I just had this exact same thing happen. It was the light switch in my sons room burning up. The whole wall was hot. Could have been so much worse.

I've had the same problem for a while, but I have noticed that is always in one room at a time, I have a theory, and, I think is dead Gekos or lizards that die in the vent where the odor is coming from, it gets stronger if the a/c has been off for a few days, like if we go on vacations or something

I had the same problem for months.then realised it was my wooden light shades.kinda rattan effect ones.wen i turned the light on it would heat up the shade thus creating the smell at diffrent points in the day.usualy at night

If the smell comes from the fridge then you might want to see the back of it .

So about 3 weeks ago I noticed random clothing (2 pairs of shorts and a hoody) started smelling like fish. Idk if it's coming from washer or dryer? But it's not all cloths, just random items. Any ideas?

perhaps a building or better still ! usually the case.

Hi, I just signed up to tell you guys I also had the fishy smell and for me it WASNT the outlet but it was an actual cord/socket that smelled fishy. I bought clear pendant light (the plug in type) cords on Amazon to hang with some rice paper lamps and realized whenever they are turned on, they smell like fish. I tried different bulbs, took the paper off, etc...it's definitely the cord/socket when it's on. As soon as I turn it off it starts dissipating. Just another thing to look for if you have the fishy smell. ANY of those generic hanging/pendant light cords could be your cause.

Also, I read that products like that have formaldehyde on them sometimes, so when it heats up it smells like fish. These cords are from china. Likelihood of formaldehyde is probably pretty high. So any products containing formaldehyde (when heated) can give off a fishy smell apparently.

I am so happy I found this forum, we have been having a weird fishy smell in our home for a while now, and I finally decided to Google it, and i found this forum, and thanks to it I smelled the plugs around my house and I found the source, it is definitely an electrical problem. if you are having this issue make sure to pay attention to it.

I'm SO GLAD I FOUND THIS THREAD!!! We've had the exact same issue for months! I thought it might be my cat spraying or a dead animal in the attic. Maybe septic? I sometimes smell it...other times not. It seems to be getting worse. Yesterday my husband mentioned the smell as soon as he walked in the house and I told him this is what I keep smelling!! (He hadn't really been noticing it prior). I contacted an exterminator (to perhaps investigate the walls, ceiling)? I've scrubbed, cleaned, used essential oil air purifications, etc. The smell would go away sometimes, but be very noticeable other times. I started to think it was only me, but my kids and their friends would come in the house and notice it right away too. Only in a certain part of the house. Long story short...we DO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET THAT WAS MALFUNCTIONING/MELTING!! I had no idea this could create that fishy/urine/garbage smell, but sure enough it does!! We had a huge fire hazard lurking behind a cabinet unbeknownst to us! Thank you to everyone who keeps this thread going!

We have a new addition of two years. For the past three years, one of the two sink areas have a bad smell like wet gym clothes. The toilet has a strange fishy smell. We have flushed it with chlorine bleach, baking soda and vinegar, toilet bowl cleaners, and bio clean.

I've tested the plumbing vents by pouring down lavender oil for leaks. If there were any leaks, we should've smelled the lavender. I've checked in the crawlspace for leaks and odors there, and in the attic, but found nothing unusual. The smell gets worse when it's cold out.

Has anyone had anything similar? Or any suggestions?

After reading this thread, we checked all the electrical outlets, but they appear to be fine. Was the lavender oil not enough? We are considering doing a smoke test. Could anyone share with me their experience?

Do you have any floor drains in the area, or perhaps a sink or shower/tub that is not used often? Water in the S-trap can evaporate over time, thus allowing sewer gases to come up through the trap into the house. I have a shower stall in my basement bathroom that is not used for months or a year at a time, and the trap dries up. In cold weather, the house has more of a 'chimney' effect which can draw the fumes out of the sewer. So check your drains. Pour a quart of water down each one if you're not sure you have used them for awhile.

We use all the showers and drains regularly and we've washed them. Any other ideas?

I am wondering if there is build up inside the pipe walls? Walmart sells something called Rotor Rooter Build Up Remover. You pour it down the drain and leave it at least 8 hours. This might work. At my Walmart it is over in the hardware side of the store. Even though the drain is not clogged there could be build up inside the pipe walls causing that odor.

