Have you ever returned home after a busy day only for a strong odour to hit you when you walk through the door? If you have, then you’re not alone. Stinky homes are more common than you think. Unfortunately, though, is that it is not always obvious where the problem is coming from. It could be your upholstery, flooring, bathrooms, or even mold creeping up behind your drywall.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can make your home smell amazing with a minimum of effort.
8 Handy Tips For A Fresh Smelling Home
1. Sanitize Your Garbage Bin
If your home suddenly smells slightly “off,” then the first place you should look is your garbage bin. Some items in your trash, especially food products, have a nasty habit of giving off foul odours that quickly permeate the rest of your home. Having a lid on your bin does cut down on odours spreading throughout your home but unfortunately that may cause your bin to get even more stinky and it may become a breeding ground for bacteria.
I recommend deep cleaning your garbage bin at least once a month:
- Start by disposing of the garbage in your outdoor bin. If it is summer, I like to use the garden hose to do a quick, high blast rinse. This gets rid of any pooled liquids at the bottom which usually are a source of bad smells and cuts down on the chance of me spilling the bin juice in my house.
- Then deep clean your garbage bin with your favourite cleaning products. You may choose to spray the receptacle with bleach but make sure you are working in a well ventilated area.
- Next, use a sanitizer spray and then dry your bin with microfibre cloths.
- Leave your garbage bin to sit upside down somewhere until it is bone dry. This is very important because I find that smells come back faster if I start using the bin while it is still even slightly damp.
- Be sure to clean the area around where the bin stood before putting it back into place.
2. Freshen Up Your Bed
Even if you put a freshly-washed sheet between your body and the mattress, your bed can still wind up smelling. The reason for this is that bed bugs and sweat can make their way down through the fibers of the material, leading to organic growth in the mattress itself. The best way to prevent that is to use extra barriers between your mattress and your linens. There are many fitted sheets you can buy that give you that extra protection. Which is great if you have a brand new mattress. Unfortunately, if you have been using your mattress without that extra layer, the damage may have already been done.
In these situations, the best approach is to have a deep clean and bed bug removal. This way, you don’t have to replace the mattress outright and can get rid of any nasty critters and odours. Don’t forget to add that extra layer of protection to prevent your mattress from getting smelly again.
3. Place Candles Around Your Home
Placing candles around your home is one of the best ways to improve the way that it smells. Today, you can buy a host of different types of scented candles, all of which have unique properties. Some are made of soy wax and come in flavours like patchouli and camomile. All these smells create a pleasant fragrance that can completely change the character of your rooms.
I like to burn neutral or fruity smelling candles when I am cooking fish or any other food that produces a bad smell. Firstly, because they don’t foul my taste buds or appetite and second because I feel it cuts down on the linger smells after. Candles are also a great way to cover smoking or burning smells if you have an accident.
4. Give Your Washing Machine A Professional Clean
Washing machines are, to no small extent, self-cleaning devices. Every so often, though, they need a professional clean. Mold and other nasties build up on the interior and can cause your clothes to smell, even after they come out of the wash.
I have a front loader machine and they seem to get a nasty smell more often then top loaders. I don’t even want to put my laundry in there sometimes! You can buy products to freshen up your machine but your best bet is to go to You-tube and search for your particular model to get a detailed tutorial on how to clean your machine thoroughly.
5. Create Scent-Filled Jars Or Sachets
If you want to improve the smell of your home, then invest in some potpourri. These dried herbs and spices give off beautiful fragrances all year long and only require replacement every couple of years or so. If you have lavender growing in your garden, check out Pinterest for some great DIY projects and make your own potpourri.
6. Clean Your Drains
Like most homeowners, you probably clean all your sinks and baths on a regular basis. But the real smells usually come up from the drains. Cleaning inside the drain is a lot more challenging. The trick here is to buy the right tools. Ideally, it would help if you used the same tools that plumbers use to dislodge and remove any grime that might be bunging up your pipes and causing them to smell foul. There are also products you can buy to help remove sediment.
However, finding and buying the right products may cost you a lot. Therefore, a better solution is to contact a professional drain cleaning company to complete the work. It is far more feasible and less time-consuming. Also, the professionals can inspect for any hidden problems and repair them accordingly.
7. Deep Clean The Toilets
If you have ever stepped inside your bathroom and was over-whelmed with a port-a-potty smell, you need to deep clean your toilet. There are so many little crevices for body fluid to build up and breed. For a full tutorial, check out this post about how to clean your toilet properly.
8. Get Rid Of Pet Odours
We all love our pets but we don’t want our guests to be slapped in the face with dog or cat odours. Accidents will happen, especially with new or older pets. They need to be cleaned up quickly and properly. Check out this article for tips to get rid of dog odour in your home.
Cleaning your home should include tackling odour creating areas regularly. Even if you personally don’t think your house smells. Believe me, guests will notice what you don’t. By tackling the above 8 problem areas, you will ensure that your home always smells fresh and inviting.