By Ellen Russell
One of the first things visitors notice when entering your home is its smell. Good or bad, unless your guests have a poorly functioning olfactory sense, they are going to notice the way your house smells. They might even sense an odor before ever opening the door to see the inside. Odors are your home's first impression, and if it's a bad one, you'll want to do something to rid your home of the offensive odor for good.There are a multitude of products that can be used to add a pleasing scent to your home. These are good ways to make a plain room smell inviting, but do nothing to eliminate odors at the source. Identifying the source of an odor and remedying the problem is the only way to keep your home smelling good.
First, figure out where the odor is coming from. Is the offensive smell from rotting food? Pet soil? Musty basement?
If an odor is the result of some type of soil, such as a pet accident, remove it and clean the area thoroughly with warm, soapy water. If possible and weather permits, air out the room. Try circulating dead air with a fan to invite in new air from outside or another area of the house.
Of course, not all odors will disappear with a soap and water wash. Saturate soiled carpets and fabrics with a product or household item that will neutralize the chemicals creating the smell. Blot excess liquid from the area by covering the neutralizer with a plush towel, or several paper towels. Press the absorbent towel into the spot with your hand or foot. Never rub; rubbing only works soil and odors further into fabric and carpet piles. Soak up as much as you can, then leave the spot to dry.
Many commercial cleansers are good for neutralizing odors, but several common household products can be used as well. Vinegar is an extremely versatile grocery item that neutralizes many odors, including those left behind by pet accidents and skunk sprays.
Baking soda, whether applied dry to an area or mixed and sprayed with warm water, is another effective way to absorb and neutralize household odors. Baking soda carries the added benefit of absorbing moisture, so it often makes a good secondary application for a moist stubborn stain causing an odor. Citrus fruits like lemon and oranges deodorize and leave a pleasant smell behind. Using citrus juice on fabrics is not usually recommended, but they are good for things like running through garbage disposals.
There are always smells that cannot be neutralized at the source because the source cannot be accessed. For these types of odors, you need a product that can absorb the smell before it emanates throughout your home. A musty basement, stale smelling closet, or a hidden animal nest in an inaccessible wall may disperse smells that cannot be directly dealt with.
Like neutralizing odors, absorbing odors can be done with commercial products or common household items. Again, baking soda is an excellent odor absorber. Open a box and leave it an area, or sprinkle baking soda on a smelly carpet, wait and hour or more, and vacuum the powder and the odor away.
Other products known to effectively absorb and trap odors are charcoal and cat litter. Leave cat litter in any space in an open box or tub. With charcoal, you will want to control potential mess. Place charcoal in a container with several holes poked in it. Throw the entire assembly away when the scent is gone. Also like baking soda, these two products have a great ability to absorb moisture from the air. Charcoal and cat litter will especially help remove the source of the odor if it is moisture related.
A visit to your home will not be a comfortable experience if your home has offensive odors, nor will you enjoy living in your own foul smelling space. Follow these suggestions for eliminating odors through neutralization and absorption, and save the candle and potpourri for an added aromatic treat.
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