Unless it’s a brand-new assault to the nostrils, you really need to ask an honest friend whether your house smells bad. As residents, you get accustomed to smells over time, so you may not even be aware of odors. If you notice friends wrinkling their noses just a bit when they walk through your door, ask why. It’s better to know and correct the problem then to wonder why no one wants to visit you.

Pets

Dogs and cats (and ferrets and rabbits) shed hair and dander constantly. Over time, these little stink bombs build up. The best way to keep your house smelling fresh is to wash your pets and their bedding frequently. Do not allow them on the furniture, but if you feel you must, get upholstery cleaning Oshkosh WI at least once a year and lay a thick blanket over chairs and sofas (hair and dirt will fall right through the looser weave of sheets). Vacuum daily.

Trash

Stinky trash cans seem easy enough to fix – just take the trash out. Sometimes, however, leaks and spills inside the can itself are the odor-carrying culprits. Every six weeks or so, wash the actual cans with a warm, soapy water solution with a bit of bleach added. An expert trick is to keep two kitchen garbage cans, including a small one for smelly food waste that gets emptied each night.

Sheets

If you shower at night, it’s okay to keep the same sheets on your bed for two weeks because you climb into them clean. If you shower in the morning, it’s best to get fresh linen every week. Oil, dirt and sweat rubbed into the sheets each night by your sleeping body is enough to make your bed a little ripe.

If after making these adjustments, your house still smells bad, consider the possibility that you may have a dead animal trapped in your walls. Unfortunately, if that is the source of the smell, you may just have to bide your time and use plenty of air freshener until it dissipates.