Truth, there’s an entire science referred to as “scent marketing.   Global brand Holiday Inn applies scent marketing to their advantage to subliminally have guests stay longer in their rooms.

Hey, that’s what we want homebuyers to do.  The longer they linger the better chance for them to imagine the experience of what it would be like to live in and enjoy the pleasure of your home.

I’ve smelled them all when doing home staging consultations.  Following find 6 Home Odor Solutions to use for your home:

1.      Dirty chimney.  When there are hot, humid summer days dirty chimneys produce undesirable odors.  Clean creosote and soot out of the chimney or hire a chimney sweep to do.

2.     Cigarette smoke.  Nobody wants to walk through a house that smells like a dirty ashtray.  Removing cigarette smoke is hard work as it affects walls, carpet, mattresses and all soft goods in a home.  Wash walls if that doesn’t work, seal with a primer and paint.  Use dry carpet cleaner with granules on the carpet, if that doesn’t work, call in a professional carpet cleaner.  Toss the mattresses and soft goods.

3.     Main sewer lines can produce a rotten egg smell.  Add a teaspoon of peppermint oil down the drain and run hot water.  If that doesn’t work you may have a bad trap.

4.     Unbathed pets and pet urine can make your carpet and pad reak.  Short term solution is baking soda otherwise steam cleaning, or replacing the carpet and pad altogether.

5.      Bathroom rot from “missing” the potty creates bacteria build up when the base of the toilet isn’t sealed.  Call a plumber dis-connect and remove the toilet, clean, replace wax seal, reinstall toilet and caulk.

6.      Musty basements smells come from a byproduct of mold.  Run a de-humidifier, remove porous items that absorb moisture like cardboard, wood, wool, leather and paper.  Have a mold air test as mold can grow behind walls and the walls will need to be removed to avoid future health risks.

We might not be a global brand but we can certainly do our due diligence to remove odors in our homes.  Take some marketing tips from the big guys to sell homes faster and if the market allows, for more money.

The nose knows, studies show that 75% of emotions are triggered by smell which is linked to pleasure, well-being and memory. Your job as a home seller and mine as a home stager, is to create a positive experience for home buyers.

Home Staging – Smells That Sell:

Holiday Inn:  Fruity smells when there is something to celebrate.

Nike:  Rose smells to help sell higher priced shoes

Singapore Airlines:  Uses a scent called Stefan Florida Waters, to enhance a travelers experience of a relaxed flight.

Morgue and Funeral Homes:  Use cinnamon spray to create a trusting and homey, warm feel.

Turkish Airlines:  After much research from Milward Brown Turkish Airlines uses a fragrance called TK1933 which produces a feeling of trust, peace, happiness, serenity and pleasure.

Be mindful of the schnoz, keeping a clean smell in a home is a basic.  Buyers and guests demand a clean, fresh and fragrant house.

TimeMist® Cinnamon Premium Metered Fragrance Dispenser Refills – 6.6 Oz

Misty Automated Metered Aerosol Dispenser

Nature’s Air Odor Absorbing Replacement Sponge in Neutral, 24/case

PS. I was unable to find any of the products used by the big brands, I’ll keep my eye out for an alternative.