Why Is There a Strange Garlic Smell in My House?

By HomeSmitten Team · · Updated

Why Is There a Strange Garlic Smell in My House

The quick answer

A garlic smell with no garlic cooking is a sulfur-type smell, so rule out the dangerous causes first. If it's strong, or it reminds you of rotten eggs, treat it as a possible gas leak: leave, then call your gas company or 911 from outside. If it's a burnt, sharp smell near an outlet, appliance or panel, stop using that item, switch off the circuit and call an electrician. If neither fits, look for food waste, a dry drain or a kitchen appliance.

Garlic in a kitchen is normal. Garlic in the hallway three days after dinner isn't. The stake is that several sulfur-type smells get described as "garlicky," and two of them, a gas leak and overheating wiring, can hurt people. Most cases turn out to be food residue or a drain. The order of checks matters, though, because the harmless causes are easy to find and the dangerous ones shouldn't wait. For the full list of smells and how urgent each is, see strange smells in the house.

Check These Two First

Possible gas leak

Natural gas has no smell of its own. Utilities add a chemical called mercaptan so leaks can be noticed, and Connecticut's utility regulator and Washington Gas both describe the result as a sulfur or rotten egg smell. Neither page mentions garlic. One lower-quality source I found compares mercaptans to rotting garlic, so a garlic note is plausible, but it isn't an official description. Our judgment: if a sulfur-type smell has no explanation, act as if it could be gas.

If the smell is strong or you're unsure, the regulator's advice is to leave the building and call your gas company from outside or a neighbor's home. Washington Gas adds that you should open doors and windows on your way out if it's safe, and call 911 and the leak line from a safe spot. Both say not to flip light switches, use electrical equipment, light matches or use a phone inside. Poison Control also lists a whistling or hissing sound from an appliance, and bubbles in standing water, as other signs of a leak.

Don't go back in until the gas company says it's safe. Washington Gas notes that not every suspected gas odor turns out to be a leak, but only trained crews can decide that. You don't need to feel embarrassed about a false alarm. Gas companies provide emergency service at no charge, according to the Connecticut regulator.

Overheating electrical parts

Burning wire insulation and plastic can give off a sharp, sulfur-like or fishy smell. I couldn't find an official source (such as a fire agency) that names garlic specifically. Electrician sites describe fishy, plastic, rubber and sewer-gas-like odors from overheating, and one describes a garlic-like one, so treat that as unconfirmed. The safe rule doesn't depend on the exact description: a burnt or chemical smell that comes from a wall, outlet, switch, panel or appliance is a warning.

Mr. Electric says burning smells develop when circuits are overloaded, wire insulation melts, outlets or switches fail, or breakers in the panel overheat. Its advice is to turn off power to the affected area if it's safe, stop using any outlet that smells burnt, avoid the panel if the smell is near it, and call a licensed electrician. TNT Electric adds that you shouldn't touch a faceplate that may be hot or energized, and shouldn't pull a plug that feels hot or is stuck to the outlet. If you see smoke, hear popping or see flames, get everyone out and call 911.

Furnaces can do the same thing. HVAC.com says to shut off a heater right away and call a technician if you smell burning plastic, gunpowder or an electrical or metallic odor. The same page says dust burning off a furnace on its first run of the season is the most likely cause of a plain burning smell, and it should fade within a few hours.

A note on carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide has no smell, so a garlic smell can't be it, and a pleasant or neutral air doesn't rule it out. The Consumer Product Safety Commission lists headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, sleepiness and confusion as symptoms, and says to get outside to fresh air and call 911 if you suspect poisoning. It recommends CO alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. If several people feel unwell at once, leave first and sort out the smell later.

Everyday Causes of a Garlic Smell

If neither warning fits, the cause is usually ordinary. These are in rough order of likelihood (our judgment, not a ranking from a study).

Food residue and food waste

Garlic and onion scraps in the trash or garbage disposal, a container of leftovers, or oil that has soaked into the range hood filter and nearby walls can all hold a garlic smell for days. Poison Control lists rotten food, mold, leaky drains and pet odors as common sources of bad smells at home. Take out the trash, empty and wash the bin, check the fridge and the back of the pantry, and wash the range hood filter with hot soapy water. Wipe surfaces near the stove.

