How to Control Smells To Relax, Sleep Better & Fight Disease

1) Regulate smells mechanically – I had an aunt who liked to cook so much that the smell of her deep-fried empanadas would waft through her hallways, into the elevator, and all the way to the ground floor of her building. You knew that she was cooking the minute you entered her building as the smell of her deep frying would travel 7 floors all the way to the lobby of her apartment building. As she lived with many seniors like her who were mostly retired, they could see, hear, and smell everything that was going on, including her cooking. And it did not make them very happy to have to inhale greasy smells. She could have avoided bothering her neighbours had she boiled water and white vinegar in a saucepan while she was cooking to neutralize the potent smells. Although she did have an exhaust directly above her oven, it wasn't strong enough to keep the strong cooking smells away so changing her range hood to something with a more powerful fan would have certainly helped. I'm not even sure if she ever cleaned (or changed) her air filters, ever. And it could have helped to have a fan blowing the cooking smells away from the kitchen into the outside atmosphere thru her window. She could have also switched to air fying which uses less oil and is a way healthier (and less smellier) way to cook. There’s nothing like the flavour and texture of deep fried food. Except if you value your health and happiness you might want to switch to baking, grilling, or boiling instead as these cooking methods are better for your health and they generate less smells that negatively impact our physical & mental well-being.

2) Wash your bedding regularly to prevent smell-buildup – Generally it’s recommended for people to wash bedding once a week or once every two weeks if you don’t sleep on your bed every day. You can increase the frequency to twice a week especially if you have pets, skin allergies, or suffer from asthma. Remember that our bodies generate oils, sweat, various bodily fluids, and dead skin cells. And then there’s the dirt and dust from outside that is stuck to your body. Left unchecked your bed sheets (and mattress) will start to smell especially when the weather becomes hot and sticky. And the fabrics that you lie on will absorb the moisture more easily and can become damp and/or generate a musty smell. If your bedding material contains non-breathable synthetic material (like polyester), you may find yourself sweating even more especially on humid nights. Pure cotton bed sheets that have a 300 - 500 thread count are ideal for absorbing sweat and moisture from the air. Wash your bedding in warm water and use detergent that has a mild scent to it like Puracy Natural 10x Liquid Landry Detergent which gives off a nice and clean smell that’s pleasant but not too strong. Another good option is the Diva variety of Glamour Wash which incorporates a fruity and floral scent combined with chocolate and amber undertones to helps you to sleep better by calming your nerves and helping lower your blood pressure.

3) How cigarette smoke leaves residual smells everywhere – Do you have a partner that smokes around the house? Are you trying to give up smoking yourself? You probably know about second hand smoke, which is when people inhale cigarette or marijuana smoke from someone actively smoking beside them. Second-hand smoke contains various toxic chemicals that can be harmful to one’s health. But have you heard about third-hand smoke, which is the residual smell left behind by a smoker on the walls of a house, the inside of a car, a building hallway, or an elevator? Third-hand smoke can also stick to your clothes, hair, or skin when you've been exposed to it. And it can linger inside a house or any type of enclosed environment for up to 6 months even after a person has quit their smoking habit. Studies have shown that cars that have a residual cigarette smoke often have lower resale values. And reators say that houses that have lingering tobacco smell on walls, carpets, and curtains have a more difficult time getting sold. In fact 27% of housebuyers won’t even consider buying a home previously occupied by a smoker. And if you’re a smoker trying to rent an apartment? Good luck finding a place to live. Many landlords won’t even consider renting to smokers primarily due to the fact that cigarette smoke is one of the hardest to remove from the walls of a house. Simply washing (or even) repainting walls won’t fix the problem. Oftentimes landlords must call a restoration company specialized in removing fire, smoke, and cigarette odours as they have the tools and cleaning materials to do the job. That’s a needless waste of money that they would rather avoid, which is why they would prefer to rent out property to a tenant who doesn’t have a smoking habit that leaves residual smells.

4) Leaving mould growth unattended can be harmful to your health – Do you have mould growing on the exterior wall of your house? This happens when the ground near your home is constantly wet. Factors that might cause it are poor drainage, a malfunctioning gutter, or a leaky faucet. Any of these conditions may cause water to accumulate around your home’s foundation, which then can promote the growth of mould. Mould loves damp environments, which is why it can grow on ceilings as a result of a roof leak, burst pipe, cooking, or excessive shower condensation. A 2004 book written by the US Institute of Medicine reported that the presence of mould in old houses that still contain asbestos or old lead paint can promote the release potentially harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that - when inhaled - can cause upper respiratory tract problems including cough, asthma attacks, chest pain, and or hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Simply painting over a mouldy wall or ceiling won’t fix the problem as the mould will still be present and simply grow through the new layer of paint. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mould-covered areas of less than an area of 10 square feet (or 3 ft by 3) can be safely removed by a homeowner by scrubbing off mouldy surfaces with 1 part bleach and 3 parts water and then letting your wall or ceiling dry off completely. If the coverage is larger than 10 square ft, then it’s much safe to call in a professional who specializes in mould removal to ensure that the problem is fixed correctly.

5) Why keeping bathrooms clean and smelling fresh will keep you sane and healthy – Are you not a fan of cleaning? Do you like to put cleaning off until your house is a total mess, or some smell develops that drives you crazy? I know of a friend’s sister that totally avoids cleaning their home, especially inside their bathroom. In fact, they hardly ever clean their house at all. And when it comes to their bathroom, they developed a mould problem so bad around their toilet seat that family members who would come by for a visit would usually offer to clean it for them as the seat had turned almost black (except in the spot where she and her son would sit on it). A number of people have an aversion to cleaning toilets, bathroom floors or shower walls. That’s okay for as long as you have someone that comes in and does this for you at least once a week. But leaving your toilet unclean for weeks can be a health hazard. Dirty toilets become breeding grounds for germs and bacteria, and not cleaning and maintaining them regularly can cause the spread of diseases like norovirus and E. coli. Simply not flushing the toilet, and/or wiping the toilet seat can be source of contentious issues (not to mention stress) between people around the house. If you’d like peace between you and your partner or members of your family, it’s not a bad idea to develop some good daily best practices so that you don’t end up with a dirty bathroom that will take longer to clean during weekends once you have more time to do housework. These include keeping a window open to let in some fresh air, wiping down shower walls and floors with a paper towel after taking a shower, and using baskets & trays to control clutter. And then once a week it really helps to clean toilets thoroughly with disinfectant and washing bathroom towels and floor mats. Putting in potpourri, flowers, or an electronic diffuser will keep your bathroom smelling and feeling fresh such that people will want to stay in there to relax after a long and busy day.