We recently bought a house that underwent a complete renovation after sitting vacant for a year. The previous owners lived there for a long time—and we suspect might have been hoarders—so there are lingering smells despite the new carpets and fixtures. The HVAC contractor mentioned that the odor smells similar to cat pee, but we can't find any mold or visible issues. I tried some dehumidifiers and HEPA filters, but I need more advice on how to improve the smell overall. Any suggestions on what I can do? Thanks in advance!
3 Answers
This might sound a bit odd, but have you tried using Febreze? It works by actually breaking down the odors rather than just masking them with fragrance. There’s this story about a woman who worked in animal control and had persistent skunk smells that disappeared after using Febreze. It’s worth a shot to make the house livable until you tackle the source of the smell! Just keep in mind that it doesn’t have a strong scent like other air fresheners.
Another tip is to dust some baking soda on your carpets and let it sit overnight before vacuuming. It’s great for absorbing odors! Leaving bowls of baking soda around the house can also help keep things fresh. And if you want a quick fix, boiling a mixture of vinegar and water can neutralize some of those smells. Just be aware that it’s more of a short-term solution, but it can definitely help in the meantime!
First things first, you might want to clean out your HVAC ducts, as they can trap a lot of odors. If that doesn’t do the trick, I’d suggest checking underneath the flooring; sometimes, old smells can linger in the subfloor. If you notice stronger odors in specific areas, you might need to repaint with a Kilz primer. Also, running an ozone generator could help, but be careful not to overdo it—you don’t want to cause any damage. Start low and see how it goes!