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You have de-cluttered your house. You have clipped and mowed your lawn so well it could be on the front cover of Homes Beautiful magazine. You bought a cheery Welcome mat for your front door, inviting potential buyers in where they will see your home in "Buy Me" condition.
But what about that lingering odor you can't smell, but others have oh-so-politely mentioned (or not).
In these days of adult-onset allergies and fragrance sensitivities, spraying a room with the latest commercial air spray may be a turn-off for buyers. However, there are a number of natural ways to freshen, or at least deodorize, the air in your home with products readily available at your local grocery store.
White Vinegar
For years, white vinegar has been well known to remove odors of all kinds – from animal urine to strong cooking aromas to fresh paint. * Do not use cider or red wine vinegar as they may stain.*
Spray solutions using a mixture of one teaspoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of baking soda and one pint of water are a ready-made, natural room freshener, with no lingering smells. This works to rid rooms of stale cigarette smoke, strong perfumes, and cooking odors.
A small dish or bowl of vinegar will draw odors from the room such as fresh paint. If a person has been ill in a room or car, especially children, mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a bowl and place it in the affected area for several hours, or overnight, to remove lingering odors.
Charcoal Briquettes
Place 2-3 fresh briquettes in an empty can or box close to the source of the smell to absorb odors within 48 hours. Replace every month.
Coffee Grounds
Fresh or used, dry coffee grounds can be very beneficial for deodorizing your home. Place the grounds in your refrigerator to absorb odors, similar to using baking soda.
If a room in your home has lingering scents, open a fresh can of coffee grounds and, if possible, close the doors and windows for a day or two. The grounds will absorb the smells.
Another suggestion is to place one or two cups of fresh coffee grounds in a paper lunch bag, then staple shut. These bags of freshness can be used anywhere stale odors are hanging around.
Baking Soda
In addition to being used in conjunction with white vinegar for cleaning, baking soda has been used for generations to deodorize the home. It is especially good for removing stale smells from carpets before your home is viewed by buyers.
Simply sprinkle baking soda over the entire carpet. Leave for at least one hour, or as long as you can if you will be out of the home during the day, or overnight. Then vacuum the carpet completely.
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