Making a house smell good sounds simple until you are dealing with garbage, pets, yesterday’s dinner, and boys who leave sweaty clothes wherever they happen to land. Home odor control has always been something I have struggled with, especially while raising boys. Teen boys can make the challenge even worse.
I enjoy using candle warmers because they make the house smell cozy without having an open flame. However, even a wonderful fragrance can sometimes cover an odor without solving the underlying problem.
I am learning that the best way to keep a home smelling fresh is to find where the odor is coming from, clean or remove it, and then add a light fragrance if I still want one. A candle warmer should be the finishing touch, not the entire home odor control plan.
Home Odor Control Starts at the Source
Before adding fragrance, I try to walk through the house and figure out where the smell is actually coming from. Sometimes it is obvious. Other times, it takes a little investigating.
Common sources include:
- A full kitchen or bathroom trash can
- Food caught underneath the garbage disposal splash guard
- Damp towels or washcloths
- Bedding that needs to be washed
- A pile of sweaty clothes
- Pet bedding, blankets, or toys
- Food spills on upholstery or carpet
- Shoes left in an entryway or bedroom
- Leftovers forgotten in the refrigerator
- Cooking grease on the stove, backsplash, or range hood
Removing the source is usually more effective than adding another fragrance on top of it.
For trash cans, I try not to wait until the bag is overflowing. Food packaging, meat trays, diapers, and other strong-smelling garbage may need to be taken outside sooner. If the can itself smells after the bag is removed, it needs to be washed and allowed to dry completely before a new liner is added.
Small bathroom trash cans can also hold surprising odors, especially when tissues, wipes, or personal-care products sit in them for too long. Emptying all of the smaller cans on a regular schedule helps keep one forgotten trash can from affecting an entire room.
The garbage disposal is another place where odors can hide. Food and grease can collect inside the opening and beneath the rubber splash guard. With the disposal turned off, I can carefully clean the visible areas with warm water, dish soap, and a brush or cleaning cloth. I never put my hand down inside the disposal.
It also helps to run plenty of cold water while using the disposal and for a short time afterward. If the smell keeps returning, there may be food trapped farther down the drain or another plumbing issue that needs attention.
Fresh Air, Fabrics, and Everyday Smells
Opening the windows is one of the easiest home odor control methods, as long as the weather and outdoor air quality are good. Even ten or fifteen minutes can help move stale air and lingering smells out of the house.
The Environmental Protection Agency explains that ventilation can help remove or dilute indoor pollutants. Kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans can also move odors and moisture outside. You can read more in the EPA’s guide to improving indoor air quality.
This link would fit naturally directly after the paragraph about opening the windows.
Cooking smells can travel well beyond the kitchen, especially after frying food, cooking bacon, or using strong onions and spices. I try to turn on the range hood before I begin cooking instead of waiting until the entire house smells like dinner. Leaving it on for a little while afterward can also help.
Opening a nearby window, wiping grease from the stove and backsplash, and washing cooking pans instead of leaving them overnight can make a noticeable difference. Sometimes what smells like lingering dinner is actually grease or food residue that still needs to be cleaned.
Fabric can hold odors long after the original source is gone. That includes:
- Bedding
- Throw blankets
- Decorative pillows
- Curtains
- Upholstered furniture
- Area rugs
- Pet beds
- Fabric hampers
Bedding can be especially important in rooms used by boys and teenagers. Sheets, pillowcases, blankets, mattress protectors, and even pillows can hold perspiration and body odors. Washing bedding regularly according to the care labels is much more effective than spraying the room with fragrance.
Mattresses and upholstered furniture also benefit from occasional vacuuming. If something has been spilled, I try to treat it before it has time to soak in and create a lasting odor. Before using any upholstery cleaner, I check the manufacturer’s instructions and test it in an inconspicuous spot.
Damp towels are another problem. A towel left in a heap does not have much chance to dry, and it can quickly develop a musty smell. Giving everyone a hook or bar where towels can dry completely is a small home odor control step that can prevent a much bigger laundry problem.
Home Odor Control With Pets and Busy Families
I love having dogs, but pets bring their own collection of smells. Sometimes the dog is not the strongest source. It may be the bedding, blankets, toys, collar, crate pad, or the spot on the couch where the dog likes to sleep.
Washing pet bedding and blankets according to their care instructions can help considerably. Soft toys may also need to be cleaned or replaced when they become worn and difficult to wash.
Regular vacuuming helps remove pet hair and the dust and debris that settle with it. I pay special attention to furniture cushions, underneath the furniture, along baseboards, and in the corners where pet hair tends to collect.
Pet accidents should be cleaned as soon as possible with a product intended for that particular surface. If the odor returns after the area dries, it may have soaked below the carpet or into the furniture padding. Adding fragrance will not correct what is still underneath.
Shoes, sports bags, backpacks, and sweaty clothing can create a similar problem. Rather than letting everything collect in a bedroom, it helps to have a designated place for shoes and a hamper that allows some airflow. Wet swimsuits, towels, or workout clothes should be hung up to dry or washed promptly instead of being dropped into a pile.
This does not mean a busy family’s house will always smell like fresh laundry. It simply gives odor-causing items a place to go before they become a larger problem.
Add Fragrance After the House Is Fresh
Once the garbage has been taken out, the fabrics have been cleaned, and fresh air has moved through the rooms, I can decide whether I want to add a little fragrance.
This is where I like to use my candle warmers. I prefer a light scent that makes the house feel cozy without announcing itself the moment someone opens the front door. If the fragrance is so strong that it makes it difficult to notice an underlying odor, I may be using too much.
A simple home odor control routine might look like this:
- Empty the trash cans.
- Check the garbage disposal and kitchen sink.
- Put away leftovers and wash greasy pans.
- Hang up damp towels and clothing.
- Wash bedding, blankets, and pet items as needed.
- Vacuum upholstery, rugs, and pet areas.
- Open a few windows when the outdoor air is suitable.
- Run kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans.
- Add a light fragrance only after the source of any odor has been handled.
I do not expect my home to smell like a candle store every day. We cook here, our dogs live here, and real people use the bedding, furniture, towels, and bathrooms.
A fresh-smelling home does not need to be filled with overpowering fragrance. Most of the time, good home odor control comes down to removing trash, washing fabrics, cleaning forgotten areas, allowing damp items to dry, and bringing in fresh air.
Then I can turn on a candle warmer because I enjoy the scent, not because I am trying to hide what is underneath it.
What area of your home seems to hold odors the longest?
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