelers · Victoria Bathroom Remodelers · Petersburg Bathroom Remodelers · Springfield Bathroom Remodelers · Vancouver Bathroom Remodelers
User
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Perhaps something got up in there (maybe caught the smell of the pet food) or something did leak (even if it was a while ago) and just now started to stink. Is the cabinet anchored to the wall? Can it be pulled away?
cplover thanked User
toxcrusadr
9 years ago
Are there any pipes or drains going through that area?

Is this an outside wall?

What's next to the cabinet on the side where it smells?

Baking soda can work as well as a pan of activated charcoal you can find at an aquarium supply. Baking soda will absorb acidic vapors the best so you might try both if the cleaning doesn't remove it.

I don't suppose someone broke a jar of sauerkraut and didn't tell you...
theparsley
9 years ago
A dead animal would not likely make a sauerkraut smell. Souring milk might. A mass of decaying plant matter might. Bread dough becoming sourdough on its own...or some bread that got wet? Or, any teenagers in the house that might be concealing beer or wine that might have broken somewhere around pipes or between walls?
cplover thanked theparsley
cplover
Original Author
9 years ago
No teens concealing beer. Just a 4yr old and 1 yr old and the area of the cabinet stores sealed pet food. I did buy a fresh wave odor absorbing gel canister and the smells seems to be almost gone. Although it kills me not to know what it is/was.
Leslie Poake
5 years ago
I am in a similar situation. Just a regular closet, pet food and cleaning supplies. No leaks. No water stains. We did have a pipe break above the room next door, but it was all professionally dried and dealt with and there is no mold there at all. I am worried if there is something hidden