How to go about the smells that tend to rise on those hot summer days
Hot and humid, summer brings along a lot more than the scintillating scents of roses and jasmine. Just so it happens, high temperature and increased humidity in the air don’t just change smells, but also change the way we perceive them. Therefore, if you’ve been lately feeling the need to freshen up your home with a more pleasant aroma, there’s a reason for it. And there’s also more than one way to go about it.
When the warm goes up, we all tend to let the air and the sun get in, at least in the early hours of the day. Yet letting the windows wide open will only allow the airflow to enter and ventilate the place. What do you do when the source of the smell stays in, even after you’ve closed back the windows?
It certainly isn’t enough to rely on air and sun alone
The sunlight will dry things out, acting as a natural disinfectant and deodoriser. For this reason, aside from letting the sun in, you might try to let the smelly things out, into the open air and under direct sunlight. Think of cushions, duvets, rugs or quilts... Also, when you’re not taking these out and you’re just cleaning up the dust like you always do, sprinkle some baking soda on the carpets, sofas, or upholstery.
Do that a few minutes before you begin to vacuum and allow it to absorb the odours.Then, taking out the garbage more often is mandatory. While you do so, remind yourself that there are also other areas of your home where it’s probably best to clean more often during the hot summer days. Think of the fridge, where it helps having an opened box of baking soda. This will soak up the bad smells.
And don’t forget that back compartment where your fridge collects water – that one too can start smelling odd, especially if you ignore cleaning it for much too long.While you do a house tour in search for things that need to be freshened up, stop in the hallway and take a good look at your shoes. There must be some shoe deodorant that you can use on it, right?
The house is clean but you still feel the need for a certain flavour?
Say you have guests coming in and you want to freshen up the air a little bit… Use the trick of dropping some citrus peels in a pot and bringing it to a boil. Let it simmer and spread its odour with about 30 minutes before your guests arrive.Want something for everyday use that doesn’t make the temperature go even higher?
Try to make your own gel fresheners. You’ll need a packet of gelatine, ¾ cup of water, ¼ cup of… vodka, 2-3 drops of food colouring and about 15 drops of essential oil. Simply dissolve the gelatine in warm water and once it cools down to the room temperature, mix in the rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate until set and then place the gel fresheners around the house.Or try to befriend with some essential oils, considering, first, the summer scents.
Floral, citrus, or herbal scented oils will feel truly lightweight and fresh. But you can combine those summery scents with some woody or earthy oils—vetiver, cedarwood, or patchouli, for a gentler, more cooling effect. Conifer oils may also be a good choice - pine, cypress, juniper berry have a more refreshing, stimulating effect.If you’re feeling bold, consider even growing some kitchen herbs in pots – cilantro, basil, sage, thyme and mint will certainly add a lovely, special flavour to your home.
Add herbs and keep airing your home and you’ll feel the difference. Just keep in mind, though, that as you air more often, the place will get a bit dustier.
Enjoying these tips? We’ve talked about pesky smells and how to get rid of it in a previous post, here.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help when you feel overwhelmed and let a team of professional cleaners help you with everything from fridgecleaning in London, to windows or floor cleaning and everything in between.
