Need things to make the room smell better.

Suzy_M

Number of suggestions -

Air circulation -
Are air bricks outside clean?
Is the room cluttered? If so can you remove items - particularly anything 'soft' that will easily absorb any odours / moisture in the air.
Can air circulate from any heating source?
Leave window open a chink permanently when weather not too cold.

Damp -
Use moisture traps / absorbers.

Smell -
Odour absorbing cat litter in trays (protected from any cats in the house!) - best you can afford.

aliasojo

KateLiana27 wrote: »

I'm not sure if this will work for you, but I definitely prefer the idea of the smell being gone rather than just masked under a floral haze of chemicals

I'd prefer that too but I'm not about to go spend money on replacing carpets in a short term rental so masking will work just fine for me right now.

Thank you all for your suggestions, I'll try them all.

I bought a couple of tubs of bicarb yesterday so will start with that and the vinegar.

brucefan1962

Fresh scented essential oils work wonders too - few drops on a cotton wool pad, ideally on a radiator. Lime, Lemongrass, Sweet orange all work well.

abankerbutnotafatcat

A dehumidifier can help. We've just got one to prevent damp and the slightly musty smell we sometimes got has gone but it also seems to get rid of cooking smells.

dave82_2

Fresh coffee or bake bread

aliasojo

dave82 wrote: »

Fresh coffee or bake bread

I hate coffee and the oven is useless.

Eenymeeny

Newspapers absorb smells. I used this successfully after DS was sick in the car! If you have a musty cupboard leave a pile of newspapers in there. Remember to throw papers out after a few days though!

aliasojo

Eenymeeny wrote: »

Newspapers absorb smells. I used this successfully after DS was sick in the car! If you have a musty cupboard leave a pile of newspapers in there. Remember to throw papers out after a few days though!

I'll try that in the cupboard under the stairs, thanks.

This place reminds me of my Nan's house years ago before it was modernised, it's all old, old dark wood everywhere. You know that 'box of really old photographs' kinda smell.....well that's what it's like.

KateLiana27

aliasojo wrote: »

I'd prefer that too but I'm not about to go spend money on replacing carpets in a short term rental so masking will work just fine for me right now.

Oops, I didn't realise it was a rental. Mask away

Curtains are definitely worth a good wash though, as I think they were the culprit in our case.

Errata

If the sprinkled and hoovered bicarb doesn't work, try sprinkling damp tea leaves, leaving overnight and then hoovering.