Greg, we had the fishy smell in two locations of our house and for us it was not outlets. They were both the 40+ yr old light fixtures. The base (socket) was turning brown on the interior. So basically check any part of your house running electricity. And also to clarify this smell doesn't have a sewage scent, it's that distinct old fish smell. Hope that helps you search out the problem.

Greg, I have the exact same problem and it's driving me crazy! Just started happening since I installed a new HVAC system a few months ago. Only happens occasionally when the air is running and only in the evening. It seems to be coming from behind the toilet. And then I also get the smell out of the bathroom sink in the same bathroom. If anybody has any ideas I'd appreciate suggestions…since it only happens when the air is running and only in the evenings occasionally, I don't think it can be anything electrical.

Everyone make sure to check any FLOOR drains as well as sinks and tubs. They are the most likely to get dried up from lack of use.

If your new HVAC system has odors it's possible that there is mold/mildew in the system somewhere. A condensate drain that is not draining, for example.

My problem is the fishy smell coming straight from inside my oven. It is fairly new and I haven't baked any fish. Of course, it is only when I have it on. There shouldn't be any electrical problems, but who knows. Things aren't made like they used to be. What should I do?

It's possible that part of the heating system for the oven, or insulation, or the controls is overheating. I once had smoke come out from behind one of the knobs on my stove. Things can fail or overheat. You might want to pull the whole thing out from where it sits, unplug it and take some covers off to check the innards.

Or, if it's fairly new, maybe it's something harmless that will dissipate.

Thank you so much for this thread. I’ve been smelling that fishy smell in a family room for a few days. Checked everything I could think of but never thought of electrical. Sure enough there was an outlet hot to the touch and had a weird odor. I was able to shut off the breaker until we can get the outlet fixed. You saved me from what could have been a very scary situation. Thank you.

This solved my problem! After many months of searching, sniffing, and speculating, sure enough it was the light fixtures! After the basement reno, some of the 'placeholder' light fixtures were still up. After this article I removed one and it was yellow (burned) and smelled exactly like the mysterious fishy smell. I put the piece in a sealed plastic bag and after a few hours the smell was overwhelming! 4 of 5 fixtures were burned and smelly. Wattage of the bulb was OK. I assume it was the plastic light fixture and not anything to do with the wiring. What a relief to find out the source!! If it wasn't for so many responses on this thread I don't know that I would have checked so thanks everyone! I didn't find this article in my first few searches so am now working on getting the word out - I never would have suspected the lights!!!

If they were properly installed and had correct wattage bulbs, that sounds like a bad product to me. I'd be complaining to the manufacturer and/or Consumer Products Safety Commission. And if they have a UL marking on them, Underwriters' Laboratories, too. Just about any junk can get a UL seal now, it's sad.

The electrical outlets are like everything else, they get old and wear out. I have had to replace a lot of outlets in my home over the years.

It was not until recently that people started talking about switches and outlets getting hot. I've lived in houses with decades old electrical systems and they're just fine. But now we have this junk that develops high resistance connections and starts heating. They sell these things for less than a dollar. I'd be glad to pay a few cents more for something that won't burn down my house. It's pure BS.

@dnaleri2 - probably that was a general comment, but for me, this was brand new wiring, and brand new fixtures. the smell started a few months after the renovation, though I don't use the lights a lot so I guess might have started earlier.

Yes Tonya, I did not read your comment only toxcrusadr's comment. I do think if it is new wiring it should not already be going bad. But as toxcrusadr added those outlets are sold very cheap. I agree with him, I would gladly pay more for something that is going to last longer.

In my case, my home was built in 1961, so I have had to replace a lot of outlets over the years. In fact, the outlet for the dryer has had to be replaced twice!!! That is 220 wiring for the dryer. I am glad we had already figured out that the smell was the outlet by the time the dryer outlet went bad. I can't imagine what might of happened if we had not. Of course we had to learn the hard way the first time. We kept smelling that fishy smell for months before it finally started smoking. Luckly I was home and in the room when it started smoking. I kinda freaked out at first. I did not know what to do. I finally realized, throw the breaker!!! So I threw the breaker and it stopped smoking and never caught on fire. Lucked out there. But since then when we smell that smell, we know what it is.

The worst part about this is that it develops slowly and when it finally falls off the cliff, it can start a fire without throwing the breaker. Eventually the breaker will pop, but by then it's too late. The heat has started things smoldering or downright flaming. If you're home, you're lucky, if not, your house is gone. All because of a race to the bottom on prices, and consumers who will buy the $1.99 outlet instead of the $2.99 one, and next thing you know, they're 49 cents and this is what you get.