Why am I smelling garlic in my house?

A dry or dirty drain

A drain trap is the curved pipe under a sink. It holds water that blocks sewer gas. The South Davis Sewer District says the water can evaporate when a drain isn't used, especially in hot or dry weather or in an empty building, and then gas can enter the room. Its fix is to pour a cup or two of water into seldom-used drains and to run water in every sink, shower and floor drain at least once a month. Adding a few ounces of mineral oil after the water slows evaporation. The CDC lists sewers among the sources of hydrogen sulfide, a gas that smells like rotten eggs. If the smell continues after you refill the traps, the district says the trap may be damaged, a vent may be blocked or there may be a leak, and a licensed plumber should look.

Be careful here. A sewer gas smell and a natural gas smell can seem alike, and you can't reliably tell which one you have by nose. If you can't tell, go back to the gas steps above before you start running water.

Kitchen appliances

A dishwasher is a common hidden source. Samsung's support page says mold or mildew can grow where there's moisture, warmth and food particles, and that dirty dishes left inside, the sink drain or the garbage disposal can be the real source. It says to remove and clean the filter if your model has one, clean the filter housing and drain area with warm soapy water, and clear clogged spray nozzle holes. If the smell stays, clean the sink drain or disposal, and call a plumber before cleaning the dishwasher again. Steps differ by brand, so check the manual for your model.

Mold and damp

Mold is more often described as musty than garlicky, but a damp spot with food or organic matter can smell sulfurous. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold, and to keep indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent. A moldy smell with no visible source can mean hidden mold behind drywall, wallpaper or paneling, or in ductwork. The EPA says areas under about 10 square feet can often be cleaned by the homeowner, and that growth over that size, sewage-contaminated water or a possibly contaminated HVAC system calls for a professional.

A dead animal in a wall or attic

A strong, rotten smell that gets worse near one wall, vent or ceiling spot, often with flies, may be a dead animal. I didn't find an authoritative source describing this smell as garlic, so this is our judgment, and it's a last-resort explanation after the checks above. If you suspect one, a wildlife or pest professional can locate and remove it.

What about refrigerant leaks?

Some websites say refrigerant leaks smell like garlic. I couldn't confirm that from an official source, so it isn't a reason to act alone. If an air conditioner or fridge is the suspected source and the smell is strong, turn the unit off and call a service technician instead of trying to find a leak.

A Short Checklist

  • Strong, rotten egg or sulfur smell: leave, then call your gas company or 911 from outside.
  • Burnt smell from an outlet, switch, panel or appliance: stop using it, switch off the circuit if safe, call an electrician.
  • Headache, dizziness or nausea in more than one person: get outside and call 911.
  • No danger signs: empty trash, clean the fridge, wash the range hood filter, run water in unused drains, clean the dishwasher filter.
  • Still there after a day or two of cleaning: look for damp or mold, then call a plumber, HVAC technician or electrician depending on where it's strongest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a gas leak smell like garlic?

Utilities describe the added odorant as a sulfur or rotten egg smell, and the official pages I checked don't mention garlic. Some people may still describe it as garlicky, so if a sulfur-type smell has no explanation, leave and call your gas company from outside.

Why does my house smell like garlic when I haven't cooked it?

The usual causes are food waste in the trash or disposal, residue on the range hood filter, a dirty dishwasher or drain, or a dry drain trap. A burnt or sharp version of the smell near an outlet or appliance is an electrical warning.

Is a garlic smell from an outlet dangerous?

Treat it as dangerous. Electricians say burning smells come from overloaded circuits, melting insulation and failing outlets. Stop using the outlet, switch off its circuit if it's safe, and call a licensed electrician. If you see smoke or sparks, leave and call 911.

How do I get rid of a garlic smell?

Find the source first. Take out food waste, wash the bin, clean the fridge and range hood filter, refill unused drain traps with water, and clean the dishwasher filter. Open windows to ventilate. If the smell returns, it has a source you haven't found yet.

Sources