You know how everybody's house has a smell?

[claireybee]

I mean the smell that is just their house, not a bad smell or a dirty smell etc.

Well, I've realised I don't like ours! And it's not the smell of my house when I lived alone, or when I lived in a shared house so it must be either DH or the DC's fault

Is it possible to change that smell or is it just how it smells and you have to put up with it?

I already have windows open through day, clean regularly etc so it really isn't a dirty smell, I just don't like it when I walk in the door and get a waft of it...

I do agree everyone's house has a smell!

Could it be related to washing powder / other cleaners you use?
You could maybe try a different fabric softner and see if that makes a difference.

I put clothes on the radiator to dry, i love the smell of Lenor.

What sort of smell is it? I mean, can you put it down to manfarts? Do you have a pet that you didn't previously have? Because the thing is that lingering not-good smells need investigating as they could indicate problems like faulty wiring, damp, or mice!

Passionfruit essential oil. Burn it in an oil burner and everyone will walk into your house and tell you how divine it smells.

Our house has a sawdusty smell that I hate. I think it's from the type of paint we used when we redecorated.

The smell of our house, which I only notice if I've been away a few days is the smell of our stairs carpet.
I hate that carpet, don't like the smell much either.

Could get a cat, that would change the smell.

Could it be cooking smells sticking to the soft furnishings? Do your carpets need shampooing? Do you have damp/mice/manfarts? Does the washing linger too long in the basket? Do you change the bedding/towels frequently? Does everyone wash enough? Can I ask any more impertinent questions than I already have?

It's not a bad smell, it's just a smell...don't know how to explain! A bad smell is when I walk in and can smell the nappy bucket! It's not overpowering or anything but can smell it when I first come into the house.

My friend said my house smells of herbs and spices so I suppose it might be partly cooking smells (food smells seem to get trapped on the landing) but it doesn't actually smell of food so I dunno...

Could be cooking smells. Downstairs carpet shampooed a few weeks ago. House is a bit damp but it's not a damp smell and is the same smell we had in our old house (not damp). No mice. No manfarts from me (or dh that I've noticed!) but plenty of pooey nappies from ds. Washing done regularly. Bedding/towels changed regularly (though nowhere near as often as many mnetters). We all bath/shower daily.

Put those tumble drier sheets (bounce etc) on warm radiators, tuck them down the back or shove them under the grill bit on top. They make the house smell fab and fresh and are cheap.

That would be good but the heating isn't on anymore...

Have you got stripped wood floors anywhere downstairs? Our old house had a smell as soon as you came through the door that I was obsessed by and spent ages trying to eradicate (but no-one else ever noticed - so they said! ) Turned out to be an earthy smell coming up through the floorboards in the hall where we'd had them sanded.

New house has solid wood floors over insulation so no problem there - but if I cook with garlic an 'after' smell that I hate lingers for days. Not particularly garlicky, oddly, but definitely there. Although dh claims not to notice it.

When you are in the house have a candle burning all the time. I have one in the kitchen and I don't think our house smells!

I've had to change the brand of baby wipes because the smell of our house changed when DD came and I didn't like it. It took me a couple of weeks to identify that it was the wipes that was bothering me (they said unscented on the pack but they still had a smell). With DS I had to change the nappy bags. Sometimes it's a really small thing and if you can find it it makes a big difference.

We have an extractor fan but it's not particularly good. Rented house though so can't do a lot about it.

No to stripped wood.

Bran I think you are right, it probably is something really small, just wish I knew what!

Oh I never thought about the heating being off. I'm in Scotland and ours is still on

Asda do cheap votive candles that are scented and they are quite good, I think they are 39p each or something. Ikea are also good for cheap smelly candles. Yankee Candles are the best but they are expensive.

That shake n vac stuff you get for carpets is good. Neutradol do one that's meant to eliminate odours and not just mask them. Also, those hoover fresheners you put into the hoover bags are nice as sometimes they can stink.

I am obsessed with smells in the house (my house isn't particularly tidy but it smells nice ) and have plug ins everywhere, you get own brand ones that are ok but my faves (again) are the Yankee ones.

Ooh I used to have some of that dittany