Your home should be your safe haven and a place of rest. However, it can be hard to unwind or enjoy your time there when nasty odors linger in the air. Everyone deals with pesky smells in their home from time to time. These tips can help keep unwanted odors under control and your home smelling fresher.
1. Use Natural, Refreshing Scents
There are plenty of air freshener options out there when it comes to infusing your home with a pleasant scent. Aerosol sprays, wall plug-ins, gel pods, and candles all abound. However, many of these are full of artificial ingredients that only mask odors temporarily. Others are not very effective at permeating an area with the desired fragrance.
Instead, you may want to try a more natural approach by using Young Living Essential Oils products. An essential oil diffuser is a great alternative because it only utilizes natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about irritation from harmful chemicals. Also, many essential oils are effective at neutralizing odors because they actually kill the bacteria in the air that causes them.
2. Open the Windows
Stagnant air can give your home a musty smell in no time. This is especially true during the spring or autumn months when you don’t need to run the heat or AC to keep your home comfortable. In these situations, it’s a good idea to open up the windows to ensure fresh air is still circulating throughout your home. Also, open the windows preemptively before you start a task you know will lead to strong odors, such as cooking or cleaning your bathroom.
3. Let in the Light
Other leading causes of a foul-smelling home include mold and mildew. Most of the time, these spores grow in kitchens and bathrooms where moisture abounds. However, mold or mildew can grow anywhere that water is trapped and cannot evaporate.
Circulating the air is a great solution, along with drying up spills as soon as possible. However, you do have a natural ally that’s easy to use: the sun. Sunlight is very effective at killing mold and mildew, so open your curtains and blinds or raise the shades and let in the light. Doing this in all rooms of your house every so often can help keep things safer, cleaner, and smelling fresher.
4. Clean Your Rugs and Carpets
Soft surfaces can trap moisture, oil, dirt, and bacteria. Your carpets and rugs can collect the most since everything that is brought into the house, dropped, or knocked loose will make its way to the floor eventually. There are a few floor-cleaning habits you should adopt if you want your home to be as odor-free as possible.
First, aim to vacuum your carpets and rugs at least twice a week. Every day is best, but may not be practical for some people, although you can enlist the help of a robotic floor cleaner to get the job done. Next, deep clean these surfaces at least once a year either by yourself or with the help of a carpet-cleaning professional.
Hard surfaces can go a bit longer between cleanings because moisture evaporates better here. Vacuum or sweep these at least once a week, and mop at least once a week as well. For all floor surfaces, clean up spills immediately.
5. Wash Your Textiles
Other fabrics in your home can house odor-causing bacteria, so be sure to clean them as instructed on a routine basis. This includes things like curtains, throw pillows, throw blankets, and certain bed linens, such as comforters and duvets. Every two to three months is a good timeline for most homes.
Your bed sheets should be washed quite frequently. Once a week is recommended to keep oil and bacteria under control. Not only will this help control unwanted smells, but it can also keep your skin healthier while minimizing the buildup of allergens.
6. Care for Your Pets
Even though you love them, your pets could cause some seriously bad smells in your home. In addition to keeping your environment clean, take steps to keep your pets clean as well. Bathe and groom them as recommended by their vet and keep their toys and beds clean. Some toys can house strong odors, so toss and replace them when they get smelly.
A fresh-smelling home doesn’t have to be a huge challenge. With the right products, techniques, and a good cleaning schedule, you can enjoy an odor-free atmosphere.
