4 Ways to Reduce Musty, Smelly Odors in Your Home

by George Karonis

Dogs, cats, garlic, stinky fish; oh my!

When you walk in your front door, do you immediately hold your breath and think: “Pee-yew!”?

If so, then it’s time you did something about it – and not just light a scented candle or spray a can of perfume “deodorizer” to – all they do is mask the odor for a short while, or worse, make your house smell like dogs, cats, garlic, fish and fresh pine.

There are ways that you can actually remove those musty, smelly and often repulsive odors from your home. Here are four solutions that will have you breathing freely again.

  1. Locate the Source. The key to getting rid of a stinky smell is to get rid of it. If you’re house smells like mold and mildew, for example, you need to find out where it’s coming from and take care of the problem. Common places for mold and mildew to develop include any place where there is water. Check your plumbing lines, around your toilets and sinks, and your washing machine.

  1. Clean the Dishwasher. A dishwasher’s job is to make your dishes clean, though it may seem funny that it could be creating a foul odor in your home. However, when you consider that it’s a place that is constantly exposed to food and water, well, it makes sense that it could start smelling. To get rid of odors caused by a smelly dishwasher, place a dishwasher-safe bowl with white vinegar on the top rack or pour some white vinegar into the bottom of your dishwasher and run a cycle without any other dishes. Don’t worry about the vinegar smell after the cycle is over; it will dissipate in about an hour. There’s also commercial dishwasher cleaning products you can purchase.

  1. Tame the Garbage. The garbage is a known culprit for producing smelly odors in a house. To tame the smell, make sure you thoroughly clean out your garbage can with a mixture of bleach and warm water at least once a week. Also, keeping a sealed lid on it will prevent any odors from wafting out.

  1. Install a Whole House Fan. A whole house fan ventilates the stagnant air inside your home and replaces it with fresh air from outside. As a result, this type of fan will eliminate any foul odors that may be taking up residence in your home.

With these tips, you won’t have to hold your nose when you walk into your front door anymore. Thank goodness!

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