Wow, what’s that smell? We’ve all come across a home where you just want to hold your nose and run out the door screaming. Who can blame you? The sense of smell is the strongest of all the senses, especially when selling a home.
The problem? Home sellers are not aware of the woozy urine smell or last night’s dinner odor haunting the air because they’re immune to the odor. But the truth is scents and odors in a home can connect or disconnect buyers to a house with just one sniff.
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When preparing a home for sale, a home stager will recommend clients get rid of the sources of bad odor first, rather than simply mask the scent. Here are a few ways to tackle these unwanted smells.
Food. Cooked food can create lingering odors in a home. When cooking, use stovetop fans and consider opening a window. Wipe down hard surfaces and wash drapery and other fabrics around the kitchen.
More importantly, after cooking make sure to throw out the trash to avoid lingering smells. If you need to reduce food odor in your home, leave a small bowl of ground coffee or vinegar exposed on the counter so it can absorb some of the unwanted smells.
The best way to avoid food smells in a home is not to cook with fish, spices, like curry or onion powder, or ethnic foods with potent odors while your home is on the market. If you’re craving those flavors, go out to dinner to enjoy the food in a restaurant instead.
Appliances. Buyers will open appliances when they tour a home, especially if it’s something that comes with the house. The biggest odor box is a refrigerator, so make sure to remove smelly or rotten food from the fridge at least once a week. Combat the smell by placing a box of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors, and wipe down shelves when needed.
Appliances throughout the house should also be cleaned on a monthly basis, including ovens, dishwashers and washing machines.
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Clothing. Smelly socks, sports equipment, shirts or shoes — anything that has perspiration on it — will eventually create a stink. Make sure to wash linens and clothing on a regular basis; don’t let it pile up when selling. Rather, put in a load every time you have enough laundry to run the washing machine.
Try leaving shoes outside to air instead of in an entryway. Use an odor-eliminating product like Febreze on bigger items that can’t be put in the wash.
Pets. Simply having a pet can create allergy flare-ups for some buyers. While on the housing market make sure to brush and give your animals a bath regularly. Some of the worst-smelling offenses are pet urine and feces. Constantly keep on top of litter boxes by cleaning them out every other day.
If your animal has been using the floor as a toilet, make sure to steam clean carpets and replace wood where it’s damaged. Beware you won’t be able to mask these smells, so make sure you remove the source of the odor.
Smoke. Cigarette smoke is hard to get rid of without completely painting the room, wiping down hard surfaces and removing fabrics and carpets. Using a high-quality primer prior to painting can successfully suppress smoke smell that has been embedded in the walls.
When selling a house you must stop smoking in your home (no ifs, ands or buts.) Smoke sticks to everything, even light bulbs, so when the light is on and heats up, the scent will return. In this case, if you keep the light bulb clean it will remove the lingering odor.
Try leaving a bowl of vinegar out for 24 hours prior to a showing to remove the smell of cigarette smoke — though this won’t help heavy smokers.
Mold. Mold smells are a huge red flag for buyers. Take care of musty or moldy smells immediately with a dehumidifier, or kill mold spores using chlorine dioxide. If it’s extremely bad, hire a professional. Don’t mess around with this smell because it can make your family sick quickly.
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Air Vents. Change the filters in any ventilation, heating or air conditioning system. There’s no sense allowing a smell to circulate in your ventilation system. This will not only deter lingering smells throughout the house, but it will help keep those systems working better. Also, check air vents and wall outlets as an odor source, because there may be a dead mouse or something else in the wall causing a stink.
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7 Smells Homebuyers Hate originally appeared on usnews.com
