How To Get Rid Of Bad Smells At Home – A Guide To Banish Bad Smells For Good

Have you ever walked into a house and been greeted by the delicious smell of fresh baked cookies? Now think about walking into someone’s home and getting smacked in the face with the stench of wet dog. Which makes you feel more welcomed?

Every home has a unique scent, and you never want yours to be recognized for being unpleasant. Smelling fresh really means to smell like nothing, so if you want your home to smell fresh, it needs to be clean and dirt-free. Luckily, we’ve got some very effective tips for making sure the aroma in your home is always as inviting as can be

TIP 1 – Ventilate nature’s way. Open a window when weather permits and let the breeze blow through. Sunlight also works to kill some surface bacteria on fabrics, preventing odors before they start.

TIP 2 – Shampoo your carpets and upholstery regularly, or bring in the pros to do it for you. Better yet, remove the carpets all together, especially if you struggle with pet odors or you live in a region where there is a lot of moisture and humidity that brings with it the awful stink of mildew. Hard floors and area rugs are easier to keep clean, and they won’t hold odors like your wall-to-wall carpets do. But whatever surface floors you have, don’t track smelly dirt across them. Create an area near your front door for shoes and make your home a shoe-free zone.

TIP 3 – Keep it moving. Don’t let air or odors sit and get stale. Empty garbage cans and litter boxes often, and never let compostable food sit in the house overnight. Make sure there is adequate ventilation in the kitchen and bathroom; add a fan to remove moisture and odors from each room.

TIP 4 – Go towards the light. Believe it or not, the light bulbs in your home can not only hold on to stale smells like smoke or food stench, they can also spread a good smell quickly and for a long time. A build up of chemicals coats the bulb over time, and when the bulb begins to heat up, the clinging offensive odors will return. Make a point to wipe down your bulbs regularly and, if you like a bakery-fresh smell, try dabbing a few drops of vanilla extract on your light bulbs before you turn them on, while they’re still cool. When they heat up, the yummy scent will fill the room.

TIP 5 – Deodorize, Naturally. There are several ways to deodorize your home without introducing harsh chemicals or manufactured “freshness” to the air you breathe.

• Leave a bowl of vinegar in any room for 24 hours to remove the strong food odors or smell of cigarettes.
• Add 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil to a clean spray bottle, then add a mixture of 3 parts water to 1 part vodka (yes, vodka!). Spray throughout your home as an affordable, safe alternative to artificial room sprays.

• Keep the welcoming smell of the season permeating your home by boiling cinnamon sticks on your stovetop. Continually add liquid to the pot to prevent it from burning, and you can keep it simmering for hours. Ginger and citrus also offer resonant aromas that can be used to fight stale smells year round.

Give some of these tricks a try and we’re sure you’ll find a method that works for you. Have you uncovered any unusual ways to get rid of funky smells in your home? Tell us your favorite odor-busting tools in the comments below.

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