Use These 4 Tips to Remove Smelly Odors

From pet odors to that odoriferous dinner you cooked last night, bad odors can kill a showing. As a homeowner you can take steps to clear it up beforehand.

Deborah Johnson, a specialist with Merry Maids cleaning services says, "If you enter a home and immediately encounter a smell, that is generally all people focus on, and all they will remember."

The website Realtor.com® served up these tips to help vanquish those odors:

1. Pet urine: It's important to utilize a spray treatment with enzymes that break down odor molecules. It's best to soak an area to allow time to permeate into the carpet.
2. Dinner: pro-actively as you are cooking, try to open all windows and keep the hood fan on high when cooking those especially stinky items like fish. If the odor persists, fill a bowl with white vinegar or coffee grounds. Put it on one of the counters overnight to absorb the smells.
3. Paint: Try the onion method. First slice an onion in half. Put the halves on a dish on each side of the room to cancel out paint smells, while the onion smell should only stay for about an hour.
4. Kitchen sink: Preform a visual check on your disposal and confirm that nothing is stuck. Second, put 2 or 3 slices of orange or lemon into the disposal. Run the water and turn on the switch to get that clean scent of the citrus fruit. 

Main article: "Tricks to banish bad smells from your home -- forever", Realtor.com