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According to researchers, smell is the most fundamental human sense. Studies show that it emerged before many of the other more complicated senses, allowing us to detect chemical compounds in the surrounding environment. It’s no wonder you want to know how to make your home smell good.
From experience, we know that when we walk into somebody’s home, we can immediately smell the difference. A home that smells fresh is a good sign. But one that smells bad can make us feel uneasy.
Unfortunately, we can go nose blind to the smell of our own homes. We believe that they smell normal when, in fact, they do not.
In this post, we take a look at some of the secrets of people whose homes always smell amazing. Check them out below.
Ideas for How to Make Your Home Smell Good
Keep Windows Open
The easiest way to bring freshness into your home is to open some windows, according to hygiene experts. Circulating air draws out many of the odor-producing compounds, allowing them to escape into the environment (where the sun’s UV rays break many of them down).
The best approach is to open windows at opposite ends of your home. Air will travel into the house from one side and then out of the other, creating a kind of air circuit that continually replenishes fresh air.
Use Odor Neutralisers
People with homes that smell great also make regular use of odor neutralizers for things like pet beds and sports bags. Odor neutralizers work by chemically reacting with smell-producing compounds in fabric, transforming them into new substances that don’t have any smell at all. For this reason, they tend to be more effective than traditional room sprays. You’re not just masking the sources of smells – you’re actually eliminating them. In our home, we have to use these because we have two enormous Great Pyrenees.
Find Subtle Ways To Scent
Scents shouldn’t be overpowering when you walk into a home. Instead, any fragrance should be subtle. This is probably one of my favorite ways for how to make your home smell good. With two enormous dogs, we like candles and wax melts.
The Aesop beauty collection provides some examples of the kind of scent that you should try. Geranium, jasmine, and grapefruit add a gentle background note to your rooms.
Clean Your Upholstery
While upholstery, such as curtains, bed linens, and sofa cushions, look great, they are a magnet for bad smells. Odor particles get stuck in the fabrics’ layers and then slowly release over time, giving the room a tired, musty smell. Wet patches can exacerbate the issue, leading to mold and mildew buildup.
As a homeowner, what can you do? The most important thing to do is to clean up any spills immediately. If you allow stains to incorporate into the fabric, they become much harder to remove. Also, if you give living organisms time to thrive, they will multiply. So make sure that you dry out your upholstery soon after it gets wet. Don’t leave it.
Get Rid Of Funky Fridge Smells
Your refrigerator can be a source of some rather unpleasant smells. Food residues can build up and create a pong which then escapes into your home’s atmosphere every time you open the door.
Getting rid of smells is actually quite easy. Start by removing all of the food and shelving from your refrigerator. Then use white vinegar, water, and a tiny quantity of dish soap to sponge down the interior compartment, removing any gunk or debris as you do. Next, wash all of the shelves and vegetable crisper compartments separately with soapy water. Once you remove all the grime, wipe everything down with a cloth and replace.
Take Out The Garbage Regularly
If your home smells really bad, the most likely candidate is trash. Garbage has a nasty habit of smelling terrible, particularly if you leave it for a couple of days.
Start by taking the garbage outside and disposing of it. Then open the windows in your home and clean up any residues that might be at the bottom of your garbage can.
Don’t Tolerate Moisture
Lastly, people who live in homes that smell great all the time don’t tolerate moisture. Wet surfaces are a magnet for fungi and germs and can eventually become smelly over time.
If you think you live in a humid house, you can invest in some hygrometers. These devices measure the humidity level and then offer readouts that you can use to determine if yours are acceptable or not. If the humidity level goes above around 60 percent, then it might be time to install a dehumidifier. Different rooms will have varying humidity levels. We keep a dehumidifier in our basement and run it almost 24/7.
In hot and humid climates, avoid carpets or rugs. Don’t put down carpets in the bathroom, as they can accumulate moisture and attract damp.
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