Odors build up in a home, no matter how clean you keep it. These tips will help you keep your home smelling good, and they don’t take much effort at all.

If you want your home to be odor-free, the best way to do so is to let air in and out. Although this is difficult in winter, when we tend to try and insulate ourselves from the cold air outside, you have to let air in. Before you go to work, open the windows to air the room and try to open the ones that will create a flow of air through each room.

Damp fabrics start smelling unpleasant very quickly so keep damp clothing, towels, and shoes out of the house. Dry your towels in the dryer after use in order to prevent the damp from lingering in the bathroom. To dry them out and eliminate germs, try hanging them out on the line in sunny weather.

Your home can be smelly if you have pets even if they don’t make a mess inside. Carpets and rugs can smell unpleasant when wet dogs lie on them so dry them off as much as possible before you let them inside. To prevent smells building up, wash pet bedding regularly and furniture should be steamed regularly as well to remove odors.

Of course if your pet does have an accident in the house, you will need to clean it up thoroughly in order to prevent lingering smells. There are special products on the market to absorb pet urine smells, but a sprinkling of good old-fashioned bicarbonate of soda will do the trick too.

Although it’s difficult to eliminate tobacco odors, with a few precautions they can be minimized. If the windows in the room is all closed, don’t smoke in it. Leaving full ashtrays lying around the house is something you should never do since these create the nastiest tobacco odor problems. Helping to remove odors from furniture and carpets is steam cleaning.

Ever found something growing in a plastic container in the back of the refrigerator that’s making the fridge smell awful? We all do it but getting rid of that smell can be quite difficult. Placing a small bowl of bicarbonate of soda or a piece of charcoal in the fridge will absorb the smell.

It’s important to teach your kids to bring plates and snack packaging to the kitchen to be disposed off when they’re done eating and don’t leave food lying around the house. There’s nothing worse than finding a lump of food in a toy box three weeks later that has made the whole house smell rancid.

Pay attention to the causes of unpleasant odors to help keep your home smelling fresh and welcoming.

Author bio: Writer Mary Byrd blogs about corporate and financial issues. Are you in the market for cheap homeowners insurance? In order to get the right coverage in your Florida homeowners insurance policy, you need to research all of the options and get advice from a professional with experience.