3,345,091
Make sure it is clean. I do not recommend any kind of air freshener.
The best air freshener is clean air from outside. Open some windows and air out the home.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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Gary Frimann, CRS, GRI...
Gilroy, CA
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
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Karen Climer
Orlando, FL
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Norbert Fabre, MRSA
Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Dario Ferreira
Attleboro, MA
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
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Kathleen Daniels, Prob...
San Jose, CA
1,452,819
I haven't smelled anything but lilacs in the last decade or so but I do imagine my clients keep a clean home so no additives necessary. Clean for the win!
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
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Kathleen Daniels, Prob...
San Jose, CA
1,543,656
Prep:
Professionally having it cleaned and the carpets shampooed. Then...
Keeping it clean. Because it's fraud to mask odors otherwise.
Smoke and pet smells sometimes require new window treatments, paint and carpet if cleaning doesn't remove the odors.
No candles, no plug ins, no artificial masking.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
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Thomas J. Nelson, REAL...
La Jolla, CA
1,196,798
In homes that had tobacco, pet odors, or other strong scents I had an air purifier that I would use, with the owners permission of course
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
3,854,886
A clean house is an answer. Be careful with those plug-ins and other strong smells. There are some who are allergic and the rest wonder what you are covering up.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
7,836,134
I have never made this kind of recommendation and am anxious to see the answers.
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Karen Climer
Orlando, FL
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
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Norbert Fabre, MRSA
Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Margaret Rome Baltimor...
Pikesville, MD
5,104,931
Keeping a home clean is the first step.
Airing out the home is a good second step.
When I've sold my own homes, I would burn a vanilla candle (not a very strong scent) in advance and always got comments about how great the house smelled.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Kevin J. May
Hobe Sound, FL
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
195,422
Here's an article of someone who tried too hard to ask the odor.
The Realtor put air fresheners in the air ducts to mask the smell. I believe the agent was also the owner of the home.
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
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Karen Climer
Orlando, FL
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
2,781,173
It's a good subject and there is a cure for every home. Normal and artificial scents can sometimes work against you as we know. The key is moderation in whatever we do. I like opening windows to air out the place, I favor pine sol way prior to visitors coming over and I never met anyone that didn't like the smell of oven baked goods whatever they are. While a good cleaning is a good start, sometimes certain smells refuse to leave the walls, ceilings and floors where they hide. Then, a paint job is in line or a carpet replacement? From fresh flowers to a complete TSP bath, smells don't have chance if we decide to take them on. The future buyer is entitled to that
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
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Kathleen Daniels, Prob...
San Jose, CA
1,052,211
Depends on why it smells bad in the first place. And it's not a recommendation, it's a requirement for me to have that listing.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Nina Hollander, Broker
Charlotte, NC
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
2,684,009
Keep it showroom clean.
If it smells really bad (musty, smoke, cooking odors, cat litter boxes, whatever) then paint it. Be sure to paint the ceilings.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
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Kathleen Daniels, Prob...
San Jose, CA
3,587,960
Clean as a whistle. How clean is that? White glove clean! And don't use any smells. That is the biggest turn off. Ugh.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Fred Griffin Florida R...
Tallahassee, FL
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Kevin J. May
Hobe Sound, FL
6,393,179
Get rid of the source of the odors, many times this involves drastic measures including getting rid of all carpeting and more.
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Nicholas Crane
Cadott, WI
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
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Roy Kelley
Gaithersburg, MD
1,197,097
I am a big fan of plug in's. I don't care what brand, I have several because I can never remember which brand I prefer to use when I buy the refills at the grocery store.
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Doug Dawes
Topsfield, MA
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Peter Mohylsky, Beach ...
Miramar Beach, FL
378,517
Clean, if you must have a smell.... bake
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Norbert Fabre, MRSA
Fort Lauderdale, FL
4,936,605
Bake some cookies.
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Hannah Williams
Philadelphia, PA
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
1,153,794
The only concern is presence of cigarette smoke. It cannot be masked or easily explained to the smoker. An OZONE generator will work although the "clients" will not be able to continue the habit after they return home. Treatments could take as little as 2 hours or up to 2 days depending on its severity. I will always begin with the suggestion of a professional cleaning before adding OZONE into the conversation. Saying "hey, your house stinks" is not the best way to begin.
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
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Anna "Banana" Kruchten
Phoenix, AZ
2,241,053
Suggest taking the two wet St Bernards or 3 Pitbulls for a dairy bar dish of ice cream. Get there early to dump the two over flowing cat boxes and crank open a couple windows. Sometimes the smells can make some buyers feel right at home... "Hey honey, love that cigar smell... reminds me that I need to light up a stogie. You seen my lighter or got a pack of matches on you Stella?"
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
1,556,468
2,436,099
Clean the home, open the windows, bake bread, do NOT use air fresheners.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
901,535
Not the plug-ins! A good cleaning for certain. Fortunately I don't run into many issues. Essential oils can be good. That's what I use at home.
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Brenda Mayette
Glenville, NY
2,339,137
William Piotrowski Bake a pie or bake a cake - always makes a house smell wonderful - they sell frozen pies
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Roy Kelley
Gaithersburg, MD
5,828,820
Hi William- if you can let fresh air in before a showing. Make sure everything is clean!!! Run ice cubes or baking soda and vinegar down your garbage disposal. DO Not overpower the senses with candles and air fresheners around the home.
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
1,311,397
I am in the camp of those who have advocated a thorough cleaning. Yet, smells can persist in fabrics such as carpets and drapes which may have to be removed to achieve the clean smell goal.
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Carla Freund
Raleigh, NC
417,221
Sprinkle baking soda on carpets the day before and vacuum with vacuum bag clean and empty. Clean everything including window treatments or toss them if they have smoke damage. Open windows.
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John Juarez
Fremont, CA
672,772
Dear William,
Go for plain clean. Clean always sells. There are so many people with allergies, that just about any scent will annoy someone. I have had people run out of homes, because of their violent reactions to some plug-in smell or potpourri they could not handle.
763,883
It start way before the house if listed for sale. Smoking in the house makes in harder to sell and this odor is hard to get out of the house. I'm not big on phony or artificial smells such as vanilla or freshly baked cookies. The house showing clean, light and bright, in good repair with good curb appeal and manicured lawns works best.
921,504
#1 Clean
#2 Don't do anything stupid
#3. Chocolate/cinnamon anything in the oven.
No artifical fragrances of any kind. No Candles. No wall warts.
#4 Yes to fresh cut Gardenia blooming if Fl now. Yep, some will be allergic, but it will be a GOOD allergic.
851,242
Clean. And then clean again. And then hire a cleaner to clean. And then open a window. Let restaurants make your seafood dinner & let a trusted contact or the kennel keep your pet for a few days while you allow showings. And then clean one more time.
5,216,398
I have suggested an owner to strongly consider a professional cleaning but never a specific air freshener!