Is your air feeling a bit unpleasant in the house and in need of a refreshing? Instead of spraying some air freshener and covering up that fact, you can actually do something about it. Here are some simple methods that will make a big difference in air quality and make your air smell fresher and cleaner, getting rid of unwanted smells in the process.
Find the Source
There could be any number of reasons why there is a bad smell in the house. Simply opening up a window or spraying something nice smelling in the air does not get rid of the smell. These actions only cover up and mask the smell. If you want to get to the source and eliminate foul odors, you have to find where they are coming from.
The major culprits for bad smells in the house are usually:
· Wet items
· Mold
· Dead pests
· Rotted food
If you can find where the problem is, then you can do something about it. In some cases, you will need to get rid of the item that is causing the smell, like a dead rat. In other cases, simply drying out the stinky item will help, in the case of wet furniture or wet clothes.
You cannot always spot the source of the problem right away, so be diligent about it. If you think you got all of the problem but are not sure, then don’t spray air freshener yet. Wait for a few hours and see if the smell remains after you open a window and let in fresh air. If it does, then there is still more of the source to deal with.
Food can easily slide under the refrigerator or stove and stay hidden for long periods of time. Mold can grow in unlikely places. You may need to move furniture or appliances to find the source of the smell.
Clean the House
Bad smells are not always caused by a single source but could be caused by a messy house that just needs to be cleaned. If you haven’t been cleaning properly and thoroughly, then a good cleaning can make such a difference in getting rid of smells.
A Philadelphia crew can be hired to do the cleaning for you, and you can use local professionals to clean in any area of the country. Their work can make a big difference because they will know how to clean in every area and how to make the house smell nice and fresh again.
A deep cleaning may be called for if the house has smelled bad for a while. That would mean cleaning the carpets, under the rugs, up on the ceiling fans, and even in the windowsills. A comprehensive cleaning can make an impact and eliminate smells that you are not aware of. This kind of cleaning can remove dust and dirt that have been lodged in your home for a long time. If you do hire professional cleaners to tidy up for you, consider asking them to do their deep cleaning service, if the problem is a serious one. The more thorough the cleaning, the more likely the work is to erase all evidence of an unpleasant smell.
Air Out the House
Even if you clean the house and eliminate the source of the smells, an odor can linger. What’s the problem? Well, it doesn’t have anywhere to go. These particles that are so small you cannot see them but big enough for you to smell- these will hang around in the air and make your house stink. You can eliminate them many times simply by letting them free into the outdoors.
For faster relief from foul smells, open all windows and doors and set up fans to blow rank odors outside. This only makes sense if you are in the process of cleaning up the source of the mess. Otherwise, you are just giving yourself temporary relief.
If the problem is simply that the air in the house is stale, then opening windows is a great solution. The issue of an unpleasant smell could simply be that the air needs to recirculate and be freshened up, and you can do that by letting in fresh air.
Sanitize the House
The problems that cause unpleasant smells are not always visible messes. It won’t always be some discarded food bits or a dead pest that stinks the house up. Sometimes, the issue is simply that there are bacteria and pathogens that are making your house smell bad.
Invisible, microscopic particles can make your house smell less than wonderful. If you go through the house, room by room, and spray sanitizing spray or antibacterial spray, you will eliminate a lot of germs. You won’t get them all, but you can kill enough bacteria that it won’t make your house smell so bad.
Try sanitizing throughout the house periodically. This is a great way of eliminating viruses and reducing illness within the household, and we recommend it for dealing with pesky, lingering smells as well. If you hire professional cleaners to work in your home, they should include this service as part of their cleaning package, but don’t feel shy about asking for it specifically.
Use Baking Soda
There is a powerful, natural odor eliminator that you can use that will make a big difference in the way your home smells. You can put down baking soda in trouble spots where you notice bad odors. It absorbs unpleasant odors and dries out wet spots. It soaks up spills and makes your house smell so much fresher.
Use baking soda on those parts of the house that have resilient stains, musty smells, and stubborn wet spots that you are having trouble dealing with. The baking soda will clean and absorb the messes while getting rid of the smell. That is a powerful tool to use, and we recommend it for all of those tough odors that are not being removed through other means.