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Top First Impression Articles:
Curb appeal is the cover of the book, first impressions are what people remember when they go home
You know the basic curb appeal storyline: If potential buyers don’t like what they see from the street, they might never get inside the front door. You might have done the same at some point yourself when shopping for a home.
Clutter-less means starting slow, small and remain steady
Clutter tolerance seems to run a fever cycle, much like the flu. Every so often, the cluttered household will become intolerable, sparking the home manager to brief, massive anti-clutter spasms. Piles will be shifted, boxes will be filled, stuff will be stashed--until the fever breaks. Then the clutter tide flows back n, confusion redoubled because of the flushed and furious attempts to get a grip in a hurry.
Pleasant aromas
Good aromas include fresh baked breads and cookies. A batch of cinnamon rolls also works wonders. Just make sure you don't burn them.
A trick that works well is to place a few drops of vanilla on aluminum foil and place it in a low temperature oven or on a light bulb.
Fresh perked coffee is also an excellent aroma that many people find pleasant, even non-coffee drinkers.
Coffee breath is a real turn off, but brewed coffee is definitely a turn on.
Cut flowers will sometimes give off a pleasant aroma, but not always. What they do add is a sense of well-being-- just don't over do it and make the house look like a funeral home.
Febreeze is an excellent room deodorizer if you have to use a room deodorizer.
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Odors and Aromas
Besides the front door, the first thing people will notice is odor -- make sure that odor is an aroma!
Odors in your house have a wave of moving in without the house owners even realizing that they have an uninvited guest. We get used to our own smells.
Whether it's smoke, cats, dogs, cooking or just poor cleaning habits, smells can linger in a house, even when the offending source has been removed and you may not even notice.
Before you put your house on the market, have a good friend that you know will be honest with you and have them visit your house. Be quite frank with them that you want their honest opinion: does your house smell bad? This will go a long way in trying to identify and eliminate bad odors.
Many things cause odors, so there are several ways to solve odor problems. Some aren't even present during those times during the year when you can open up the windows and let air circulate through the house. Other times, when the air conditioning is on or during the winter months, these odors becomes more pronounced.
Ozone generators
These machines have been labeled air filters.
According to the EPA, ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners intentionally produce the gas ozone. Often the vendors of ozone generators make statements that lead the public to believe that these devices are always safe and effective in controlling indoor air pollution. For almost a century, health professionals have refuted these claims and it is probably best to look further for odor removal techniques.
Also read: Ozone Generators
Look to fabrics as an odor source
If your house has curtains these can be main contributors to lingering odors. Any fabric can hold on to odor causing substances for long periods of time. We normally clean the carpets and floors on a regular basis, but seldom do the drapes get cleaned.
Latex paint can also hold odors
Latex paint is relatively porous. That means not only moisture can pass through the layer in the form of humidity, but it can also trap odor causing chemicals. Usually a new coat of paint will cure the problem in all but the most difficult cases.
Thermal fogging
Thermal fogging is a system that uses a fogger with a special chemical that helps eliminate odors that have been trapped in all the tiny little crevices typically found in a house. This is the process commonly used on fire or smoke damaged buildings. Smoke damage will often linger for ever because the smoke penetrates into these small cracks and crevices that can never be fully cleaned by traditional methods.
With the thermal fogger method, a specialized chemical is used in the machine and the house is fogged with it. The fogging produces a smoke-odor counteractant that then penetrates into those cracks and crevices and neutralizes the smoky odors. Similar formulations are available for fire/smoke damage, tobacco odor removal, and pet odor removal.
Musty smells
Musty smells are caused by microbiological growth (mold/mildew). These usually develop in areas that have a a relative humidity exceeding 60% and with a temperature range between 68 - 86 degrees with little or no air movement.
The best way to control musty smells is reduce the humidity levels and increase air flow. Typically basements are the biggest source for musty smells as they usually have the most moisture, the darkest conditions, and the least air movement. Look into a dehumidifier to reduce the humidity and provide some much needed air circulation. Check items stored in the basement (books, magazines, etc) as they will easily absorb moisture from the air and retain it providing an ideal habitat for microbes to develop and cause significant odor problems.
Additional tips for odor removal
Improve air circulation throughout the house. It may be necessary to place several window fans in opposite of the house: one pulling fresh air in and the other pushing stale air out.
Change the furnace or air conditioning filters once a day to remove with the furnace fan running. These filters will help trap airborne particles that are carrying odor causing chemicals.
In some situations it may be necessary to clean ceilings, walls and floors with a mixture of tri-sodium phosphate and chlorine solution to removal particularly bad odors that have soaked into floors and walls
First impressions info
House odors are number one on the home selling uh-oh list. Narrowing it down even further, odors from cigarette smoke and pets take top billing, with mildew not far behind.