The Hidden Odor Traps in Your House That Guests Notice and You Don’t
When I first enter a house, the smell that concerns me immediately is mold. Mold, mold, mold. A musty, moldy smell—that is number one. It is different from yesterday’s cooking or a garbage can that should have gone out. It can mean that somebody has to stop and find out what is happening in the house.
The people who live there may honestly not smell it. That is not an insult; you get used to your own space. I come in from outdoors and notice it in the first few seconds. A buyer will too.
If I smell something musty, I want an inspection—not a spray
What do I tell a seller if I walk into the place and smell mold or something musty? The ideal thing for a seller is to get an inspection before listing the property. It eliminates so much. People think their house is in perfect, A-one condition. Everything is wonderful. Get an inspection anyway.
It may cost six or eight hundred dollars depending on the size, but it can be worth it. Then you have the report as part of your package. If there is a problem, you can fix it before you have to negotiate the price, or before somebody walks away during the inspection period. You would be shocked: people say, no, no, there is nothing wrong with my place; it is in perfect condition. Well, I smell mold.
A musty smell does not prove there is mold, but it is still a good idea to have it investigated. According to the EPA, a moldy or musty odor may indicate the possible presence of mold growth. I always advise my clients to look for source of moisture, old water damage or damp material. If you are unable to figure it out, hire a qualified professional to find out where the odor is coming from. That person may be able to check areas you wouldn’t normally look. Lastly, if you are masking the odor in order to show your property, think long term. It’s best to remedy the problem (the EPA guidance on moisture and mold explains why), whether it’s from a leaking air-conditioning drain, a wet/damp wall, roof issue etc. as you may still have the problem on your hand. A can of spray won’t resolve the issue it will only mask it. Once the problem has been resolved you can be sure that your home will be dry and a safe/healthy environment to be in. It’s better to find wet/damp areas than not find them. And the condition of the property has to be disclosed honestly, so it’s best for everybody if these problems are fixed.
Owners become blind to the awkward odors too
What smells do people stop noticing? Animal urine is one. Any urine, frankly. I hate to say it, but you go into places and people have become used to it. Make sure the pails are taken care of, whether that is a baby’s diaper pail or anything else. Make sure everything is clean, and empty the garbage can.
You do not have to make the conversation personal. Move the pet bed. Look under the litter box. Wash the removable covers and check the rug beneath them. If an odor comes back after the surface dries, it may be in the rug pad, grout, subfloor, or another layer you did not reach.
While this may sound really stinky, it’s amazing how often people forget that the trash cans themselves should also be cleaned, not just the bag that you remove. I have even caught on that sometimes after taking out a tied garbage bag and putting it in the garage (still thinking no one will know because who goes into the garage? Well, prospective buyers will.) there is still a lingering odor in the house. This also goes for the small trash cans in the bathrooms, recycling cans, and yes, even the cat/dog food container. Somehow even when using bags and not lining the larger garbage cans, some liquid or item has made contact with the inside of the lid leaving the garbage can to still smell like it’s full when it isn’t. Again, wash and dry those stinky items and they won’t announce themselves when visitors come through the door. You live with these smells daily so you probably won’t even notice them.
Air fresheners are not the answer
Air fresheners can make a problem worse. Somebody walking through the house may be allergic to them, and a strong, very specific fragrance is not going to please everyone. I would rather the house smell clean than perfumed. If you add anything after cleaning, keep it gentle—a little cinnamon in the oven or one mild candle, not the scent you personally love sprayed through every room.
In the old days, if you were showing a place, they used to say put cinnamon in the oven. You could put in apples and cinnamon and it smelled like somebody was making a pie. It was a very relaxing smell. I still like that idea—but it comes after the house is clean. It is the little finish, not the cover-up.
But then again, heavy use of any artificial scents, be they powders, sprays or candles is a definite red flag. The first thought on walking into a home full of fragrance will be, ‘what are they trying to cover up?’ If there’s an undesirable smell associated with your home, determine the cause, get rid of that and then there will be no smell, and that is OK. If you insist on burning scented candles, use sparingly and never leave unattended. Fresh air, once the source is gone, sells a house better than any candle.
I get there early because a showing can happen fast
Number one, the seller should never be there for the showing. You do not want buyers asking the seller questions. As a realtor, you had better know everything about that property, especially in a condo; you need to know the association.
I have actually cleaned apartments before the clients showed up because clothes were lying around or whatever. You cannot show it that way. The seller may say, well, it was short notice. Twenty-four hours’ notice is smart, but sometimes a client comes into town and says, I am here for a few more hours and I would like to see the place. That is the exception. You show it, but you get there early because you want to make sure it is showable.
No buyer wants to walk in and think, if this is what it looks like now, what else am I going to find? If everything looks sparkling clean and organized, they think, well, these people take good care of the place. Smell is part of that same judgment.
