5 Tips For Banishing Those Weird Smells

Tips For Banishing Those Weird Smells

Can you smell that? There’s only one thing worse than a musty odour in your home – and that’s putting up with it! Musty smells are never a good thing – it usually means that mould and bacteria are making a home somewhere in your own haven. And by the time it gets to a musty smell, the party is generally in full swing. Fortunately, you can put an end to it, and as long as you act fast, there’ll be limited damage and clean up at the end.

Locate the source

The first thing you need to do is figure out where the smell is coming from. Use your nose ... get the kids to join in, and see if they can follow their nose. Take a walk around the house, checking the places where mould and mildew are most likely, such as the bathroom and laundry. Check under the couch to make sure you and the kids haven’t dropped any food there, like a delicious cheese sandwich that never made its way to the mouth. Take a look in the kitchen, under the sink and inside the oven; in the toilet to check for water leaks; the dog’s bed; your furniture in the lounge room; and in the garage – particularly around the insulation, water heater and storage areas. Still can’t find the source? It might be time to call a professional to come and take a look for you!

Once you have worked out where it’s coming from, here’s what you need to.

Clean It

First up, you need to get dirty. Did you know that dust is actually one of the main sources for musty odours? So, it’s time to get dusting. Get yourself a duster or a multi-purpose cloth and start cleaning the furniture (above, behind and underneath), on top of your ceiling fans and on the door frames, windowsills and so on. Anywhere that you see dust needs a good dusting. Use it in conjunction with a good spray and you’ll help reduce the risk of the dust coming back again. The best part about dusting is that it’s also a great workout so you’re not only winning the war on the stink, you’re also doing your health some good at the same time. Win-win.

Once you’ve done the dusting, you should also clean the floors – vacuum the carpets, sweep and mop the tiles or hardwood floors, and keep an eye out for anything that could be causing the smell (or could cause a smell in future). If you don’t want to do this yourself, hire a professional cleaner to take care of it for you!

Open Up

As much and as often as possible, open up your doors and windows to let the fresh air circulate through. By having plenty of fresh air and natural light in the home, you not only allow the musty air to circulate outside, but you also reduce the risk of another flare-up. If the smell is caused by mould or mildew, air and light will help to kill the bacteria.

If you are limited by the amount of doors and windows you can open, say you live in an apartment, it’s time to turn on the fans. Get yourself some simple electric fans, or turn on your ceiling fans (assuming they are clean) and get the air moving that way.

Replace The Smell

Once you’ve had a good clean and your home is filled with fresher air, your last step is to simply replace the stink with something that smells lovely. You can purchase an air freshener from the shops, head to your favourite homewares store and invest in some quality scented candles, or you might prefer to try making your own natural air freshener. You can do this by using essential oils, lemon or orange peels placed strategically around the home, or even investing in some flowering plants that you can have in different rooms of the home. The options are abundant.

If you want to get on top of the stink in your home, try out some of our products today and keep your home clean and odour-free.