I for one am sooooo very thankful we found this thread. My picture is above what we found lurking in an electrical outlet (prior entry in this thread). Since the electrician came and replaced the outlet, the fishy smell has never reappeared! This thread saved a house fire, I am certain!

exactly toxcrusadr!! That is what happened. It did not throw the breaker but started smoking. A fire was imminent. If I had not been in the room at the time a fire would of occurred.

We had the same fishy smell coming from one of our bedrooms. I Googled and found this thread. We checked the outlets in the room and sure enough it was the outlet! The wall was hot to the touch so we have now turned the breakers off until we can replace the outlet this afternoon.

I have been smelling a fishy smell for about two weeks now and it's been getting stronger. Tonight I sniffed out the smell in the garage and found a dead rat/mouse behind my tumble drier. However the smell is in my house. Can I possibly still have faulty outoutlets?

You may have more than one dead mouse. Where there's one...

I never thought mice smelled fishy. Even when decomposing, they do not smell like rotting fish to me. But that's just me.

if you can localize it to an area where it's strongest, check not only outlets but switches and light fixtures.

I found the problem, one of the adviser HIT ON THE SPOT! the problem was a electrical wire by a light (lamp) attached to the wall was burning, as it had a short circuit...it was that easy and I removed, the lamp, put a new wire and NEVER MORE THAT crazy fish smell.

Thanks

Luiz

This post and answers saved me! We had horrible fish smell, coming and going. We could not figure it out, right by the fireplace, we kept thinking maybe something died in chimney, but it would go away. Foolishly, I had noticed when I unplugged the Christmas lights on the mantle the cord was hot, but didn't think too much about it until I looked up "fishy smell" and saw this link. Sure enough, there were scorch marks on plug openings and when we turned off the breaker and opened the outlet it was melting inside. Our outlet looks just like the pictures above. Thank you so much for sharing and pass this on, fish smell, NOT burning smell at all, could be electrical!!! If I had a better iphone I would post a picture, but trust me, it looks just like the one above. If your outlet is hot, shut off the breaker asap.

I am so thankful I found this post and the subsequent comments!!

We bought a new home and this fishy odor would come and go in different rooms of the house. It is a horrible smell! At first I thought it was the dog expressing herself on the carpet , but we cordoned off the upstairs to keep the dog downstairs and the smell persisted. After reading this post I went to all the rooms where the smell had been noticed and discovered the common denominator - a cheap, construction grade light fixture that the previous owners had installed lightbulbs that exceeded the recommended voltage. The inside of the fixtures had yellowed and appeared darker in some areas. When I removed the glass bulb to expose the lightbulbs of the fixture where I had most recently smelled the odor, the fixture smelled of foul fish. Headed to Home Depot to buy replacement fixtures and appropriate lightbulbs.

So thankful for this post and comment thread!!

I've lived in this 40-year-old apartment for 3 years. Three weeks ago, a fishy smell began coming from the kitchen; after sleuthing, I found out that it was at the bottom of an upper wooden cabinet and along the inside lip where the door fits. Odor comes and goes.

I don't cook, so it's not a leftover odor. As for the cabinet itself, it is above the dishwasher, but I run it only once a month. I checked the wall outlet located between the bottom of the cabinet and the countertop (with dishwasher beneath), and the outlet appeared to be okay.

At wit's end! Thank you for any help you

I was losing my MIND until I found this post. I had a home built this year and everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. My latest dilemma is a strong fishy smell in my main level powder room since switching from the air conditioner to the heat. I just knew this had something to do with the HVAC system, but I'm glad there is this forum before spending hundreds of dollars to remediate an issue that could potentially be an electrical issue. Can't wait to go home to investigate the electrical outlet that houses my air wick plugged in air freshener OR check the wattage on my bulbs.

Have a faint fishy smell in my guest room... just moved in and hadn’t noticed until this week. Nothing is in the room, nothing plugged in and I removed all the outlet covers they all look fine. My dad is visiting he thinks I’m smelling things lol I have to find out what this weird smell is!!!

