No one wants to live in a smelly home.
Stenches from dishwashers, garbage bins, carpets, and even pets can make any home unbearable. While you may have gotten familiar with your property’s distinct scent, foul odors won’t make any tenant want to step inside your rental property. Fortunately, you don’t have to pinch your nose every time you visit your property for its regular inspection.
If you can’t seem to put your finger on what’s causing these bad smells, use the tips below to make your home more pleasant for everyone.
Potential Causes of Bad Smells at Home
#1 Dishwasher
Your dishwasher can turn into a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Dishwasher odors are caused by a build-up of rotting food particles and grease. If your dishwasher is left uncleaned for a long period, it can begin to let off a fishy odor which can transfer to your dinnerware. To clean your dishwasher, be sure to regularly wipe the interior with a damp cloth. You could also place a bowl filled with vinegar inside the dishwasher before running a normal cycle. Another trick is to sprinkle a handful of baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher, before running a short cycle with hot water.
#2 Refrigerator
Does your fridge smell bad every time you open it even if you don’t have any stinky cheese? Refrigerators are a common cause of unpleasant odors due to the presence of bacteria and mold. These microbes thrive in moist areas including spilled liquids, condensation, rotting vegetables, and many more. To prevent your fridge from smelling funky, make it a habit to regularly clean out spoiled food. You could also try placing activated charcoal inside the fridge — this black powder is known for getting rid of unwanted odors.
#3 Carpet
Carpets are one of the dirtiest things in your home. They contain all kinds of dirt including pet hair, insect feces, dead skin cells, bacteria, mold, and other allergens. A typical carpet holds more than 200,000 bacteria per square inch — it has more germs than a toilet seat! It’s best to have your carpet cleaned by professional carpet cleaners at least once a year. But, if you want to do it yourself, you can sprinkle a cup of baking soda on your carpet, leave it for a few hours, and then vacuum it slowly.
#4 Garbage Bins
It takes only one week for your garbage bin to smell disgusting. The worst part is that this smell doesn’t linger in one place — it spreads to the entire home. Garbage bin smells are caused by thrown-out leftovers, vegetable/fruit peelings, etc. that have started to rot. One proven way to eliminate bad smells coming from your trash can is by regularly scrubbing and rinsing it with baking soda.
#5 Pets
Dogs and cats are prone to having “accidents” indoors, such as peeing on carpets, leaving their waste in the most unexpected places, and much more. Pets may even pick up bad odors after a day of exploring outside. The first thing you need to do is to determine whether the smell is coming directly from your pet — in this case, the solution is to give them a thorough bath. If the smell still doesn’t go away, clean your interior where they usually sleep, such as carpets, beds, and other furniture.
#6 Cigarette Smoke
Most lease agreements prohibit indoor smoking, however, you might encounter one or two bad tenants who will do it anyway. If this happens, you may have to evict your tenant or issue them a fine.
Removing the smell of smoke is trickier than other odors, as cigarette smoke tends to “embed” itself in surfaces and fabrics. Even if the cigarette has been extinguished, its chemicals and carcinogens remain in the area, resulting in third-hand smoke. This puts your tenants at risk of inhaling toxic chemicals and potentially developing lung cancer.
Cleaning the walls and ceiling is the first step to eliminating this lingering odor. However, if the smell persists, you could consider repainting the interior. Paint can effectively seal in harmful toxins.
How To Eliminate Bad Odors
Show your tenants you care about their overall experience by eliminating bad odors the moment you notice them. Here are a couple of ways to banish bad smells for good:
#1 Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is readily available in pet shops since it’s the same compound used to purify water in fish tanks. Composed of pure carbon, activated charcoal can neutralize stinky molecules. To use, simply place a cup of activated charcoal inside the fridge or other smelly areas. Don’t forget to replace the charcoal every month!
#2 Baking Soda
Sprinkle baking soda on carpets, furniture, and other surfaces before vacuuming it off. Baking soda effectively eliminates lingering odors such as expired milk and spoiled food. However, baking soda may not be able to get rid of strong smells like rotten fish.
#3 White Vinegar
White vinegar contains acetic acid, which can eliminate bacteria and neutralize foul odors. The best part is that you probably have it in your kitchen right now. All you have to do is to place a glass of white vinegar near the source of the odor, and the stench will dissipate in a couple of hours.
#4 Odor-Absorbing Paint
If cleaning your walls doesn’t eliminate the bad odor, consider repainting your property with odor-absorbing paint. This type of paint can absorb unpleasant smells such as cigarette smoke, bacterial odors, and more. If you’re in the process of preparing your home for new renters, you might as well repaint your walls using odor-absorbing paint to ensure a stink-free stay.
Wrapping Up
A fresh-smelling home can attract the best tenants to your property. If you need a hand in making sure that your property is in tip-top shape, contact Luxury Property Care today. Our property managers are ready to share the best industry-standard practices. We can help keep your property smelling fantastic all year long.
Get in touch with us today by calling (591) 944 – 2992 or filling out our contact form.
