Doorway Body Odor

This doorway odor problem has been nagging me for years, a BO smell near my screen door; also while we're at it, a tip on screen door repair.  I first noticed the odor problem in my second home but never figured it out.  I wondered what could smell so much like body odor and not be body odor, must be me.  In my third home I started to notice the same smell, BO near the doorways, what the heck is it?  Well I finally figured it out, its the screens!  So I replaced them, poof problem solved.  I happened to talk about this to another family member, and what do you know, they have the same problem and couldn't figure it out!

Now I've had my forth home for about 4 years and guess what sneaks up, Doorway BO!  Sure enough the screens on sliding doors are starting to smell like BO.  So new screens, the problem is gone.  This time I've used pet resistant screens, they do cost a little more, but I do have a problem with our cats slowly destroying the screens.  (The odor definitely is not from the cats, its all over the screens even the very top.)  Perhaps these new screens, which are more like a fabric, will not develop the odor.  In a couple years I'll let you know right here.  (Well it's been a couple years and the pet screens are still odorless, and amazingly they are holding up pretty well against the pets!)

All I can guess is over time perhaps acid rain reacts with the screen material to produce the odor.

Other sources of the body odor smell can be various plastics, especially when they are sitting in the hot sun.  Outdoor molded containers are a major source of BO smell, like the one in the photo.  The top of this container really stinks on a sunny day with little wind.   Unfortunately the webbing on some deck chairs exude this smell after a couple years of sun exposure (Don't blame your guests!).  For these items the only solutions I know of are replacement or perhaps removal from direct sunshine.  Perhaps a coat of paint would seal in the BO smell!  I can't tell you for sure, I haven't tried it yet. 

Repair door screen

Door and Window screens are actually pretty easy to replace.  You only really need one special tool, a tool with two small rollers, one convex, one concave, called a spline roller.  Your local hardware or home improvement store will have this tool and of course screen material.  You'll also need a utility knife.  Don't buy replacement screen spline (long, thin, rubbery material used to fasten screen in place) its unlikely you'll need it.  I've always been able to reuse spline that's in the screen already, and it actually makes the job a little easier.

At first it won't look like the screen will be tight but if you follow the directions with the screening and tool it will come out great.  The pet screen is tougher, making the job even easier.  Please be very careful trimming the screen with the utility knife, this is the one part of the job that could be quite dangerous.  Also sometimes with lightweight screen the screen roller will rip right through the screen, but not so with the pet screen.  I think the pet screen looks a little nicer as well, it's so black it tends to disappear even though it is heavier.

Hope this helped!  

Thanks,
Bob