Those whose business it is to help out those in need of staging and property styling Sydney, tell us that lingering odours can be a big turn-off to prospective home buyers. They emphasise the need for cleanliness in your home, of course, but not all odours can be easily eliminated. Sometimes it’s necessary to take extra measures to help your home pass the sniff test.

It happens to everybody. You have cleaned your home until your fingers bled, but there is a lingering odour that simply won’t go away. Perhaps it is the remnants of puppy’s first days at home. It might be that corned beef and cabbage you cooked last week. Whatever the source, you’ll need to eliminate it before the prospective buyers start flooding in to view your property for sale.

Pet Odours:

Pet odours linger in places you might not expect them to. There are many excellent quality enzyme sprays that can do the trick of eliminating them. (Check at a local pet supply store, or ask your veterinarian what works best.)

If the odours return, one last-ditch attempt can be made with a large container of ground coffee beans. Make sure your carpet is thoroughly dry, and then sprinkle the coffee grounds on the carpeting and allow them to stand overnight before vacuuming.

If all else fails, consider replacing your carpet. Carpet replacement can be a big expense, but when you consider the appeal of brand new carpeting, the expense might just find its way back into your bank account when the transaction closes.

Cooking Odours:

If you don’t take precautions, last week’s dinner can perfume your furniture, your clothes, your linens, draperies, and even take refuge in the pores of your painted walls. Long-term strategies can help mitigate food and cooking odours over time. Make it your habit to:

1. Always turn on the extractor fan when cooking.
2. When possible, open windows during cooking and regularly at other times to circulate fresh air.
3. Close bedroom and linen cupboard doors to keep cooking odours out of your clothes and fabrics.

If the odours are already set in, use commercial fabric sprays on all soft or fabric surfaces from carpets and chairs, to camisoles. Placing a bowl of white vinegar in your linen cupboard (or kitchen) overnight can help absorb odours. Remember, grease is a great odour carrier. Keep your extractor hood clean, and wash your kitchen walls often to prevent build-up.

Smelly Drains:

Put baking soda down drains in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry sinks to eliminate odours emanating from there. Those who do property staging and styling Sydney assure us that two quartered lemons fed down the garbage disposal unit will help keep that appliance up to ‘sniff’.

Paint Fumes:

You’ve painted the family room just hours before the open house. Now you’re faced with the overwhelming – and sometimes irritating — odour of paint. Next time, before you paint, peel and cut an onion in half lengthwise. Place each half in a dish at opposite ends of the room – they will absorb the odours as you work. Then just toss them.

Your property styling firm can help you with these and other snafus that pop up as you’re preparing your home for sale. If you choose the best staging and property styling Sydney firm, Urban Chic Property Styling, you can count on the best advice, the cleverest tricks, and the best results for making your home smell as clean as it really is.