Heightened Smell

The mystery of the foul smell in my living room has been solved, and I don't think it has anything to do with a heightened sense of smell post-op. It's my brand-new treadmill. Figured it out this morning when I was doing that "you're getting warmer...you're getting warmer...you're HOT!!" game from when we were kids. It smells like a cross between cat urine/skunk/burning rubber. I checked under my deck to see if a skunk had shacked up there with a cat and died or something, checked in the basement to see the same, I even crawled behind under the furniture last nite thinking it may be a cord burning or something. When I got RIGHT up to the tread (it's in "space saver" mode right now - track is upright), I almost HURLED. Yup...dat was it! Having had my lungs burnt about 12 years ago from inhaling urea-formaldehyde fumes (long gruesome story...), I FREAKED, and opened two windows to air out the fumes rolling off of this thing. This, as a result, has kept my furnace going almost non-stop all day (can't wait for NEXT month's gas bill...). Have already gone thru one full bottle of Febreeze with NO results. Suggestions anyone? (No, I have no one to pu**** out onto my patio for me...) Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to All Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles

Kimmer, Call the place you purchased it from and have them check it out. Shouldn't it still be under warranty? If they can't fix it, have them take it back and look elsewhere. Possibly one of the rubber tracks is off a bit and rubbing on something it's not supposed to rub on. Kind of sounds like that wonderful smell that comes from my vacuum cleaner when something gets between the rubber belt and the beater bar, just before it starts smoking and needs a new rubber belt!! Va

Actually, it's the rubber track itself. The fumes are just rolling off of it. Got the windows open again (thank goodness for my big ol' robe Queen Mum bought me for my hospital stay...thick, soft chenille...like being wrapped in a blanket!). But today's not supposed to be as cold, so hopefully I won't bankrupt the nation's natural gas storage today. =-( I'm thinking it may be like carpet or panelling - it's just got to get all the fumes gone, then it'll be alright. I'm HOPING it's like that... Glad I quit smoking when I did: I'd hate to light a match in there right now... Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to All Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles

Ahhh - oh yuck! I am sorry to hear you've done burnt out your treadmill Kimmer. I'm not sure they'll make good on a warranty if you walk 250 miles a day on it. But who knows. Glad to hear you found the source of the ick, hopefully you'll get rid of the stank really soon! Dina - Open RNY 3/10/04 338 / 325 / 311 / 150 high/start/current/goal