Every home has a unique scent, and it can have a powerful effect on your mood. Even if you’ve gone nose blind and the smells in your home have become so familiar that you don’t notice them anymore, you’ll still want to have a fresh-smelling home. If you want a nose-friendly space that energizes your mood, work toward neutralizing common household odors instead of covering them up. Then you can choose a pleasant, signature scent to welcome your guests.
Reduce and Eliminate Bad Smells
Your home has an ecosystem that requires balance. Unpleasant smells inside your home can occur naturally, just from everyday living. For example, moisture can cause odor imbalances inside your home. Rooms with fireplaces, laundry rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms are all places you’ll most likely experience excess moisture. In addition, pets, children, and even your dishwasher and sink might contribute to excess moisture in the home.
When water lingers in the air, it can nurture odors in your home. Some odors are strong, like your fireplace, and some are more subtle. You might not notice underlying, penetrating smells like mildew, but your guests sure will. Smells can even affect your health and put a damper on your mood.
Checking Each Room
Your first steps in eliminating household odors include checking the causes in each room.
- To control moisture in your fireplace, make sure it has a professionally installed chimney cap, and then check for cracks in the stack. Once sealed, it can be cleaned and deodorized.
- In the laundry room, you can freshen up your washing machine. It sees all the dirt that comes through your home, especially if you’ve got kids and pets, so it needs to be cleaned too.
- In the kitchen, one of the biggest culprits of moisture, mildew, and mold is the dishwasher. Luckily, all you need is a couple of pantry items to get rid of weird smells coming from the dishwasher. To reduce odors even more, make sure to always remove food waste from dishes before placing them in the sink or dishwasher.
- Linens in your bathroom like to lock in moisture and harvest mold and mildew. Prevent bad smells and moisture by keeping the bathroom ventilated, draping your bathmats, and washing linens regularly.
If you’ve followed all the recommendations above and you’re still experiencing a strange smell that won’t go away, you might have a different problem. As unpleasant as it sounds, it’s not unusual for houses, especially older ones, to have a deceased animal behind the drywall or in the crawlspace. The good news? There are helpful steps for that, too.
Producing Natural Good Scents That Last
Once bad smells have been reduced and eliminated, it’s time to give your home its own unique and delightful scent. Different smells can send different messages. Spices and sugary scents are warming and welcoming, while clean and airy scents are calming and inviting. To create these scents, use certified essential oils, real herbs, and spices, or DIY charcoal bags in different places around your home.
- Certified Essential Oils. Essential oils have been popular for quite a while. To ensure the best quality, look for certified essential oils sold online or at organic food stores. Because some oils are fit for cosmetics and perfumes but not for aromatic purposes, be sure to do your research and read labels. Most certified oils are documented from seed to shelf and will show if they’re ethically sourced, unaltered, and pure.
- Citrus and Herbs. Your grandmother may have taught you this trick — place a mixture of herbs, spices, and water and simmer in a pot on the stove. Update the method by using a slow cooker to create unique scents using citrus slices and peels, spices like mint and basil, or aromatic plants like lavender. Simmering scents is most common during the winter holidays, but it’s something you can do anytime.
- DIY Activated Charcoal Bags. Studies have shown that it’s not a specific scent that relaxes you, but the absence of the smell caused by indoor air impurities. Because activated charcoal doesn’t produce a scent, it’s a useful tool for people with allergies or who are sensitive to any kind of strong smell. Instead of creating a scent, activated charcoal absorbs odor molecules in the air. When you place them near smelly shoes, litter boxes, gym bags, or anywhere else you find offensive odors, it leaves your home smelling neutral and irritant-free.
Give Yourself — and Your Nose — a Break
Homeowners interested in house cleaning services may hesitate because they’re nervous about the unknown. Even a change in how their house smells might be a source of anxiety. However, companies like Molly Maid create customized plans to accommodate your budget, schedule, and cleaning preferences. So, when you need help with the house cleaning, contact Molly Maid for neighborly advice, professional support, and regular cleaning schedules that will help bring back the pleasure of a fresh-smelling home.
