18.05.12

It may be picture perfect, but one of the first things prospective buyers will notice when visiting your home is its smell. Offensive odours from pets, cigarettes and foods like garlic and curry can be off-putting and may even be deal breakers.

"Every home has an odour and depending on how you live - if your kids play hockey or if you have a dog, for example - there are going to be odours," says Anne Bourne of StagingWorks, a professional home staging company in Toronto.

But resist temptation to fill your home with scented candles, potpourri and air fresheners. Those products will only mask unpleasant odours and many people are sensitive to them.

To get rid of foul smells, eliminate them at their source. Begin by opening windows and letting fresh air circulate throughout the house. Now it's time to do deep cleaning, beginning with items that hold odours, including carpets, drapery, furniture and linens.

If professional cleaning doesn't do the trick, consider tossing or replacing offensive items, says Bourne. If your carpets are in good shape and you want to freshen them, sprinkle them with baking soda. "Leave it on overnight to absorb odours and vacuum it up the next day," she says.

Source: London Free Press