Tips from an Indoor Air Quality Specialist
Have you ever walked into your home and been hit with a bad odor? Unpleasant smells can be overwhelming and embarrassing, whether it’s cooking smells, pet odors, mold, or smoke. As an indoor air quality and residential HVAC specialist, Premier Indoor Comfort Systems, LLC has seen and dealt with our fair share of home odors. In this blog post, we will provide you with tips on how to combat common home odors and keep your home smelling fresh. We will also discuss how you can improve your indoor air quality for a healthier home. Let’s get started!
Common Household Odors
When it comes to bad odors in your home, there are three common culprits: cooking, pets, and mold or mildew. These odors are challenging to eliminate, and they can leave your home smelling musty and stale. Below we provide some tips on combating these smells and keeping your home’s air smelling fresh and clean.
Cooking Odors: Cooking odors can linger in your home for hours or even days after you cook. To combat cooking odors, consider investing in a high-quality range hood that vents to the outside. Always use your hood vent while cooking, especially during times of the year when you are less likely to have open windows. Also, clean your kitchen surfaces regularly, as well as your oven and stovetop. You can also try boiling a pot of water with lemon, cinnamon, or vinegar.
Pet Odors: We love our pets, but they can leave behind some unpleasant odors. To combat pet odors, bathe your pets regularly and keep their bedding and litter boxes clean. Vacuum your floors and furniture often to remove hair and pet dander. If your pet’s odor is persistent, consider installing an air purifier that is specifically designed to remove pet odors.
Mold and Mildew: Mold and mildew can leave a musty odor in your home. To get rid of mold and mildew, clean affected areas with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Be sure to wear protective gloves and a mask when cleaning mold. If the problem is extensive, you may need to hire a professional mold remediation company to address the issue.
Smoke Odors
Smoking odors are not only unpleasant, but they are notoriously difficult to remove from your home. They also tend to be more intense and can also be harmful to your health. If you or someone in your home smokes, you may feel at a loss with what to do. Because smoke permeates your soft goods, we recommend hiring a professional to deep clean your carpets, furniture, and drapes. You also need to replace your HVAC filters more frequently, as often as once a month. Odor-neutralizing sprays may also be helpful in keeping smoke odors at bay.
If you are dealing with smoking odors, it may also be necessary to utilize some of the professional indoor air quality products and services available to homeowners, including whole-home air purifiers. Air purifiers help to reduce particles in the air by removing them directly from the air you breathe. This type of product works best for cigarette, cigar, and pipe tobacco smoke, as it reduces pollutants like soot, ash, and other microscopic particles that create an unpleasant smell. The most effective air purifier models have special carbon filters that help absorb the remaining particles and eliminate lingering smells.
Finally, specialized ventilation systems could also be beneficial in eradicating smoke odors from your home environment. Ventilation systems use a fan-powered exchange that pulls stale air out and pushes fresh air in on a continuous loop throughout your living space. This process helps to quickly remove any lingering odors caused by smoking within minutes – ensuring a pleasant and safe atmosphere for everyone in your household!
General Recommendations for Improving Indoor Air Quality
To keep your home smelling fresh, there are a few general improvements you can make. First, open windows and doors to let fresh air circulate. This should be done regularly, even in the winter. Second, use an air purifier to remove odors and pollutants from the air. Depending on the level of odors you are dealing with, small room-sized purifiers may be enough, but for more significant issues, a whole-home air purifier may be your best bet for a long-term solution. Third, keep your home clean and clutter-free, as odors can cling to fabrics and surfaces.
Combatting home odors can be challenging, but with the tips above, you can keep your home smelling fresh and clean. Remember to take preventative measures, such as cleaning and maintenance, to keep odors at bay. If your odor problem persists, consider hiring a professional air quality specialist from Premier Indoor Comfort Systems, LLC, to address the issue. With a little effort, you can improve your home’s indoor air quality and enjoy a healthier, fresher home.