This old house. Smells bad.
This old house.
It’s like a new adventure every season.
These days are sticky.
Humid.
70 degrees at 6 a.m.
Our windows are open because we are trying to live without air conditioning for as long as possible.
So all that outside stickiness settles right inside.
And the wood floors in this house are aged and lovely, filled with their own rustic charm.
But they are also retaining more than charm – they are retaining weird old bad smells.
From dogs who lived here before we did.
From a century of spills and stains and such.
And I can only afford so many candles.
So.
What should I do?
That’s what I’m asking today.
For real.
What’s a low-cost, highly effective, not-super-perfume-y thing that smells good?
11 Comments
LaceyKeigley
These are all fabulous ideas – I'm going to try lots of them!
Thanks friends!!
Aleya
Murphy Oil Soap. Best thing ever for wood floors. Especially "stinky" wood floors. Also, white vinegar straight from a squirt bottle and then damp mop to clean leftovers is good. Hope it works! 🙂
Kristen Lavinder
We had the same problem in our house when we moved in. We found out that the smell was actualy coming from under the house. We ended up having to putting down a plastic barrier under it. If it is just the floor, I would try Murphy's oil soap or sprinkle some baking soda on the floor and pushing it around with a broom to work it into the cracks, wait overnight, then vacuume well. I have also heard of people mopping with vinegar. Good luck!
Sarah Finnigan
The title of this post reminded me of one of my dad's sisters who never would say something smelled good. Instead, she would say 'it stinks good'.. As children, we never figured out whether this meant that she liked the smell or not.
quietgracesphotography
Orange rinds in a pot of boiling water. Maybe then use the water to let Otto and Piper mop up? My girls love love love to clean as long as water is involved 🙂
abbey
Vinegar and steam cleaning.
Essential oils are good. I just add a few drops to surfaces and rub in.
Borax is good too
Cindy H.
You could seal the floors which I am sure you don't really want to deal with. If you just want the air in the house to smell good, a trick I use is to boil spices on the stove – I use cinnamon, clove, allspice, etc. – use whatever you like. You can also do this in the oven, but I don't think you want to turn on the oven in this heat. In the winter, I put the spices in a cast iron kettle which sits on the woodstove. I have also placed a few drops of my favorite essential oils on cotton balls and taped them in my vents to disperse the scent throughout the house.
@treadingwater
I don't have a recommendation for you, but I do have a steam cleaner that I use on my hardwoods if you would like to borrow it.
Sally
I got nothing. We have the same situation, the smell of Old, and not Oh, That's So Vintage and I love It! old.
Listening in….
alli
i always like to put a few drops of essential oil in water on the stove and simmer it – orange, cinnamon or mint are the ones i like!
Rhonda F.
White vinegar usually works, especially if the smell is from urine. You can do the floors with a steam cleaner approved for hardwoods. Your house might smell like vinegar for a day, but it will dissipate. Some great odor absorbing/masking tips here (most are not overpowering and have awesome smells! http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070…