Spring is in full bloom—and so is the spring housing market! The last thing you need when prepping for an open house is odor or airborne pollen and dust, making your clean house seem dirty.
ABC The Chew correspondent and home expert, Evette Rios, knows how to keep a home fresh and clean for showing. She offers some of her top tips, below.
1. When to Go with the (Air) Flow
Rios points out that many don’t realize is that the EPA states that indoor air can be 5 to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. So if the day is nice and the pollen count is low, homeowners should consider opening their windows and doors to let fresh air circulate. On days when pollen is high, consider an air purifier. “Try the Honeywell AirGenius 5, which helps diminish odors and even helps reduce VOCs, airborne allergens, and airborne germs, which is key for families that spend a lot of time indoors,” says Rios, who also suggests using an air purifier when sleeping to keep lungs clear all night long.
2. What Your Fragrance Says about You
When you walk into a home, one of the first things that hits you is the smell, which can be a deal breaker if it’s an open house. Even if your home doesn’t have a strong odor (think kitty litter or last night’s dinner), a musty, dusty smell can still resonate. “Dust has a way of finding its way into the home and can start collecting as soon as you wipe your furniture, floors or countertops clean. Help reduce airborne dust particles with an air purifier,” says Rios, who also suggests using a fan to circulate stagnant indoor air while helping to eliminate odors.
3. Improving the “Ahh” Factor in Your Home
“If you live in an apartment building, air ducts between apartments can be carrying unfiltered air from your neighbor straight to you,” says Rios. “From cooking smells to viruses to pet dander – you name it – just imagine what could be passing through to your dwelling. Use an air purifier to help capture microscopic airborne allergens and help reduce odors in the air.”
Source: Honeywell
