Before Buyers Turn Green and Quietly Move on
Here’s something sellers tend to be in denial about: You can’t smell your own house. It’s a fact.
Your brain adjusts. It tunes it out. A recent Wirecutter piece alls this “nose blindness,” where frequent exposure to a smell makes you less sensitive to it. Buyers, meanwhile, walk in cold — and they smell everything.
And smell matters more than people think.
Smell goes straight to the emotion center of the brain. Even if it has nothing to do with the house itself, a bad smell can quietly create a negative reaction that buyers may never even articulate. They’ll just say, “It wasn’t a great fit,” and move on.
So if you want buyers focused on the house — not the odor — here’s how to fix it, without overthinking it.
Don’t Mask Smells. Remove Them.
Wirecutter is clear on this: candles and air fresheners don’t solve odor problems — they just cover them up.That can actually backfire, because buyers assume something’s being hidden.
Start with the basics:
- Take out all trash
- Wash pet beds, throw blankets, and laundry
- Clean litter boxes daily
- Scrub the garbage can itself (and recycling and food waste bins)
- Clean the dishwasher, disposal, and especially front-loading washing machines (they get gross)
If it’s washable, wash it.
Soft Surfaces Are Usually the Culprit
According to Wirecutter, odors often cling to carpet, rugs, curtains, and upholstery — things that quietly absorb cooking smells, pets, sweat, and everyday life.
This is why carpet replacement (or at least a deep professional cleaning) is consistently one of the best pre-sale investments. Big impact, relatively low cost.
If it’s fabric and you can clean it, clean it.
Step Three: Ventilate Like You Mean It
Open windows on opposite sides of the house to create airflow. Run bathroom and kitchen fans. Replace HVAC filters.
Moving air is one of the most effective ways to clear lingering odors — especially after cooking.
Fresh air is magic!
Neutralize — Don’t Perfume
Instead of adding scent, absorb it:
- Baking soda
- Activated charcoal
- Unscented odor absorbers
If buyers smell fragrance, they’ll assume there’s a reason for it.
Deep Clean!!
Dusty vents, dirty cabinet fronts, mildew in bathrooms — buyers notice all of it.
Wirecutter points out that many persistent smells are solved with nothing more than a thorough deep clean and regular maintenance. This is one of the easiest, highest-ROI steps you can take before listing.
The Bottom Line
Smell isn’t personal — but it is emotional.
If a house smells off, buyers won’t stick around long enough to appreciate the layout, the light, or the updates. Fix the smell, and everything else will shine a little brighter.
You might also like (video) What Buyers Really Think of Your House
