When you own your home, you might obsess over how it’s decorated or how clean it is, but you might overlook one important thing-the smell! If your house is in tip top shape it should be a fresh and inviting place to be-for all of your senses. We’ve got 5 simple hacks to keep your home smelling fabulous.
Let’s think about your living room couch for a moment. How long ago did you move it into your home? Now think about how many times it’s been sat on, how many different people or animals have lounged on it, and the food that’s gotten stuck between the cushions. At this point, your couch is bound to have picked up some unwanted odors just from everyday use.
Spritzing a little furniture deodorizer on your couches and chairs once or twice a week will help you eliminate pesky odors. Whether the largest contributor to indoor smells is your pet, your children, or a fitness fanatic spouse, this step will help you get rid of bad smells and maintain freshness. There are several options available at your local grocery store for house deodorizers, or you can choose to go the DIY route and make your own deodorizing spray.
One of the biggest contributors to unpleasant odors in the house is the carpet. It gets spilled on, tracked on with dirty shoes, and ignored more than it should when it comes to deep cleaning.
To remedy this, schedule routine steam cleans- trust us, it’s worth it- and will benefit you in the now, as well as the future integrity of your house. In the meantime, get yourself a deodorizer to keep things fresh in between regular steam cleans. Or, if you prefer, you can make your own by doing the following:
When using this or other DIY products, be sure to do so sparingly; remember, anything that it’s in your carpet will be your vacuum’s job to pick up and you don’t want to clog it. A little goes a long way, and this is just to hold you over until a professional clean.
Taking care of your carpets will be the best way to completely eliminate carpet odors and set the stage for a wonderful smelling home.
Garbage disposals can get downright nasty. If left unattended, their stench can linger for days. Rather than let your garbage disposal dictate the scent of your home, take control by paying careful attention to its condition. Once you’ve cleared the disposal of its contents, running an orange or lemon peel through will help you achieve a deeper cleansing and deodorizing process. This can be done once a week to keep things fresh and clean.
If that doesn’t do the trick, that probably means there is lingering bacteria that needs a deeper clean. Luckily, there’s an easy fix for that too. This recipe is great for getting those nasty smells out of your garbage disposal. The two main ingredients you need are baking soda and vinegar. Mixing these together and pouring them down the drain will help kill any lingering bacteria that’s contributing to bad smells.
Maybe you’re worried about leaving a candle burning, kids or pets knocking it over, or perhaps your nose is a little too sensitive for strong plug-in fresheners. Luckily there are many alternatives on the market.
Reed oil diffusers are a wonderful, more subtle addition to any room- and they don’t detract from the look of the space. For another scent alternative that also looks good, you can purchase potpourri that goes with the room it’s in, or make your own from scratch with flowers you prefer. Another delicious scent alternative that is especially cozy in colder months is making a simmer pot with fruits and spices. The great thing about these is that you often already have something in your pantry that you could boil to use in the simmer pot- such as cinnamon, vanilla, or orange peels. Check out some recipes here!
Have you ever noticed a murky, wet smell in your home?
Sometimes, if a water heater filter is old, it can make your house smell this way. If there are 1-2 people living in your home, you will need to check the water heater filter every 6 months and have it drained once a year. However, if you have more family members in your home, you’ll want to get it checked every 4 months and have it drained every 8 months. You can clean out the filter yourself with these steps, or simply call a professional to come do the job for you.
The washer and dryer can also be the culprit for musty smells. This is because leaving wet clothes in the machine for too long creates a damp environment that breeds mildew and mold. Be mindful of the time that laundry is sitting, and if needed, re-wash any clothes that may have been forgotten about. Other things to mindful of are to not overload the machine so that clothes can be thoroughly washed, and cleaning out the lint trap which may get backed up with damp lint and add to the musty smell.
Tackling the entire house can be overwhelming so here’s an Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist to help keep you organized, sane, and clutter-free!
If you happen to be cleaning your home because you’re preparing to move out, let EDGEhomes help. We have wonderful quick move-in homes ready for you and your family. Our experienced agents are ready to help set you up with the perfect home.
03/11/2015
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