If there is one thing that gives you peace of mind after a long day’s work, it must be going back to a clean house, for your much-needed rest. Nothing is as embarrassing as inviting friends over to a house with a bad odor.
What causes bad odors in homes? Bad home odors can come from mold, hidden leaks, clogged drainage, improper heating equipment, spilled chemicals, and open sewer vents etc.
In this article, we share with you a few tips to help you get rid of bad odour for good and maintain a freshly, welcoming smell.
PS – Although today’s post share home tips, you can use most of these tips for other enclosed areas like offices too!
With that in mind,
Let’s get started.
Before you start the cleaning process, it is important that you first
Identify the source
This is the first step you need to take before anything else. By identifying the source of the bad odor, you are in a better position to decide on the best way to get rid of the bad smell. This also helps you to know the kind of materials needed during clean up.
Bad odor might be from pets, rotting food, smoke etc., and each requires different forms and materials for clean-up. Sometimes the source of the bad odor may be in a different room or even from a neighbor’s house.
Old house odors are caused by inadequate ventilation, darkness and high humidity. This causes the growth of mold, which is the purveyor of the ‘old house smell.’ Mold Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOCs) are the chemicals that cause the old odor in your house. Although MVOCs do not pose a major health risk, the odor emitted is annoying.
Apply these easy tips to get rid of the odor entirely.
a) Always Allow Air to Flow
This is the easiest way to get rid of any kind of smell in your house. Always ensure that your house is well aerated by opening the windows every morning. The flow of clean air evens out the odor of your house, letting the bad odor out and maintain the clean, fresh air.
If the source of the odor is from outside, opening the windows may not be the best idea. In this case, ensure that you keep your dehumidifier or air-conditioner running.
b) Let the Light Shine In
Darkness is a catalyst for the growth of molds in your house. In order to mitigate the growth of mold and the emission of MVOC odors, always ensure that the sun shines into your house.
The ultra-violet rays of the sun are effective disinfectants of both air and water. When you allow sunlight to shine into your house, you get rid of odour causative agents as well as mitigate the growth of mold.
c) Clean Your House Thoroughly
Always keep your house clean by washing it with detergents and smelling soaps. Many assume that vacuum cleaning is enough. Well, that is not the case. You need to designate at least two days every week when your house gets a major clean up. This includes thorough washing of walls, floor, carpet, couch, toilet, kitchen etc. Also, ensure that all blocked ventilation, gutters, and drainage systems are unclogged.
d) Make Necessary Repairs
Leakages are a major cause of bad odor and facilitate the growth of mold. Further, leakages from the kitchen or the toilet may contain agents that cause the bad odor in your house.
Always look out for possible leakages and ensure that they are repaired swiftly.
If your house has been prone to smoke, you will be required to paint your house to get rid of the smoky smell. You can have the smelly room painted afresh with your preferred scented paint.
e) Neutralize the Air
Once your house is clean and all repairs are done, you can now maintain the good smell by neutralizing the air with the following agents.
Place orange or lemon peels under the gutter to give you a sweet, fruity smell.
Place an open box of baking soda in an unobtrusive place like the top of your kitchen cabinet, or in a room with a bad odor. It helps to absorb the bad odor and humidity.
In the basement, cut an onion and place it overnight to absorb any unwanted odours. Other neutralizing products that can be found at home include white vinegar and dry charcoal briquettes.
Plug scented sprays in a clean room to maintain the fresh smell.
With the above measures taken, you should be able to get rid of any form of bad odor. It is important to ensure that these measures are taken as frequently as possible to guarantee you a fresh smelling house always.
Conclusion
Keeping your home smelling fresh is a combination of workable tips. Depending on the type of odor, there is a specific tip that works best. It is for this reason that you should always identify the source/cause of the bad odor before starting your cleaning process.
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