How to make a house smell fresh?
Question:I am in the process of moving in a house that has sat for 5 years with no one in it and has this stale smell inside of the previous owner and just isn't familiar, what could I do to make it smell fresh and less stuffy when I walk in the door?
Answers:
Before you get any of the scented stuff, mop the floors and walls with white vinegar. spray it on the carpets. This will release all the old odors without just covering them up and running the risk of them coming back. This is my way of answering. Hope it helps.
There are scented air filter inserts that you can buy at Home Depot. They will blow a fresh scent throughout your home. You can also try shampooing the carpets and washing the walls.
That new febreeze stuff smells really good. It's expensive (for me at least) but it's worth it and you don't have to use tons like the others.
FEBREEZE-mop it on the floor, wipe it on the walls, spray it on the carpets! And air your house ouot too!. Buildings need to "breathe".
Buy LOTS of air fresheners at your local supermarket, and plug it into every and any wall plug u can find
clean it from top to bottom and add your own scent to it
Buy an air filter, they don't really work to eliminate bacteria and everything they say they do, but it does get rid of the must.
well, for my advice you should get this bomb, not a scary bomb, but inside has sents, so put a timer get out of the house, and then after it explodes, wait for about 34 minutes and your house is fresh!
Leave the windows open as much as possible to air out is the obvious answer but if you can afford it paint (pretty inexpensive) and replace the carpet.
No amount of baking soda in the carpet, Febreeze, or Pine-Sol will do. Also check for mold in the ceilings and walls.
Best of luck with your new home and congrats!!
P.S. If you do want to freshen up the Febreeze route...here is the recipe for an inexpensive copy-cat...
4 tbsp. Ultra Downy Clean Breeze fabric softener
25 oz. water
32 oz. spray bottle (new and clean)
Mix and spray. To do a fabric test, spray a small amount where it can't be seen.
Start by using a spray bottle and filling with 2 tablespoons of baking soda, juice from half a lemon and a cup of water. You can use this mixture as a deoderiser, disinfectant, and general cleaner. Make more to cover more surfaces. Open all windows and doors and get to work.
You an use this on all surfaces, walls floors carpets curtains bathrooms. It should de-activate the inital problem smell.
You can than look at using Lavender and Rose Oils to leave a more pleasant smell. Try making a little parcel using cotton wool and tissue. soak the cotton wool in the scent of your choice and wrap in tissue to make a little parcel. Leave in an inconspicuous corner of the room (ie behind the door, or above window) to keep air smelling pleasant.
there is a nice fabree machine that plays different scents will run for 4 hours at a time. it is like a little cd player. my daughter got me one for christmas and I love it. scents up the whole house. wallmart and menards have them . try it u will love it and much safer than candles cause it can run while u are gone. if u are tired of one scent take it out and pop in another. the scent discs are reusable
on a nice day, leave your windows open and your doors open. that will leave you house smelling like the great outdoors!
get oust sanitizer or furbress, air plug-gins what ever you can afford
Making a house smell fresh? Here are a few tips that I can remember my mother doing when we moved into a new house.
1) Depending on the carpet's condition, taking baking soda and spreading out all over allowing it to sit for 24 hours then getting it all up by shampooing rather than vacuum. If the carpet is real old.new carpet is the better solution.
2) Washing down all the wall with "Pine Sol" solutions. If the old owners were smokers, I'm sure the walls have absorbed a lot of smoke over the years.
3) Any wood in the house?? Break out the polishing OILS not just the spray, but the oils!! The oil will penetrate deep into the wood for a longer soaking of fresh smell.
4) Check the A/C ducts to see if they are clean.
and finally..my favorite.
5) There are some great scented candles from Bath & Bodyworks, Yankee Candles and/or Wicks & sticks. A long shot place for some real great candles would be Walgreens..yes.Walgreens... I was in that store about 2 weeks ago and they had the "knock off" versions of Yankee Candles and DAM ARE THEY GOOD!
Hope it helps! Good luck!
You MUST KILL the source!
-clean the carpet.
-paint the walls (it helps)
Then there's this powdery stuff at the store that you can sprinkle on your carpet let it sit and then vacuum it up!
In a spray bottle make up a solution of vinegar water and lemon juice. This will eliminate the odours whereas commercial air fresheners only mask the smell. Once the odours have been eliminated and you want a pretty smell then you can use the commercial sprays
More Related Questions & Answers...