We ask all of our HouseLINE Cleaning & Home Services clients what they consider a sign of a clean home and the most common answer we get is that it must SMELL clean. Imagine you come home, kids in tow, carrying your purse, your work bag, your Stanley cup and probably someone’s backpack. You shove that back entry door open and you’re immediately hit with a wave of freshness. You take a deep breath and sigh, “ahhhhhhh” as you lower your shoulders and release tension you didn’t even know you were holding. That, my friends, is why we do what we do. That smell, that sigh, and that smile make it all worth it to us. Here are some of the ways you can improve your indoor air quality and keep that house smelling clean.
Find and clean all the hidden dust: Dust is literally dirt mixed with dead skin cells mixed with pet dander. Nothing about that smells clean. Finding all the sneaky dust in hour home and clearing it out will make a big difference in the smell. Not just the obvious places, but extras like the open top of kitchen cabinets, behind the TV and even in the edges of your carpet and baseboard. Don’t forget the ceiling fan. Those suckers chop through the air and like bugs to a windshield, dust gets stuck. Give them a good scrub and then dust regularly to prevent build up.
Clean Pet Habitats: The kennel, the dog bed and the kitty litter box are major culprits for unpleasant odors. The hamster cage and fish tank are part of the problem as well. It’s worth it to vacuum out and wipe down the entire dog kennel. Take it outside and hose it off and let it dry in the sun. Vacuum your dog bed and see if you can remove the cover to wash it. The kitty litter box is obvious because it stinks on the regular. However you can take it even further by dumping the litter, scrubbing and disinfecting the entire thing and then replacing with entirely fresh litter. Even build up in the food bowls or on your pet food storage containers take away from the freshness.
Wash. Your. Walls.: People generally fall into two camps when it comes to wall washing: 1. “Yes, that’s totally valuable, but I don’t keep up with it like I should” or 2.”Ummm, what? Why would you wash a wall?” Go ahead and swipe a rag across just about any wall in your home and you’ll see why they need washed. Homes with pets or indoor smokers are especially vulnerable. Slobber is surprisingly stinky and once you start looking for it, you’ll see it everywhere. Start by dusting or vacuuming your walls, then get yourself a bucket of super hot water and your favorite cleaner (we like Murphy’s Oil Soap!) and start wiping. Pro-Tip, use a mop to reach to the top and to cover large areas faster.
Get an Air Purifier if You like Open Windows: Those of us in a midwestern climate LIVE for the days we can start opening our windows and not turn the house into an icebox. The air is so refreshing and it’s nice to feel like you’ve unsealed a bunker after a long winter. What you may not realize, though, is that along with the fresh air, you’ll get fresh dust. You may not see it right away, but if you like to keep your windows open then you’ll notice the buildup over time. If you love to keep the windows open, consider adding a portable air purifier to the space during those precious weeks of open-window weather.
- Diffuse Essential Oils: A subtle background fragrance from essential oils is an extra touch to make your home smell clean and inviting. Consider reed diffusers in living areas and bathrooms, or purchase an oil diffuser. I like the ones with a pump because then I don’t have to remember to add more oil. There are all sorts of individual and blended scents and millions of resources on the internet to tell you what each one does. I myself just focus on what smells good and lately, Cedar Cyprus has been my favorite.