Intermittent Fishy smell just started a few days ago. Couldn't pinpoint but only smelled it in our master bath and main bath (they are back to back). Last night, I used the master bath at 1:30 in the morning and the smell was overwhelming! Tonight, I figured out the smell was coming from the heat registers in both bathrooms and master bedroom. I only smell it when the furnace is off and no airflow through vents. I have checked every outlet, wall switch after reading the above posts. I can't find any warm outlets. We do have a heated floor in the master bath but it was off when I smelled the smell so strong. I opened the breaker box and felt the metal all around the breakers and nothing was warm. Any other ideas?

first, this is a very excellent thread. second, my problem is slightly different: my bathroom mats are carrying the fish smell. they have some kind of anti slip backing. so after washing them 3 times (once adding vinegar) I am going to assume that the odor is formaldehyde. a quote from the American Cancer Society on web-- "Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas used in making building materials and many household products. It is used in pressed-wood products, such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard; glues and adhesives; permanent-press fabrics; paper product coatings; and certain insulation materials." I am old and a survivor. so I am trashing them.

thank god I found these threads! I was crazy about the fish smell in my room for few days. and it got worse and worse. It turns out to be an old outlet need to be changed, not burning badly but smelling terribly. thank you again!

Great thread. Turned out to be the pendant light and burnt light bulb holder.

Us too!! I cannot be more grateful that I finally found this thread. You saved us from impending fire! 🔥 look at what the bulbs twist into and behind the foil. 😳 We have tried for years to figure this out. Much gratitude to everyone that encouraged others to check all their electrical items 🙏

@mario vivo (3 months ago): Formaldehyde smells more like vinegar or pickles, than fish. There are nitrogen compounds such as amines that are used as vulcanizers in rubber manufacturing, and amines tend to smell fishy or putrid. Maybe it is (was) something like that. Also, formaldehyde is used more to make plastic or foam polymers rather than rubber.

All water under the bridge because the mats are gone. Just thought I'd mention it.

Vinegar won't do much to formaldehyde, since, if anything, it is slightly acidic. Baking soda (a base) can absorb formaldehyde. Amines, being weakly basic, would probably respond to vinegar treatment.

We had a terrible fishy or urine smell for days and the smoke alarms even went off twice but we did not connect the two. We thought the batteries needed to be changed on them and the fishy smell? I thought there was a dead animal somewhere or my dog’s bed, lol. I googled it and upon searching our electical outlets I found this:

The outlet and wall in our bedroom were hot and could have gone on fire.

We have an intergenerational home and my daughter started having an intense fishy smell coming from the laundry room downstairs where she lives. We checked all the outlets and can't seem to find the problem. We have 2 drains in that room. We just poured some hot water so hope this will help. If not, what else can we do? Please help. Thanks.

After researching this issue regarding a fishy smell in my house without having cooked fish, I found this post and comments regarding possibly electrical faulty light fittings etc. We had an electrician look at a suspect ceiling Rose and bulb holder. Sure enough the bulb holder had been overheating! Thank goodness there was no fire, the electrician replaced the bulb holder below! Thanks to this post for all the information!

We had a weird fishy smell too in our hallway. It only appears every now and then and only over the past few weeks. Like urine or fish. Thanks to this thread, I’ve just checked the plugs and found that one if REALLY hot and that does seem to be where the smell is coming from. Unplugged the item in there which was really hot too. Hopefully problem sorted...when i get an electrician to look at it.

A strange fishy smell could be to do with your electrics, this article about the fishy smell and electrics goes into some more details.

Another possible solution for anyone who is still looking for an answer to this!

We were smelling the fishy smell off and on in 3 rooms on our main floor (kitchen, living room and dining room). When we looked it up we found this thread with lots of helpful tips and we explored all of them, since today the smell lingered a lot more.

Upon checking all of the light switches, electrical box, outlets and any of our plugged in electronics, we couldn't find the source of the smell and every outlet / switch seemed clean and cold to the touch / completely fine. We also checked out plumbing and shop vac, everything good there too.

But we finally found the source. It was a Fly Jar Attractant powder that we used to refill one of the red apple-looking fly traps. We bought the power in lieu of the liquid it comes with since we couldn't find refills in our hardware store. When we got closer to the fly trap it smelt overwhelmingly like it. The product is by CATCHMASTER and it's called FLY JAR ATTRACTANT. It's non toxic and comes in a small pouch (picture attached).

We just wanted to come on here and offer this as a possible solution in case someone is having the same issue and realize they use the same stuff. Thanks everyone for the helpful advice!!

Fishy smell under deck...Noticed a fishy smell coming from under deck...Have lattice blocking any entry don't see any broken areas where animal could get under. Any ideas what it could be?

Can't see under...