Can my house smell nice?

[aloneinthenight]

I want my house to smell nice but It never does. I think I'm becoming a bit paranoid about it.

It just smells a bit musty. I open the windows as often as I can, we have a cleaner who does a good job of the floors etc, I clean the bin regularly.

I've bought reed diffusers but I can only ever smell them when I'm about 3 feet away.

I'm tempted by plugins but they make me a bit nervous about toxic fumes!

I just want to walk into my house and for it to smell clean and lovely.

Do I need to make my DH and DSs move out?

Is it shoes/trainers that are smelling?

Do you have pets?

Plugins won't help btw. Too chemical.

I think it might be the shoes. We have a big shoe shelf in the hall as soon as you come in. And the coats

What can I do about that!

Is there any dust down the back of your radiators? I find at this time of year when the heating starts coming on you can really smell it.

I have NEVER dusted behind my radiators! Although we have yet to put the heating on so who knows.

Things like washing sofa cushion covers. Shampooing carpets (if you have them). Keep shoes in something like the ikea hemnes storage. Wash down woodwork. Cooker hood filters. Could all have smells lurking. Front door mat etc I was regularly.

As soon as we stop having the doors and windows wide open, my house smells... damp as there appears to be something wrong with the chimney, and of whatever food we've cooked - garlic and roast chicken are the worst. I'm allergic to artificial scents. I wonder if other people coming into our house can smell what I can....?

We bought an air purifier because our house is a semi, it’s on an angle like this shape > & the breeze just doesn’t come through.

It’s the silent night one off amazon but you can get huge ones.

Our house is new build & I clean it well but it always smelt stale.

I am currently in the same situation, and have come to the conclusion that the only way forward is to make DH and DSS move out. Men smell (particularly teenage ones!!).

Although.. I might have to come up with another plan ha ha.

I sometimes think the same about ours as we also have shoes in the hall - I have a little air freshener at the back of the shoes and as you walk into our living room I have a wax melt thing (one that plugs into the mains and has a bulb not one with a tea light) and I switch that on when I first come home from work. :)

I've put the cooker hood filters in the dishwasher. We have a built in doormat but I've sprayed it with vanish.

I might get some of those odour bags for the shoes.

Oil diffusers, can't think of the right name. You put water and essential oils on top and a candle underneath

I use the airwick plug ins on low and put a splash of zoflora in the empty washing up bowl daily and I often get complimented that my house smells fresh and I don't find it smells chemically. I can't have my windows open due to house cats so this works for me. I also really like Yankee candle spiced orange in the autumn/winter evenings.

Have spent the day cleaning bizarre corners. Changed all the reeds and refilled my reed diffusers. Did all the washing in the house, including fabric conditioner.

Then DH decided to burn loads of stuff in the garden and now everything stinks of bonfire

My house always smells of our cocker spaniel.
I wash the dog.
I hoover daily.
I air the rooms.
I shampoo the carpets.
I wash the sofa covers.

I don’t really know what else to do...

I would love a cocker spaniel.

We have cats - but I don't think they smell. I've bought a new litter tray just in case.

Open the windows daily even if it’s just for 15 minutes a day

If it’s smelling musty there is moisture trapped somewhere and has been for a while. Probably somewhere wooden. Check inside all kitchen cupboards, (check the back walls of the cupboards and behind the kick boards at the bottom.) skirting boards, Door frames wardrobes, maybe underneath the bath (you will have to take the panel off to check. If it’s none of those it could be floorboards I’m afraid to say.

I would probably invest in a professional deep cleaning from a well recommended company and tell them your specific issue so they can check for any damp wood or mould while cleaning.