How to Deodorize a House: Attack the Root Cause Before Your Home Hits the Market
Step away from the Glade plug-in air fresheners. Here’s how to deodorize a smelly house by attacking the root of the problem.
Does your home smell like a barn or Don Draper’s ashtray? Is your nose so used to the stench that someone else had to tell you that your house won’t sell in this condition? And if so, how do you get rid of those bad smells in your house?
First, step away from the Glade plug-in air fresheners, scented candles, and cans of Febreze. It’s time to learn how to deodorize a house by attacking the root of the cause: bacteria. Masking the problem with nausea-inducing fruity fragrances will only have homebuyers reaching for the Pepto-Bismol.
“You have to get rid of the problem, whether it’s the cats, litter boxes, dogs, or smoking,” says top-selling Cincinnati real estate agent Jon Bowling. “If you’re not willing to do that, I might not take your listing,” adding that it’s very difficult to sell a home with unpleasant odors.
Step one: Talk to an expert!
Selling your house soon? Connect with a top agent near you to get an expert opinion on how much your house will sell for, what to fix before listing, and the latest local housing market trends.
For every foul odor, there’s a different remedy, so let’s go through how to get rid of bad smells in your house, including:
- A dirty or messy house
- Walls drenched in cigarette smoke
- Pet odors seeped into carpets and furniture
- Damp, mildewy bathrooms or closed-in spaces
Then, we’ll guide you through the types of smells you should add back into a home that appeal to the widest pool of buyers.
