It's not a new smell? I'm one of those weirdos who love the smell of new paint & carpet. I've never noticed my blinds having a smell. I've got some that are wood-look pvc.

Oh we were about choking on it when we first moved into our new manufactured home Both of us were actually ill for awhile. I was able to leave most of the windows open day and night as it was July so that helped. Still even in September when I had a yard sale some one came in the house to see it and remarked on OH it still smells so new. The heat does make it worse. And in these homes everything is stinky. Glues paints carpets counter glue and the list goes on and on and on.

Even my new computer key board stinks to me. After typing on it for awhile my hands smell awful.

Chris

My husband had a computer screen that smelled terrible! I think it was in stirofoam without a plastic wrap and the stirofoam got into the vents. It smelled so bad when it heated up while running, that it took months for it to smell normal. He had to move it to another room it was so bad.

Manufactured homes are very bad for that too. It's always better to air them out for quite a while (if you can) before you move in. My mom was able to do that and it still smelled a little that first six months.

You might try cleaning your vinyl blinds in the shower. Just spray them off and let them dry, then hang them back up. Sometimes that helps, but if it's not that bad with the door open, maybe that's the best solution :)

can you open those windows? smells like that will make me very sick!
I'm dreading putting in new flooring etc.

I have been leaving the door open which makes the scent go away, but I think I'll leave the windows up too.
I have heard that some new carpets smell also. There's no telling what is in the products we buy.
ML thanks for the info on pets and Freebreeze. We have been trying to decide if we want to get a new kitty or not.

Oh boy, you hit on one of my big peeves! I have asthma, and that off gassing is one of my triggers. When my mom moved into a newer mobile home back in the 90's, I had a hard time visiting her for more than a few hours. I know I cannot buy new carpet, so until this house, I always made sure there was hardwood under the carpeting. Lately, adding hardwood floors has become so popular that I took a chance and got a house with carpet and no hardwood, thinking I could add it later. My first mother-in-law lost her voice for 6 months when her employer re-carpeted. They use up to 400 different chemicals in carpet. Anti-fungals, insecticides, dyes,stain repellent. I read once that if it were invented today, Scotchguard would not be approved to use in homes. Since it has been around so long, people are not afraid of it. I do not use cleaning chemicals at home exept for good old Barkeeper's Friend and vinegar. My cleaning lady will use scrubbing bubbles, but not when I am home, and she is supposed to keep the vent on. I do get Oxyclean for her to use in the toilet and elsewhere, it oxidizes, so cleans without adding smell.

Carbon monoxide is the worst gas, of course. A lot of people want to make the ventless gas heaters/fireplaces illegal. It is against building code to put one in the bedroom. They really are not safe for anybody. I cannot tolerate the combustion products from burning natural gas, even with a vent. I cannot have a gas cooking stove, I get short of breath. Forget Thanksgiving dinner at a home with gas cooking!. I have had to move out of rooms in bed and breakfast inns if their gas fireplace had a pilot, unless I could get them to turn it off.

I just stay away from scented things altogether. Perfumes and nail polish remover can make my chest ache. Both times I had to rush to the clinic with shortness of breath, though, it was from using Vanish in the toilets.

Nancy that is awful you are so sensitive to so many things. As you say there is so much we can not avoid. I lost my voice for awhile after we moved in here. Also the dust of NO yard was choking. So open windows dust. Closed windows all the new house smells. Was a nightmare. The smells are not so bad now. Now yard is starting to take shape there is not so much dust.

Loretta I hope your new smells are getting better for you.

Oh my Nancy! You sound like my sister. She has terrible allergies also and so many things trigger them.
I often wonder about the relationship between all of the chemicals we use, the genetic tampering of veggies and the hormones they feed our meat. There has to be an effect on our bodies.

I am also very sensitive to chemicals and it took several months for the PVC blinds (Hunter Douglas Soft Verticals) to stop outgassing so badly that I could smell it two rooms away from the kitchen which bothered my allergies. I can no longer handle any particle board if pressed with formaldehyde sue to buying way too much fake office furniture years ago that started my chemical sensitivity.

It's pretty awful with some things. I don't have allergies or other sensitivities, but the smell sure can be overwhelming. I find that I can't even walk down some aisles in the big stores. The ones with the big plastic tubs/storage containers are the worst.

Thanks for the info on febreze, moccasinlanding. I wasn't aware that it was potentially harmful to pets.

One misconception that many folks have (I think) is that bamboo is a 'green' and non-toxic flooring alternative. The bamboo itself is fine, but the process (and chemicals) they use to create flooring is apparently very toxic.

It's scary how many toxins surround us every day. Sure makes me want to use as many 'real' products in my home as I can. I know we'll need some area rugs on the new wood floors, but wool and other natural products are so expensive! I'll have to do some serious shopping around for alternates.

~Missy