Every home has a smell, and yours has one too.
Have you ever noticed a particular smell in your house after you’ve come back from work? There could be a lot of reasons that create different smells, and all of it combines into one funky smell. If you spend a lot of time in your house, it is very easy to become accustomed to the smell. But you do not want outsiders to feel uncomfortable in your home, leaving you embarrassed due to a smelly home, do you?
The good part is, there are a lot of remedies to help you get rid of the odour in your house. Read on, as we list some of the best hacks.
1. Let the air inside.
The ocean surrounds India on all three sides and most of our cities have a humid climate. This humidity leads to a musty odour. Fresh, clean air is the best and most natural way of getting rid of odours. Open all the windows and doors if possible. If you have cross ventilation, it is even better. As fresh air comes in, it fills in spaces that had an odour. If there is no air outside, open the windows and turn on all the fans. Circulation of air is vital. Even during cold winters, a few minutes of fresh air does not harm.
2. Get rid of the guilty party.
Socks, garbage bins, pet litters, kitchen or bathroom sinks, dirty toilets, food leftovers, damp clothes, cigarette or alcohol smell, etc. are one of the biggest reasons of bad odour in homes.
Here’s what you can do to tackle this:
- Socks and laundry: If you cannot wash the laundry right away, do not pile up all the smelly clothes. Instead, spread them onto a dryer stand or in the sun for about 20 minutes and keep them in a laundry bag. Wash all the clothes as soon as possible. Bonus tip: Make sure all the clothes have dried completely before you fold them to avoid the damp smell in your cupboard.
- Pet litter: You could buy a pet odour neutralising spray that is easily available on the market. Another option is- add a tablespoon of baking soda into the litter. It helps in soaking up the entire odour.
- Toilets: Use a toilet freshener. Wash your toilet and bathroom properly at regular intervals. Bonus tip: Make sure you have an exhaust fan or at least some source of ventilation.
- Kitchen and sinks: Take some warm vinegar or lemon juice, add baking soda to it and run it down the sink. It will take away all the grease and odour. To get rid of any smell from leftover food in the kitchen, bake something nice! If you are too lazy to cook, we have a simpler method for you- An ingredient of our Indian Masale comes to your rescue! Roast some cinnamon (daalacheenee) in a pan, turn off the gas once roasted. Now let the pan sit in your kitchen for a few minutes until the delicious fragrance spreads across your house.
3. Get rid of the cigarette smell.
The stubborn smell of smoke does not go away easily. Wash your clothes, bedsheets, pillow covers or any other washable items that are regularly affected by smoke. Make sure to keep all the rooms as ventilated as possible. Sprinkle some baking soda on carpets, let it sit for ten minutes and dust it off.
You can also make a room freshener at home. Continue to read and find out its recipe in the points below!
Bonus tip: Empty the ash tray after every smoke session and use a room freshener.
4. Grow air purifying plants.
Home plants are natural air purifiers. As they send out oxygen and intake carbon dioxide, they are an excellent source of keeping a clean environment. Plants are also known for calming and stabilising of the mind and body, aiding recovery from headaches and migraines and improving heart health.
5. Clean your carpets regularly.
Sometimes, we walk over our carpets wearing shoes or with wet feet. Even our pets run around with dirty feet, leaving the carpet smelly and dirty.
To get rid of the stink-
- Take half a cup of borax powder and half a cup of baking soda.
- Add a few drops of essential oil of your favourite fragrance.
- If you don’t have the oils, add one teaspoon of ground cinnamon and cloves.
- Stir everything well and transfer to a jar.
- Sprinkle the powder over your carpets and let it sit for about 20 minutes.
- Now vacuum it thoroughly.
6. Make your own potpourri (room freshener) and use it!
Not all of us like the smell of artificial room fresheners. It could cause nausea.
Here’s an easy technique through which you can make your room freshener, with all natural ingredients: Boil water in a pan and add orange peels or cinnamon or even your favourite flowers or anything that smells good.
The steam that will go around your house will create a heavenly smell. It helps you get rid of any smell, even cigarettes or alcohol. You can also store the water in a jar for a few hours and place it on a table of your room.
7. Use Fragrant Candles and wax.
These products are readily available in the Indian market. Light aromatic candles or wax, to make your home smell good.
Bonus tip: Do not light the candles while cooking. If you do so, smells from the kitchen and fragrant candles mix together and form an unusual scent that is not very pleasant.
8. Why not try flowers and cotton perfume bombs?
Flowers are one of the most natural sources available everywhere; so bring home fresh flowers for a fresh smelling home!
Bonus tip: Make sure you discard them the next day to avoid stale smell and insects.
For cotton perfume bombs, soak cotton balls in your favourite cologne, essential oils or perfumes and tuck them around your house between your cushions, sofa sets or AC panels. This will leave you with a fresh, clean fragrance in your home.
9. Try India’s most traditional method: Incense sticks.
Our very own agarbatti is an Indian version of scented candles! Use one or two incense sticks and the fragrance will last up to 5 hours. There are multiple types of fragrances like sandalwood, rose, lily, woody, etc. This will also create a healthy and calm atmosphere in your house.
Our very own agarbatti is an Indian version of scented candles! Use one or two incense sticks and the fragrance will last up to 5 hours. There are multiple types of fragrances like sandalwood, rose, lily, woody, etc. This will also create a healthy and calm atmosphere in your house.
