When you’re thinking of selling your house, there is probably a list of things you want to do to improve its sellability. Of course, you will likely have thought of mowing the lawn, tidying the yard, cleaning the windows and giving each room a lick of paint, but have you considered how your house smells?
A foul smell around your house is likely to put buyers off. Buyers often tell tales of places that smelled of mold or dog pee, and these things can knock thousands off your asking price. But what is the best smell to sell a house?
What Scent is Most Likely to Sell Your House?
Everyone has their own favorite smell, but some fragrances are more universally liked than others. In addition, some scents have health benefits, while others revive pleasant childhood memories; these are the scents that can help sell your home faster and increase your chance of getting the asking price.
Citrusy Scents
Citrus is one of those smells that makes people think of cleanliness. This is because it has a calming effect by affecting the limbic sector of the brain, which controls memory formation and emotion. Some studies have even shown that people are more likely to clean when they smell citrus in their kitchen as it puts them in mind of freshness. Lemon and orange scented odor eliminators are excellent for citrus smells.
Pine Scents
Fresh pine scents and other natural, comfortable smells are also soothing and make people think of cleanliness. In addition, pine emits chemicals called terpenes which are used medicinally for various problems from headaches to bacterial infections. So just smelling terpenes provides a sense of well-being. Pine is also a perfect scent to use near the holiday period as it puts people in mind of Christmas trees and time spent with family.
Lavender Scents
Lavender and other sweet floral smells are ideal for making people feel calm and relaxed, which is a perfect state of mind for your potential buyers. This is due to a compound called linalool which makes up the alcohol component responsible for lavender’s distinctive sweet scent. You can get the lavender scent by using sprays, gel packs or candles—all available from Fresh Wave.
Vanilla
Vanilla is widely recognized as one of the best scents for making a house feel homey and is possibly the best smell to sell a house. Its pure, clean smell makes people feel optimistic and nostalgic, evoking memories of home baking and childhood. To take advantage of this, you can light vanilla candles on white surfaces. In addition to the nostalgic, homely and calming feelings, this will also make potential buyers think of cleanliness.
Smells to Eliminate When Selling Your Home
No matter what products you use, whether they be candles, sprays or gel packs, adding pleasant scents won’t always cover up underlying foul odors around your home. So before you start lighting those candles or getting busy with the sprays, take some time to see what’s causing any nasty smells and begin addressing those first.
Dirty Garbage Disposal Unit
Your garbage disposal is fantastic at getting rid of food waste, but if not regularly cleaned, it can cause quite a stink. Rotting and decaying food can gather around the blades and get stuck in the pipe, and you may not even realize where the smell is coming from. Sometimes getting rid of the odor is as simple as running hot water through it while you use it. Other times something more drastic is needed. Pouring in baking soda mixed with water can be pretty effective, and once you’ve done that, you can deodorize with one of the scents we discussed earlier.
Pet Smells
We all love our fur babies, but they can leave quite a stink. Wet dogs can make their bedding smell pretty awful, so you need to wash it regularly, and certainly before potential buyers come calling. Cat pee can also be a problem, particularly when you have a new kitten. Cleaning up any accidents quickly and deodorizing the area is one way to avoid a lingering foul odor.
Dirty Carpets
We all try to keep our carpets clean, but spillages happen even in the most organized home. For example, if your latte splashes your carpet, you might not notice immediately, but a sour milk smell will soon become apparent. Again, cleaning up spillages quickly is best, but it’s also a good idea to freshen up your carpets before entertaining potential buyers. You can do this either with a carpet washing attachment on your vacuum or perhaps some vacuum beads.
Wet Towels
You only use towels when you’re clean, so they can’t possibly get smelly, right? Wrong! When you use your towel, soap and dead skin gets into the fabric. This causes bacteria to build up, giving off that nasty mildewy odor. This can sometimes linger even when you wash them, particularly in hot weather. To avoid this, you can add baking soda and vinegar into your wash, killing off the bacteria and breaking down the chemicals causing the smell. If you’re worried about some smells still lingering when your potential buyers come calling, there are some excellent odor-eliminating gels you can use in your linen closet.
Keep a Fresh-Smelling Home with Fresh Wave
With all the advice we’ve given so far, you’re now well equipped to choose the best smell to sell a house. So when your realtor and potential buyers come calling, they will be treated to a property that smells relaxing, comforting and homely. However, when your home smells this good, you’ll want your new place to be the same. At Fresh Wave, we have all the cleaning products and deodorizers you need to keep your home smelling fresh every day.
