Some Odors Are Simply Better Than Others
Airbnb has a new thing – it’s called Airbnb Plus. Among the myriad qualities that a rental property must tout before they can enter this elite class, is a pleasant smell. Other things include designer touches that make it unique, a coffee maker, keyless entry, and clean and organized cupboards. These homes can’t have any scuff marks on the walls, which leads me to fresh paint, and a questions we get often – Is it possible to use paint to cover odors?
What Is That Bad Smell?
Homes can retain simple odors like kitchen grease, but they can also retain much worse ones. Cat urine will literally make a house reek. If you’ve been in a really old home, there’s a particular smell you’re familiar with. But you might not know the source.
If you’ve ever rehabbed an old home and had to rip out the base boards, you were probably mortified when you saw the amount of “dirt” hiding behind them. This dirt is mainly composed of feces from roaches and rats. It has a definite odor that smells a whole lot like clothes from a thrift shop. This is an odor that you can’t mask completely without ripping out the base boards, vacuuming behind them and replacing them. Fresh primer, caulking, and paint will seal the deal.
Some odors have simply permeated the paint and carpet. The one we deal with the most is cigarette smoke. Years of smoke can cause the cigarette smell to inhabit everything inside the house. Using paint to cover odors is a good first step, but the smell will still be present without taking other steps.
Wood Can Be Cleaned With Essential Oils
Most unpainted wood surfaces, including furniture, can be cleaned with cotton balls with essential oils such as orange, patchouli, lemon, lavender, or a mixture of those oils. These oils will penetrate the wood, clear it of any foul smells, and leave your home smelling better than ever.
Whether you’re buying an old home, selling an old home, or if you simply don’t like the smell of your current home, fresh primer and paint gives you a new canvass for the aromatic home of your dreams. We like natural scents, so once your home is repainted, you can try a diffuser with natural essential oils of your preference to get a home smell that everyone will remark upon.
Cleaning your home with natural products, such as vinegar and water on the floors with a few drops of tea tree oil or Thieves will give your home a signature smell that you’ll always want to come home to.
Odor-Blocking Primer and Paint
While you can use almost any primer or paint to cover odors, there are some products available that are formulated specifically for this purpose. Using a high-quality primer first is an absolute must when trying to block odors. We recommend primers from Kilz and Zinsser.
Likewise, better-quality paints have formulations that seal and block odors better than others. Sherwin Williams Harmony paint is not only a Zero-VOC product, it also helps to absorb odors and formaldehydes. It was specifically designed to be an Earth-friendly paint to cover odors.
