Posted on 11/08/2022
What are the Best Techniques for Odour Control?
Odour is predominantly seen as something that is subjective — a smell that reeks for one person may not be as pungent for another. However, one thing that’s a fact is that truly bad odour typically has a source where there is an accumulation of bacteria, dirt, or smelly debris. Looking for ways to control odours in your space? Whether it’s at home or at work, staying in an odour-free space is certainly more pleasant for everyone and is a plus for your health. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best techniques for odour control that you can use to combat and eliminate odours in your space.
Finding the Odour Source
Before you can tackle the odour, you need to find where it comes from. The best case scenario is that you find the direct source of the smell (or several sources). Some odour sources may be more difficult to find than others. Here are some of the most common places to look first when you detect a lingering odour that won’t go away:
- In furniture — Food crumbs, pests, and debris can all get trapped in the nooks and crannies of furniture. Ensure that all corners of big furniture like desks, chairs, couches, and beds are cleaned frequently so you don’t find something nasty lingering in there one day.
- From the carpet — Bacteria and dirt often get trapped in the microscopic threads of carpet and take a lot of effort to remove. If you haven’t had your carpet professionally cleaned in a while, you should certainly consider it since it may be holding in an unpleasant odour.
- From plumbing — Pipes get rusty, clogged, and simply old over time. You may notice a foul smell coming from your garbage disposal or drains in the bathroom that lead to the sewage system. If you suspect this is the case, get the place looked at by a plumber.
- Because of mould — Mould typically forms in the bathroom, kitchen, and places in the house with high levels of humidity. Unfortunately, it can leave a pungent odour in its tracks and affect your health. Mould can be difficult to remove on your own because it has a tendency to stick and harden. Seek the help of a professional cleaner if you can’t fully clean it yourself.
The Importance of Ventilation
What if you’ve searched everywhere but still can’t find the source of the odour? Lingering odour can, believe it or not, be trapped in the air of the room. For example, if there are a lot of people in a busy office space for the entire day, their body odour (such as the scent of their sweat) can linger in the air without proper ventilation. Several such factors can result in a room with a musty air supply. That’s why it’s important to ventilate rooms regularly by either opening a window (the best option) or circulating the air somehow, such as opening doors or using fans to redirect airflow. Doing so is a great way to carry out odour control in any space.
4 Vital Ways to Eliminate Odour
You’ve identified the source of the odour, what now? Here are a few of the tried and true odour control techniques you should try:
- Clean and Scrub — Just about any surface can be cleaned with soap and water (read labels before scrubbing something with chemical products). This is a simple yet effective way to eliminate odour in your house whether it’s furniture, the floors, or any external source of odour.
- Throw Out — If left unattended long enough, a piece of furniture can become covered in mould, bacteria, or rotten food. Some messes can’t be cleaned up or reversed, unfortunately. In such cases, you may be better off tossing out the source of the odour altogether if it’s far past repair.
- Sanitize — Use rubbing alcohol to disinfect places after cleaning to avoid the accumulation of germs and bacteria. This will leave your space squeaky clean and less prone to foul odours. You may need to clean with soap and water first and then sanitize in between washing days for better results.
- Use Products Consciously — You shouldn’t be discouraged from using products like odour neutralizers or fresheners since they still promote a clean scent for your space. However, it’s best to be self-aware of instances when you are using those products to mask an odour instead of finding the root of the issue. Use such products from time to time, simply to enhance the cleanliness of your house, not to rely on them entirely.
Arguably, the most important thing to keep in mind is that you should never simply mask a bad odour with an air freshener and call it a day. The source of the odour is most likely still there and will cause you inconvenience until the root of the problem is handled!