The kitchen needs to be clean before it is “inviting”
The kitchen should look uncluttered, clean and inviting when I send the listing photos and before showings. Any appliances on top of cupboards should be stored away or concealed. You don’t want a buyer to get confused by clutter and overlook this beautiful room you have. Make sure any odors have been eliminated. A bowl of lemons in the sink does not make up for a dirty sink. Make sure the garbage is taken out, no funky stuff in the refrigerator or drawers, check the filter in the dishwasher, splash guard in the disposal, under the stopper in the sink, in the rim where sink meets drain. Take a good whiff around the kitchen as you walk in and around it, because what you may think is a drain smell may actually be old dish towels, the front of your cabinets (smells seep onto them from cooking), your couch cushions, drapes, etc. Get all of this cleaned. If the smell is still from the drain, after you thoroughly clean, there is either a clog, leak, trap that is dried up or some other issue with the drain, and you should fix that issue because a floral potpourri pot is not going to cut it. Once your kitchen is sparkly clean, add a bowl of fruit or a few flowers to any empty surface. Nothing brightens up a kitchen like a bright splash of color.
Closets, rugs and the laundry room
Buyers will open every closet. Those that smell of mothballs, dampness or old shoes will quickly receive visitors’ attention.
Air closets out: especially your front door’s coat closet and any shoe cabinet because those will likely be the first that are opened. Empty the closet of items on the floor, give the shelves a good wipe down and leave the door open for a day or so for a nice airing out before allowing any guests in.
Rugs: these are notorious for retaining odor, especially ones placed in areas where the pet likes to nap or a previous accident/spill area. Give them a really good cleaning (or have them professionally cleaned) and if odor still persists, I would roll the rugs up for the duration of listing the home. You’ll save on having the rugs treated and it will allow for your hard floors to take center stage. Remove the odor rather than masking it. Buyers walk in smelling things you can’t, because we stop noticing the smells in our own homes.
Laundry room: another often-overlooked source of odor. Empty the hamper, leave the washer door open to dry, give it a good wipe down, get that lint around the dryer, you get the idea. Also, any damp towels or gym bags that typically reside in one location for days/weeks at a time will retain some pretty strong odor that owners overlook but buyers can smell. Give these trouble spots a once over and buyers will think the whole house is in good shape.
Humidity and the air conditioner in South Florida
If there’s a musty smell, but not an apparent source (that is, you don’t think you have a water problem), in our part of the country it’s most likely due to humidity, which is excess moisture in the air. Bathrooms should have a functioning exhaust fan, and you can tell if there’s a moisture problem in there because first signs of trouble are in the grout, on a shower curtain, If there’s a de-humidifier in a room, there’s a reason, find out and correct the problem before putting a property on the market. I much prefer a house smell of nothing, compared to a plug in to mask a damp/musty smell. buyers can smell those and get a feel for the atmosphere, and they may not say anything, but they sure notice.
Also make sure your air conditioner filter is clean and condensate drain isn’t backed up, as that can lead to nasty smells throughout a house, too. Cheap check, big pay off. I always encourage sellers to leave the air conditioner on while they have their home listed. If they have to be away for a spell, I encourage them to leave it on the whole time at the same temp. Letting the humidity creep up, shutting it off or having it on too warm can really give a house a close up, stuffy smell. Taking steps to keep air fresh, clean and dry goes a long way.
A smell plan for the week before listing
Homes should not smell musty or dank or like pets or food. Homes should not be over-scented either. Homes should just smell nice. Here is the order I’d do it in:
Anything that is musty should be inspected/leak checked. You can’t clean away a wet wall. Empty and thoroughly clean trash and recycling cans, pet food containers, etc.
During the week wash anything that smells, washable rugs, shower curtain liners, pet bedding, curtains, anything that might be contributing to an unusual odor. Clean the refrigerator, garbage disposal, sink drains, dishwasher filter, any place where bad smells can develop.
Make sure your air conditioning filter is clean. Dirty filters collect dust and hold onto smells. Replace it. Have your air conditioner running constantly so that fresh air is circulating and the temperature is even throughout the house.
On the day of the showing, take the trash out right away. If the weather cooperates, open the windows for ten minutes to let some fresh air into the house and then close the windows and allow the house to cool. Then have someone come into your house that does not live there and is not in your family and let them honestly tell you what your house smells like.
The last walk before the buyer comes in
Next, I look for small items to be fixed. For example, I’ll go through the house room by room looking for anything that catches my eye, like a broken or loose handle (on the refrigerator or cupboards), broken chair, dirty shower, cracks in the walls, or anything else. It’s best at this point to call in the handyman or housekeeper if necessary to take care of any of these items. This can range anywhere from three to five hundred dollars, but in the long run, you will get the price you were hoping for. Then, I walk into the home through the buyer entrance. As I walk around the home, I imagine what it’s going to feel and smell like when the buyer comes in. I always check around the garbage/sink area in the kitchen, pet areas, bathrooms, hampers/laundry areas for anything that would create bad odors. It’s always better to take care of any odor issues instead of hiding them behind a “staged” odor. I don’t want the buyer to walk into your house, love the way it smells and leave remembering nothing else except the artificially enhanced odor. Also, I never want the buyer to remember your home for bad odors. If it does smell humid/musty when walking into a particular area of the home, we have to find the source of the odor and take care of the situation. Using air freshener isn’t going to cut it. We then work on having the air conditioner on early enough (here in South Florida) that the buyer isn’t walking into a hot house and only the area around the thermostat is cool. With odors and temperature taken care of, we can then address the other first impression items when the buyer walks into the home.
