Let’s admit it. We usually base our judgment about the quality of air based on its smell. However, this might not be true in most cases. In fact, you can now see numerous products in the market promising to make your house smell fresh all the time! These could be air fresheners, scented candles, and other products.
Though these products can eliminate unpleasant odor inside your home, they might not eliminate the cause. Instead of covering up these smells with scented sprays that might contain harmful chemicals, it’s more important to know why your home smells bad in the first place. Once you know where it’s coming from, you can take some actions to completely get rid of the source.
Common Causes Of Bad Smell in Your Home
- Leftover food
- Dirty and wet laundry
- Dirty carpet
- Stagnant air
- Dust
- Pet urine/waste
- Garbage disposal
- Stale sheets
- Mold
Tips on Making Your House Smell Fresh
1. Identify the Source of the Smell
You may be tempted to cover up the foul odor with an air freshener, but keep in mind that this is just a short-term solution. It might not work for very long and can also affect your family’s health. Did you know that some air fresheners may release hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOC) into your home’s air? According to experts, VOCs trigger shortness of breath, headaches, eye, nose, and throat inflammation, dizziness, and skin issues.
That’s why it’s always best to inspect every room in your home for molds, water leakages, mildew, moisture, or condensation. Clean visible sources of mold or mildew immediately. If it’s possible, repair any water leaks right away since this is where moisture is gathering.
2. Clean All Rooms and Floors
Remove dust in every room in your house from top to bottom, including shelves, tables, ceiling fans, blinds, lighting fixtures, doors, windows, carpets, and electronic devices. Dust comes typically from the outside but can occur naturally inside. Aside from causing a foul odor in your home, it also triggers allergic reactions.
When it comes to your floors, you can use a damp cloth rather than sweeping or using a dry mop as these might stir dust back up into the air. When tiles cleaning, warm water and dish soap can do the trick. For tough dirt and discolorations, you might need the help of an expert cleaning company.
3. Clean All Upholstery
Your upholstery, especially the couch, can easily trap spills, fur, dust, oil, and cooking odors. Refer to the label of your sofa for proper care. Usually, they inform you what cleansing liquids are safe, in addition to the cleaning methods. Dry brush and vacuum are among the safest and exceptional tools to remove dust, dry particles, and crumbs. Homemade solutions such as baking soda and some vinegar solutions can also help in smelly sofa problems.
If you often use your couch or have small children and pets, chances are it gets dirty more quickly. In this case, you need odor control professionals since they have the experience, skills, and specialized tools to complete the job in no time!
4. Wash Your Laundry and Sheets
Normally, people clean their sheets once a week. However, if you sleep on your mattress frequently or have animals and let them sleep in your bed, you might need to wash your sheets more than once a week. Sheets can accumulate dead skin cells, dirt, sweat, dust, mites and their feces and carcasses, and body oils that cause a bad smell.
On the other hand, avoid mixing sweaty clothes or wet towels with your dry laundry because this can muster a stinky odor. Or better yet, wash them right away. If you can’t, air dry before tossing them into the hamper. Moreover, hang them in a well-lit room or dry outside to ensure the freshest smell especially that fungus easily grows on moist and wet clothing.
5. Open Your Windows
A closed home can trap pollutants and smells that hang in the air for a long time. Open your windows to allow outdoor air into your home. You can check your local air quality report before opening your windows if you are allergic to pollen.
Key Takeaways
The tips discussed above are among the countless methods you can do to get rid of foul odor inside your home. Cleaning the house yourself using homemade cleaning solutions is a great way to save money. However, if the problem is severe, like damage caused by a hazardous chemical or bleach spill, leave it to the experts.
For professional cleaning services, check out EcoClean. They offer a wide range of expert cleaning services, including upholstery cleaning, stone cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, etc. Go to their website to know more about them.
