Stinky and Unwanted Smells in Your Home and How to Get Rid of Them

Stinky and Unwanted Smells in Your Home and How to Get Rid of Them

Ideally, a house should smell fresh and have a gentle fragrance. However, if that’s not the case, you are diminishing the healthy and restorative power of a good night’s sleep.

Bad odors in a home could be anything and come from anywhere within the four walls of your house. And, that can be really frustrating and embarrassing. So, here’s a guide to help you detect the sources of bad odors in your house and de-stink them.

A Closed-up House

A Closed-up HouseWhen your house is found in a damp area, like near a lakeside, you should avoid closing all the doors and windows. You see, mustiness grows and thrives in damp and dark places. So, if you have the habit of keeping the house always closed, now is the time to break this bad habit and get rid of that musty smell in your house.

The best way to deal with the musty odors of your house is to let all the windows and doors open for as long as possible. For example, choose to keep all the curtains and blinds of your house open on a dry, sunny day to let the sunlight in as much as possible.

I know that many houses that were built during the last decades are more tightly sealed, allowing less air in the house. For such houses, experts suggest a home remodeling project that’ll include adding more windows.

Moreover, dehumidifiers are great at drawing moisture out of the air and getting rid of musty smells. Environmental toxin expert Tonya Harris, advises buying air purifiers with a HEPA filter for allergens and a charcoal filter that can neutralize musty odors in homes.

Note: Air conditioners are said to play the same role as a dehumidifier.

The Furniture Smell

The Furniture SmellThe last time I made an online purchase, I bought a piece of furniture that was made in China. The problem is that it boxed and bagged before the Clear Coat had a chance to dry fully. When a catalyzed commercial finish dries or cures, it gives off a gas as a byproduct of the curing process and only oxygen can handle and “appease” that kind of chemical reaction. However, once the furniture is bagged, the oxygen in the bag gets used up and the process stalls. And, this is why you are hit with that newly-polished furniture smell as soon as you receive or open your package.

But, I’m not just talking about that new furniture smell. I have an old dresser and a decades-old vintage dining table that smell awful. And, I’m sure that you are familiar with that funky, stale nursing home smell that often stays on furniture that haven’t been dusted for years.

The key to neutralizing new furniture smells is to get them outside and sunbathe them. However, I’ve often heard that this technique only works for new pieces of furniture. Recently, I’ve learned a few tricks from my mother on how to get rid of the smell of furniture that has been sitting too long in a high humidity enclosed space.

  • The first thing is to vacuum the drawers, the cavity, the underside and the back of the furniture. It won’t just remove cobwebs and dust, but the surface-level cleaning will make the furniture smell better.
  • I know that most people are afraid of their beautiful vintage furniture getting wet, but trust me, it’ll be fine! You can wash and scrub your furniture with soap and water, but just make sure that the water doesn’t sit for a long time on the surface. Once you are done with the washing and light-scrubbing process, put it outside and let it dry.
  • If the furniture was previously in your garage, kitchen or workshop, there’s probably some traces of grease on it, so better use a degreaser.
  • The last step is to deodorize the furniture. You can just let it sit outside on a sunny day or place some lavender sachets in the drawers.

 

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