You found the perfect home, offer is accepted, papers are signed, you’re all moved in and everything is just as it should be, right? Wrong. There’s a smell. Maybe you noticed it at the showing or maybe it seems new but it needs to go, so what do you do?

1. Clean, clean, clean

While you’ll probably think to do this anyway, it’s definitely worth mentioning. A good cleaning can really do wonders. This includes cleaning the walls, doors, baseboards and all corners and cracks that you might not normally think to do. It will take some time but in the end you will have a home that you know is clean and is left smelling fresh and clean.

If you’re not a fan of using strong cleaners in your home, especially with children or pets around, then you can still find some great natural cleaning solutions that do just as good of a job. And if you do use a strong cleaner, just make sure to open the windows and let some fresh air in!

2. Try the coffee ground trick

Believe it or not, coffee grounds are a great natural solution to absorb odors in a room. Fill three or four bowls with FRESH ground coffee and set out overnight in the room with the odor, but make sure to keep the windows closed. If you’re dealing with a stubborn odor, try repeating this for an additional night.

Bonus: after letting the coffee grinds absorb the odor, you can throw the coffee in your compost pile!

3. Bring in the fresh air

Sometimes all we need is just a little fresh air. A nice breeze coming through the windows can do wonders to get odors out of fabric and carpet in your home. Keep the windows open for a couple hours and enjoy the fresh air!

4. Check the kitchen

When things start stinking up in the kitchen, the first thing we think to check is the trash can. But even once you’ve taken the bag out to the bin, we sometimes find that wasn’t the problem. One place we often forget to check is the pantry. Take everything out, clean the shelves, check expiration dates, and make sure there isn’t something hiding in a corner rotting away! The added bonus is you got a chance to re-organize!

5. Clean the carpets

You don’t have to hire an expensive company to come out and professionally clean your carpets (though you totally can!) since all you need is the baking soda already in your pantry! Sprinkle the baking soda over your carpet and let is sit overnight before vacuuming it up (making sure to use a clean bag or empty bin). This process is especially helpful for removing pet odor from your home!

6. Stop living in the smoky walls

If the previous owner was a smoker, you can definitely tell. Smoke leaves odors behind in the carpet, drapes, and also stains the walls. The easiest place to start is washing the walls, carpets and drapes (if they left them behind). If that doesn’t do the trick, it’s best to start from scratch. We suggest a fresh coat of paint on the walls, new carpet, and new drapes. It may be a little costly up front, but we’re sure you’ll be glad you did it.

7. Reach for the citrus

If you’ve ever been washing dishes and the smell is overpowering, there’s a good chance it’s more than just the dirty dishes but also your garbage disposal. The best way to rid the disposal of it’s wretched smell is to throw chunks of cut up citrus like lemons, limes or oranges down the drain while the disposal is going.

8. Essential oils

Essential oils are super popular right now and we love them in our home! Since there’s no flame like when you’re using a candle, they’re safe to use around the kids and pets. Plus, there are so many different scents to choose from. Some of our favorites are citrus, peppermint, or lavendar!

While this isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, these are some of our tried and true ways to help eliminate our homes of pesky odors. Do you have your own favorites? Connect with us on our social channels and let us know what has worked for you!