No matter how good your eye for interior design is, if there are odors in your home, it will make spending time there less enjoyable. That’s why, in this guide, we’re going to take a close look at the main causes of home odors and how to get rid of them.
What Causes Odors in Your Home?
Before we dive into how to get rid of odors at home, it’s important to consider where smelly odors come from in the first place.
This section will break down the three main culprits when it comes to home odors: moisture, stale air, and food odors.
Moisture
When moisture is trapped inside your home, it can lead to the growth of microorganisms, like mold and mildew, which can cause undesirable smells. The smell of must and mold is earthy (not in a good way) and damp.
Excess moisture can develop in your home in several different ways. One of the biggest culprits is moisture in closets. Since they usually have no ventilation and are closed most of the time, moisture easily develops in closets.
If you have carpeted floors, they may also begin to trap moisture, especially if liquids are spilled and not properly cleaned. Attics and basements are also a main source of moisture and mold because they are usually dark, warm, and damp, which makes them ideal homes for unwanted microorganisms.
Stale Air
Another cause of musty odors is stale air. If you notice that your home feels particularly stuffy, it might result from stale air. Another tell-tale sign that the air in your home is stale is if you or your family members have difficulty breathing due to airborne allergens.
Although stale air isn’t necessarily bad for you in the short term, allowing stale air to remain in your home can worsen the funky smell and trap humidity inside.
Food Odors
For many people, cooking at home is one of life's simple pleasures. Doing the dishes? Less so.
Unfortunately, food left out, unwashed plates, and scraps in the trash can all contribute to strong smells in your home.
Even though some things (like chocolate chip cookies or a freshly brewed pot of coffee) can give your home a delicious cooking smell, there are many recipes that can leave your home with a slightly strange smell… no matter how good they taste.
Combined with all the cooking utensils and plates that tend to be “left to soak” after a particularly delicious dinner, mealtime can sometimes cause seriously unpleasant smells at home.
How To Get Rid of Odors At Home
Now that you know the main sources of unwanted smells at home, it’s time to get to the fun part: how to remove them!
In this section, we’ll dive into four ways to easily remove household odors to leave your home smelling as fresh as the day you moved in.
Open the Windows
Simple as it may sound, opening your windows is one of the fastest ways to improve the scent inside and get rid of bad smells. When you open the windows, you improve ventilation by allowing fresh air to flow through, which forces the stale air out, along with all of the odors.
Another benefit of opening your windows and allowing fresh air to flow through your house is that it prevents moisture buildup. With less moisture in your home, it’s less likely that mold and mildew will grow.
Place Baking Soda in the Fridge
If you think your fridge might be the main source of the smell in your kitchen, placing baking soda inside after a deep clean just might do the trick to keep odors at bay. Given that baking soda has a naturally porous structure, it can trap unpleasant odor molecules and make the entire room smell better.
Simply place an open box of baking soda in your fridge, freezer, or crisper bins (or maybe all three if you want to be really thorough). Make sure to label the baking soda that you’re using to trap stale odors so that you don’t mistake it for your regular baking soda.
Given that the molecules in baking soda can trap food particles, using the odor-trapping baking soda will change its taste and make it unsuitable for cooking.
Use Scented Candles
Another quick way to give your home scent an instant makeover is to light a scented candle.
For a cardamom and vetiver blend that makes any space instantly luxurious, try Instant Karma. For a light, grounded scent that will never get old, try our amber and lily candle, Off the Grid.
Clean Upholstery
The final way to make sure your home smells as fresh as possible is to regularly clean your upholstery (aka, the fabric used to cover any sofas, chairs, or seats in your home). This fabric can trap allergens, dust, and mold spores.
When you give it a good cleaning, you sanitize the fabric and remove any odors trapped in it. The result is better-smelling and better-looking upholstery that can improve the air quality in your home.
Tidy Space, Tidy Mind
It’s no secret that the tidier your space is, the easier it is to be productive and wind down in your home. Although many people think of organization when they think of tidiness, removing bad odors is a key part of this process.
By opening the windows, putting baking soda in the fridge, lighting a scented candle from Snif, and regularly cleaning your upholstery, your home can be the delicious-smelling oasis you deserve.
Sources:
A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home | US EPA
Effects of Window Opening on the Bedroom Environment and resulting Sleep Quality | Research Gate
The Case for Finally Cleaning Your Desk | Harvard Business Review