Stale-Smelling Home? Try These Natural Solutions

Stale odors in a home can be caused by a wide variety of things including poor ventilation, retained moisture, cooking odors, pet odors, cigarette smoke, old carpeting and untreated mold/mildew. And given that many of us are indoors these days, we may be compounding the problem. Although a home can turn stale any time of the year, it’s more likely to get musty during the winter months, when the house is shut up tight against the weather. Of course, it's spring as we write this, but most of us are stuck inside due to quarantine, so if it was already musty from winter, it's probably not going to get better anytime soon. Fortunately, there are several all-natural things to lift the staleness and get that sanctuary smelling fresh again.

Increase Ventilation

The first and best way to improve indoor air quality is by using increasing ventilation. Open those windows and doors just like grandma used to. In addition to opening windows and using fans when possible, adding vents to the attic and extra ventilation to the heating unit can help. An indoor air filter or purifier can help, too, but get the windows open first and foremost. The more fresh air, the fresher the air.

Deodorize Soft Surfaces

Soft surfaces, like carpeting, drapes and furniture, can trap stale odors and gradually release them into the air. It may help to combat the issue by cleaning and deodorizing these items especially well. Some great natural deodorizers include vodka, baking soda and coffee grounds — maybe don't throw coffee on the white carpet, but keep in mind that a dish of the grounds can do a lot for the air in a closet.

Absorb Airborne Odors

Open boxes or small bowls of baking soda (or used coffee grounds) will remove stubborn odors from the air by absorbing them. They can be placed strategically throughout the home for the best results. To sweeten the air a bit more, add a few drops of essential oils to the powder.

Make a DIY Air Freshener or Diffuser

Any home can smell wonderful with a DIY air freshener or natural reed diffuser. To make an air freshener, add 10 drops of a favorite essential oil to a bowl of water, salt and gelatin. If the air-freshener project seems too intense, try a diffuser. Place essential oils in distilled water and add bamboo skewers to wick them up into the air.

Add Natural Sweet-Smelling Decor

Fresh flowers, bowls of orange rinds, cinnamon sticks, star anise, pinecones and fragrant wood shavings can all be placed around the home and integrated into existing decor. Not only will doing so add interest and texture, but it will also make it smell great.

The thing about being inside is that we may not notice how stale it is until we leave for a while and come back. Does it really smell like the fish dinner from last week? Ugh! A few simple, all-natural tips and tricks can banish them from your home. Remember to increase the ventilation in first and foremost because it will go the furthest to keeping any home smelling fresh — even with fido in residence.

Copyright 2020, Wellness.com