It’s little wonder why some homes smell in the summer. It is hot. It is more humid (in some places). People run air conditioners and keep windows closed. Any smells that are in the house stay in the house and collect.
Smells that are easy to fix:
Any smell that is on cloth can be laundered. Most of the odor can be washed out. People sweat more in the summer; their clothes absorb that. In the summer, do laundry more often because hampers are more likely to collect odor.
Pet odors collect more, also. Wash cat and dog beds more often. Be diligent about refreshing food and removing litter and pee pads before they get too pungent.
Waterproof surfaces can be cleared of odor-causing molds and mildews. If you smell mildew, follow your nose to the source. Most of the time, mildew is a surface problem and can be cleaned off. Pay attention to places where water could be collecting, like the condensation around air conditioning units, spills and leaks in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry area. Keeping these places dry will reduce mold and mildew smells.
Smells that might not go away:
If the cause of the smell can soak into a surface, it is harder to remove.
Animal urine can soak into wood floors or sheetrock walls. It can also soak under vinyl tile flooring. If you use a litter box or pee pads for your pets, keep them on a solid waterproof surface.
Mold gets into wallboard and under tiles. It spreads in the air. Some people can sense that there are mold spores, others get allergy symptoms. If there is mold growing in your house, you need a professional to clean it for you. Some molds are hazardous to your family’s health. Here is a quick guide.
Prevention:
The key to avoiding smells in your home is ventilation and controlling humidity.
Open the windows: Even in the hottest part of the summer, pick a relatively cooler time every week or two to air out the house. Open the doors and windows, run some fans to blow fresh air in.
Run a dehumidifier: Dampness is more pronounced in the basement. Set up a dehumidifier there. They are designed to shut off when their water collection is full. Whenever possible, set up the dehumidifier to drain into a sink or sump, so that you do not need to monitor it. Dehumidifers should run all year long, unless you have home heating units in the basement which warm up the basement in the winter.
Run fans in the bathroom: Shower steam makes a wonderfully damp environment for molds and mildews. Run a fan when you shower. Get your fan installed on a timer switch, so that it can run for 15-20 minutes after you finish. A timer makes it easier to use the fan every time, since you don’t have to come back to turn it off.
Run fans in the kitchen: Use a vented fan over your stove when you cook. Also run it for a half hour every few weeks to remove any lingering food smells.
Check your dryer vents: Clothes dryers exhaust damp air. If they come loose, they will blow hot damp air into your laundry area. Clean vents out annually to keep your dryer running efficiently.
Advantages for house hunters:
Want to find a bargain? Find a house that smells bad. Summer is a good time to notice them. If you can find the source of the smell and it is easy to remove, you may get a great house that turned off other buyers. Check the list in the “easy to fix” list above.