A bad odour is something you’ll dread to notice at home. No matter how faint it may be, it never really goes away once you do notice it. You may be tempted to just spray air fresheners around the house to mask the smell, but this is a terrible way to deal with such odours. Air fresheners may overpower the bad odour, but it doesn’t solve the issue.

In fact, overuse of air fresheners may be a health hazard. Experts have long linked the exposure of air fresheners with various health implications, especially respiratory system diseases. Therefore, you should think twice before spritzing air fresheners everywhere!

Instead, what you should be doing is to stop the source altogether. Bad odours may be caused by many reasons, and eliminating all of them is the key to an odour-free home. Here, we will share tips on how to remove that stubborn smell from your home effectively and easily.

The Importance of Bad Smells

Yes, you read that right. Everything has a purpose, and that includes bad smells. Our brain associates bad smells with danger and sickness, and so we have a natural aversion to such smells. When a sour smell is coming from your milk, you know not to drink it because you know it has gone bad.

In the same vein, the smell of rotting meat or blood in the past used to warn us of possible carnivorous predators nearby. In modern times, however, it signals to us that it’s probably time to take out the trash. Pretty useful either way!

Identify the Source of The Stench (A Quick How-to)

It might not be immediately obvious where the stench is coming from, but a little detective work can help you identify them. First, you should thoroughly check each and every room for the growth of mould and mildew.

This is because most stale odours are from the growth of mould in a part of your home. This can be anywhere in your home, especially behind your furniture, under the carpets or the corners of rooms. Areas prone to water condensation or leaks such as bathrooms and rooms with adjacent bathrooms are most at risk for mould growth.

For every room, you should check:

• the carpets
• behind and under furniture
• the windows
• air vents and registers
• any potted plants

The presence of mould anywhere might indicate that it could recur even after you clean it up, so it is best to keep an eye on that area and regularly clean mould-prone areas.

Of course, mould isn’t the only source of bad odour. Other common causes of odour include:

• Crumbs and spills

Leftover food will definitely cause a stench if left unattended. However,  if you find that even after throwing out the food and drink that there is a smell, crumbs of food or spilt drinks may be the culprit.

• The Dustbin

Throwing out the trash might not be enough to remove the stench of rubbish at home. There might be some “juice” (for lack of a better word) leaking onto the dustbin itself and sticking on it. This may cause the lingering smell that is in your house. 

• Pet odours

If you have a pet, the unpleasant odours may be caused by your little furkids. Bathing them might solve your problems, but the stench of urine is the biggest concern. Urine may seep into the floorboards and stay there for long periods of time and is a headache to deal with.

• Ductworks

Your air ducts help you circulate air throughout your entire home, and unfortunately, that includes unwanted odours. What’s worse, the odour may even stick in there and cannot be removed unless you contact your local duct cleaning company.

Cleaning The Potential Sources

After you have finally identified the possible causes, it is time to get down and dirty to clean it all up. General cleaning should include dusting down your entire home, as well as mopping the floors if you have hardwood/marble floors or vacuuming if you have carpeted floors.

Mould

You should exercise proper care when dealing with mould. Using water and detergent, you should scrub the affected areas with a hard bristle brush. You should also fix any plumbing leaks and other water problems as soon as possible. If possible, opening windows to ventilate the area is a good way to prevent mould growth as they thrive in dark and damp areas. 

If mould is a constant problem even with regular cleaning, it might be growing within the walls of your home. This is a more serious problem that requires deep cleaning by experts to completely eradicate.

Crumbs and Spills

Make sure that you eat and drink in designated areas only. This reduces the chances of spills and crumbs going everywhere. This makes cleanup much easier! Using a vacuum is the best way to pick up any crumbs left over from munching on your favourite snacks.

The Dustbin

Of course, you must take out the trash regularly to prevent any smells. Don’t let it sit around in your house; that’s just nasty. Besides that, you should also give your dustbin a rinse once in a while to ensure that there is no stench.

Pet Odours

Bathe your pets once in a while. This not only removes the musty smell from their fur, but also any dirt and grime accumulated within their paws. Bathing them might be a struggle sometimes, but I’m sure that they’re thankful for the bath too!

Of course, potty training your pets is the best way to avoid urine odours. You can also take them out for walks daily for them to do their business and your problems are over!

Ductworks

Air ducts are a part of your home that you should not deal with yourself. Instead, you should contact your local duct cleaning company. If you are in Melbourne, you should look for a professional provider of duct cleaning service Melbourne. They will help take care of your air ducts and remove any bad odours from your home.

Even though you think some things on the list may not be the cause, it is still a good practice to perform them to prevent any future issues. Besides that, just because the source is from one part of the house, it may spread to other places through the air ducts. If that’s the case, calling your local duct cleaning company would be a good idea.

Here at DuctMates, we offer the best duct cleaning service Melbourne. If you are looking to remove any bad odours at home and duct cleaning services, just contact us at 1300 238 287 or fill up this enquiry form for further enquiries.