6 Reasons for Bad Smells in Your House and How to Fix Them

There are obvious reasons why our house can smell bad, like cooking smells, food leftovers, or dirty laundry. However, there are hidden hazards like mold in unseen places that, except for the awful smell, can be dangerous for our health and can also be a sign of a serious problem.

At Bright Side we made a list of the things that need to be spotted and fixed in order to maintain not only a fresh scent in the house, but a safe space too.

1. Hidden mold

If you’ve noticed a musty smell in your house, the smell is probably coming from mold in the walls because that’s where it usually hides. Mold might be toxic, so we need to be really careful, spot it, and get rid of it. Some of the many causes of mold are gutter problems, plumbing leaks, or poor ventilation in the bathroom or kitchen.

What to do:

• If the moldy area is small, then you can clean it yourself with soap and water. Even better, use a special anti-mold foam or vinegar. Apply it directly, and then clean it up.
• In the case of larger areas, where the mold is probably toxic, you will need to call a professional.
• But most importantly, prevention is always the best solution. Try to keep everything dry, use good ventilation, and maybe a humidistat to control the humidity in the affected rooms.

2. Electrical problems

If you notice a stinky fishy smell that comes from out of nowhere in the house, you probably have malfunctioning wires. That’s what an electrical problem smells like. According to the experts, wires and plastic parts, when burnt or melting, emit the smell of fish or urine.

What to do:

• In this case, even if you can spot the wire or electrical source where the smell is coming from, it’s always best to call an electrician since electrical problems can be extremely dangerous.
• Once the problem is fixed, the spot will stop emitting the smell and you are all done.

3. Gas

Gas leaks are a dangerous thing to deal with. If you notice the smell of rotten eggs in your house, then there is a good chance that you have a gas leak.

What to do:

• In this case, the first thing you should do is turn off the gas meter and do not turn on any lights or other appliances. Get out of the house and call your gas company to come check and repair the issue. Also, inform the neighbors about it.
• When everything is settled with this problem, open the doors and windows to ventilate the area and allow the smell to fade away.

4. Carpets

If your apartment has wall-to-wall carpet or if you have carpets in your house in general and you notice a filthy smell that won’t go away, you most likely need to do something about your carpets.

What to do:

• Clean your carpets naturally by sprinkling baking soda on them and then use the vacuum cleaner and vacuum it up. It will absorb the bad smells. Leave the baking soda overnight to get rid of more intense smells.
• You can also try a chemical cleaning product that is specially designed for carpet cleaning, a steam cleaner, or — even better — hire cleaners’ to do a more professional job.

5. The dishwasher

Dishwashers can also emit bad smells after being used for a long time. Dishwashers, as well as washing machines, need to be cleaned up too from time to time. So, if your kitchen smells funky, even if it’s clean, there’s probably a problem with the dishwasher.

What to do:

• Try running your dishwasher with just a cup of vinegar or, instead of vinegar, put some baking soda at the bottom of the dishwasher. This will take away any bad smells.
• Another thing to do, for a deeper cleaning, is to find and clean the filter of the dishwasher where all the food residue stays.
• Also, the rubber seal of its door needs cleaning too. You can clean it using some vinegar and warm water.

6. The walls

Well, it’s true. Our house walls can emit funky smells too. That is why they need both cleaning and maybe a fresh coat of paint from time to time. If you always notice a bad smell when entering your house, maybe you need to get to work cleaning the walls and the ceilings.

What to do:

• Start the easy and natural way. Use a white vinegar and warm water mix in a spray bottle, apply it on the walls, and then wipe it off. It will clean the surface and also take away any bad smells.
• Another way is cleaning it with ammonia. Mix a tablespoon of ammonia for every cup of water and make the amount you need for your walls. Except for the cleaning, ammonia will also help you get rid of the dirty smells and remove any cigarette tar. Apply the mixture on the walls, wait for a few minutes, and then rinse with warm water.
• You can always apply a fresh coat of paint, but it’s better if you clean up the walls first.

What do you do to get a fresh smell in your home? What do you use to get a clean and airy atmosphere? Share your tips in the comments.