Timber Springs: Urine Odor Persists Despite Cleaning - ID
Federal inspectors documented the persistent odor at Timber Springs Transitional Care during unannounced visits between September 8 and September 11. Each time they approached the room at the end of the hallway, the foul smell was unmistakable.
Resident #2 had been readmitted to the facility with multiple serious conditions including end-stage heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and immunodeficiency. His room became the subject of repeated staff interventions that proved ineffective.
The problems came to light on September 8 when the facility's Licensed Social Worker documented finding the room "cluttered and uncleanly" during a morning visit at 7:47 AM. She provided education to the resident about decluttering and allowing housekeeping to clean properly.
When the resident left the facility that evening, housekeeping services moved in. Staff discovered multiple half-eaten old food items scattered throughout the room, sticky residue covering his dresser and bedside table, and pervasive uncleanliness.
But the deep cleaning didn't work.
At 3:01 PM that same day, inspectors conducting a hall observation immediately noticed the foul odor upon approaching the room. Inside, they found sticky floors marked with visible wheelchair tracks and a strong urine smell permeating the space.
LPN #1 confirmed what inspectors suspected. "The odor was urine," she told them at 3:11 PM, explaining that staff attempted to empty urinals regularly to reduce the smell. She said the resident sometimes spilled urine on himself, contributing to the persistent problem.
The facility responded by doubling cleaning efforts. Housekeeper #1 received instructions to clean the room twice daily starting September 8, up from the previous once-daily schedule.
It made no difference.
Inspectors returned the next morning at 11:39 AM and documented the same foul urine smell. They came back that evening at 9:53 PM. Still there. The following morning at 9:12 AM, then again at 9:18 AM. The odor persisted through every visit.
Housekeeper #1 confirmed the futility of the increased cleaning schedule when inspectors interviewed her on September 11. Despite cleaning the room twice daily for three days straight, "the room would smell like urine again by the end of the day," she reported. Visible wheelchair marks reappeared on the floor no matter how often she cleaned.
The housekeeper's account revealed the scope of the problem. Even with doubled cleaning efforts specifically targeting this room, the urine odor returned within hours. The sticky floors and wheelchair tracks became a daily cycle of temporary improvement followed by inevitable deterioration.
Federal regulations require nursing homes to provide residents with a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment. Inspectors determined the facility failed to meet this standard for Resident #2, creating potential for embarrassment and psychosocial harm.
The inspection report classified the violation as causing minimal harm with potential for actual harm, affecting few residents. But for the resident living in that room at the end of the hallway, the classification offered little comfort.
Social services staff had attempted to address the situation through resident education about decluttering and cooperation with cleaning efforts. Housekeeping had doubled their schedule and removed old food and sticky residue. Licensed nursing staff acknowledged the problem and explained their attempts to manage it through more frequent urinal emptying.
None of it worked. The resident with end-stage heart failure, cirrhosis, and immunodeficiency continued living in a room that smelled of urine every day, despite the facility's escalating efforts to solve the problem.
The inspection documented four consecutive days of failure, with the foul odor detectable from the hallway each time inspectors approached. What started as a social worker's morning observation of an unclean room became a multi-day demonstration of a facility's inability to provide basic environmental dignity for a dying resident.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Timber Springs Transitional Care from 2025-09-12 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
Timber Springs Transitional Care in Boise, ID was cited for violations during a health inspection on September 12, 2025.
Federal inspectors documented the persistent odor at Timber Springs Transitional Care during unannounced visits between September 8 and September 11.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.