How Can I Eliminate Indoor Odor?

There are about a million different causes for bad smells in a house and nearly as many solutions. When the source of bad smells is your HVAC system, water heater, plumbing, or is emanating from your ductwork, call Ambient Edge. We can track down the smell at the source and take care of the cause.

If you’re not sure where your indoor odor (or odors) are coming from, our experts have some ideas for places you can check.

Whole-House Odors

When there is more than one source of something that smells bad in your house, it can be tough to pinpoint the original cause.

If the air in your home just generally smells funky, here are a few ideas to try:

Open as many windows as possible to try and get a cross breeze blowing
Cut several lemons in half, put them on a small plate (to catch the juice), and place them around the house. Just don’t leave them sitting out for too long or they could rot and become another part of the problem. You can also place small containers of coffee grounds around the house
Sometimes, if the whole house smells, it’s because large objects within it are stinky — like upholstery, rugs, or carpets. Sprinkle fabrics with baking soda, leave for at least an hour, then vacuum thoroughly
Pets are frequently stinky, so if the smell is coming from an area where your pet frequents (such as a bed, rug, or blanket), try using a pet-safe enzyme cleaner to reduce or eliminate the odor. If your pet turns out the be the cause of your home’s odors, be sure the pet is regularly bathed or cleaned
If you or anyone in your home is a smoker, or the home’s previous owner smoked, nicotine can leave powerful odors behind that last for years (even decades). If your home smells like cigarette or cigar smoke, wash the walls and windows. You may need to repaint or even use a special odor-blocking paint primer.
Replace your furnace filter. If it’s been more than a few months since your furnace filter was replaced, try swapping in a new filter. The old one could be coated in dust and grime, and that could also be making your HVAC system work much harder than it needs to be as well.
If you’re able to use a flashlight to see inside of your air ducts, check along the edges. If they are caked in grime or mold, it is time to have your ducts cleaned, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The skilled technicians at Ambient Edge can restore your ducts to clean-as-new condition, help improve indoor air quality, and eliminate home odors. If you’ve never had your ducts cleaned and are unsure if the previous owners ever cleaned them, you could not only be breathing in your own dirt, dust, and bacteria, but the mold, mildew, and allergens created by others as well.

If you’re not sure if you need your ducts cleaned, call Ambient Edge or fill out the form. Our experienced indoor air quality testing company can provide a duct assessment for you.

Call (702) 944-8838 Today or Book Online for Heating and Cooling Service!

Kitchen Odors

With plenty of cooking, eating, and food storage happening, the kitchen is often a big culprit when it comes to smelly home odors.

Keep an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator, cupboards, and sprinkle the bottom of trash bins with baking soda to help absorb odors. Bags of activated charcoal can also do the trick.
Remove old food products from your refrigerator and cupboards then clean everything thoroughly with a food-safe cleaner.
Use a special garbage disposal cleaner to help remove caked-on food from the inside of the garbage disposal and keep everything fresh.
Dishwashers often get smelly quickly due to the heat, humidity, food waste, and moisture. Run a cleaning cycle (if your dishwasher has one), or add vinegar to a small bowl and run a heated dishwasher cycle with no detergent. Try to crack your dishwasher door open frequently to allow moist air to escape and prevent mold build-up

Bathroom and Laundry Room Odors

Persistent odors from laundry areas and bathrooms can often be caused by mold and mildew.

If you’ve cleaned a moldy area multiple times and can still see or smell mold, it may be time to call in a professional. Mold can multiply and spread, and it can quickly become dangerous to breathe in.
Run your bathroom fan frequently to help keep humidity low
If dirty sheets and clothes are making your laundry room stinky, be sure they are washed immediately instead of sitting in laundry hampers or baskets for any period of time.
Front-load washing machines are havens for mold, mildew, and the noxious odors they cause. Always leave the door and any drawers open to eliminate as much retained moisture as possible

If Your Home Smells Like Rotten Eggs

Don’t ignore the smell of rotten eggs in your home. You could have a gas leak. Call 9-1-1 or your home energy gas professional immediately.

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Schedule Your Home Ventilation Assessment Today

If you’ve tried all the typical hints and tricks and still can’t eliminate those persistent household odors, call Ambient Edge or fill out the form. We’ll take a look at your HVAC system and ductwork and can let you know if a thorough cleaning can take care of the problem.