Does Your House Stink? This Could Be The Cause

Do you wonder what’s causing that horrible odor every time you come through your front door? If your home stinks, there are quite a few reasons why you may have an odor problem in your house. Some are easy to identify – perhaps your cat’s litter box is overflowing, or you’ve just been cooking fish. However, other odors just linger in the air and are hard to get rid of, even with a home full of air fresheners. If you’re wondering why your house stinks, here are some possible causes and how to get rid of them.

Hidden Mold

If your home smells musty, there’s a good chance you have hidden mold. It could be in your ceilings, walls or floors and it’s a problem that needs to be sorted out quickly. Mold is sometimes toxic, and even when it isn’t it can cause allergies and respiratory problems. Not only that, but mold can actually rot away the structure of your home if you leave it to spread unchecked. If you discover a patch of mold, you can usually clean it yourself, but if it’s very extensive you’ll need professional help to make sure that the problem is completely sorted out.

Mold may be caused by a gutter problem, leaky plumbing, a lack of ventilation in your bathroom or kitchen or condensation. If you spot a small mold growth, you can clean it away with diluted bleach. Prevention is absolutely vital when dealing with mold. You should make sure that you ventilate any moist areas of your home well, dry clothing outdoors and use an exhaust fan. Make sure your tumble dryer is vented outdoors and install dehumidifiers to keep your home smelling fresh and clear of mold.

Walls And Carpet Absorption

Over time, paint on your walls and your carpet can absorb unpleasant smells. Spilled milk, pet urine and smoke can result in lingering odors. Repaint your walls or deep clean them with a white vinegar solution. If your carpets are smelly, it might be time to pull them up and have hard flooring instead which is easier to keep clean and odor free.

A Dirty Dishwasher

You should clean out your dishwasher every month by running it empty except for a cup of white vinegar or with baking soda over its bottom. Scrub it down a couple of times a year too to get rid of old food and grime. Empty the trap regularly and clean the seal around its door with a solution of water and vinegar.

Is There A Dead Creature In The Home?

If there’s a very powerful odor pervading your home, there’s a good chance that there could be a dead creature decomposing somewhere. It could be in a wall, basement or attic and it could be anything from a bird to a mouse. You may be able to get rid of the remains yourself and then use a product to break down the enzymes in the molecules that carry the odor but if you can’t manage to do it alone you’ll need a pest control professional to help you find the creature and clean it up.

Sewage Gas

Rotten eggs and sewage have a very similar odor so if you smell this unpleasant odor there’s a possibility that your P trap is dried up. This is especially likely to be the case if the odor is in your bathroom. Sewer gas can get through the bathtub or sink if the P trap’s water evaporates, removing the barrier which is designed to keep water trapped inside the pipe and prevent gas from the sewer from getting into your home. This problem can be eliminated by just running the water in your tub or sink until the smell goes away. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, call in a plumber since the problem could be more serious.

Nobody likes having a smelly home, however it’s likely that your problem is due to one of the above factors. Often you can resolve the issue yourself without calling in professional help, and once you’ve got to the source of the problem, you’ll be able to enjoy a fresh and clean-smelling home once more.