First Response Odour Removal Guide

There is nothing more off putting than a foul odour. When it comes to your home, bad odours can make living uncomfortable for you, your family and your guests. Odours can be subtle but noticeable, pungent and overpowering and anything in between. In some cases, these odours are a mere inconvenience. However, sometimes odours in your home could be an indicator of a more serious issue that could have a negative impact on your health. In any case, it is important to know how to identify these underlying causes and how to properly eliminate them to improve air quality and the smell of your home. In many cases, you can handle this yourself. For larger odour issues that are harder to fix, and are potentially hazardous to your health, a professional odour removal company like First Response is your best option.

A dishwasher that sees regular use is a breeding ground for mould, mildew and rotting bits of food. Make sure to wipe down the interior of the dishwasher periodically, and run a normal cycle with a small bowl of white vinegar in the lower rack while the dishwasher is empty to clean and destroy odours in the parts that you can’t reach. First Response often deals with dishwashers that are filled with dirty dishes that haven’t been washed in months or even years and contain massive colonies of mould and bacteria.

The fridge is a common place for odours to come from, especially if the fridge isn’t clean. Keeping some baking soda in the fridge can help, but if the odour gets too strong, then a more rigorous cleaning will be required. Make sure any spills are cleaned up, throw away spoiled food and wipe down the interior periodically. If the smell in your fridge is extremely persistent, place some activated charcoal in there to neutralize the smell. Seriously neglected fridges, and fridges in drug labs or crime scenes often contain biohazardous materials or dangerous chemicals which First Response is specially equipped to handle.

Most living rooms have plenty of soft fabrics that can trap and emit odours in a number of ways.

Carpets take a real beating in your living room. Everyday dirt, pet hair, dander, and urine, food and drink spills, or cigarette or cannabis smoke easily gets trapped in carpeting and allows mould and bacteria to grow and emit a bad odour. Regular vacuuming is important, but it is also important to have a professional carpet cleaning service give your carpet a deep cleaning at least once a year to eliminate those persistent odours. Drug labs, and hoarder homes require especially thorough cleaning, or replacement of carpets to eliminate odours.

You may think a hard surface couldn’t be the source of a bad odour, but you would be wrong. If you smoke cigarettes or cannabis indoors, the smoke can adhere to the paint or wall paper, causing unsightly stains and trapping the odour so it remains in the room. Smoking should be done outdoors to avoid this, and if there is a smoke odour in your living room, then contacting a cleaning service that specializes in odour removal like First Response is your best option remedy the odour. Drug labs that store and use dangerous chemicals often have odours trapped in the walls that only a company like First Response can fix.

Mattresses are also notorious for trapping odours, especially if bed sheets aren’t changed and washed regularly. Lab tests from 7 year old mattresses found more than 16 million colony-forming units of bacteria per square inch. Mattresses should be replaced every 5 years, and should have a professional deep cleaning at least once a year to keep it clean and odour free. Hoarding cases often have very old and poorly kept mattresses. In some cases, we can give the mattress a deep cleaning to remove odours, but sometimes replacement is the only option.

Odours in the laundry room usually come from a front-load washing machine. These machines need proper maintenance to remain odour free. Moisture can get trapped in the door seal and detergent drawer which allows foul smelling mould and mildew to grow. Leaving the door and detergent drawer slightly open after a wash cycle will allow it to dry out and prevent mould and mildew from growing, and cleaning your washing machine with cleaning tablets will help keep it smelling fresh.

The thing about odours is that they are essentially airborne particles that come from mould, bacteria, smoke, and other sources. Treating the source of the odour is only the first step towards eliminating the odours from your home. Finish the job with a professional indoor air quality treatment from First Response to fully eliminate any odours from your home. We will also test your air quality to see if there are any odour-causing issues you may have missed. Our services are guaranteed to find and eliminate any odours in your home. Diligent cleaning and maintenance will help, but sometimes a professional service is needed. Hoarding cleanup, drug lab cleanup, biohazard cleaning and crime scene cleanup needs to be handled by cleaning professionals to ensure the space is clean, odour free and save for living again. Contact First Response today to see how we can help!