5 Smells That Could Prevent Your Home From Selling

As you live in your home, you get nose-blind to odors that can hit your buyers on the honker harder than a right cross. We're not talking about forgetting to change the cat box. Some smells are so pervasive that they could signal real trouble to a buyer. And that means no sale for you.

Here are five smells that could turn your home into a stinker.

Stuffiness. To make our homes more energy-efficient, we've caulked, blown insulation, weather-stripped and sealed our way to greener utility bills. But for every action, there's a reaction. The result of making your home airtight is that you lock all odors in.

Homes are more comfortable when they breathe. Open a window and reintroduce yourself to the aromatic delights of fresh-mown grass and flowers and the light undulating touch of natural breezes.

Dusty, musty odors linger in rooms that aren't used much or aren't updated like old tile bathrooms. Sniff out culprits like guest bedspreads, long curtains that are rarely opened, and old carpets that could use a good cleaning.

Pets. Poop and pee are part of the deal when you have pets. From goldfish to iguanas, you have to deal with feeding and cleaning up after pets. When you're selling your home, you have to really keep on top of it.

And if you have pets with fur, you have to groom them. Dogs need As you live in your home, you get nose-blind to odors that can hit your buyers on the honker harder than a right cross. We're not talking about forgetting to change the cat box. Some smells are so pervasive that they could signal real trouble to a buyer. And that means no sale for you.

Here are five smells that could turn your home into a stinker.

Stuffiness. To make our homes more energy-efficient, we've caulked, blown insulation, weather-stripped and sealed our way to greener utility bills. But for every action, there's a reaction. The result of making your home airtight is that you lock all odors in.

Homes are more comfortable when they breathe. Open a window and reintroduce yourself to the aromatic delights of fresh-mown grass and flowers and the light undulating touch of natural breezes.

Dusty, musty odors linger in rooms that aren't used much or aren't updated like old tile bathrooms. Sniff out culprits like guest bedspreads, long curtains that are rarely opened, and old carpets that could use a good cleaning.

Pets. Poop and pee are part of the deal when you have pets. From goldfish to iguanas, you have to deal with feeding and cleaning up after pets. When you're selling your home, you have to really keep on top of it.

And if you have pets with fur, you have to groom them. Dogs need baths, and most need brushing. If you let them get on the furniture, they slobber on their toys, scratch themselves, shed piles of fur, and so on. Febreeze is one idea, but you might have to do a thorough steam cleaning of all fabric surfaces in your home.

Food, smoke and grease odors. If you have a preference for stinky foods like cabbage and fish, you may need to go on a different diet while you're marketing your home. And if you cook a lot, it's a good idea to clean your oven, burners, and any other equipment that may have burned on food or spills. baths, and most need brushing. If you let them get on the furniture, they slobber on their toys, scratch themselves, shed piles of fur, and so on. Febreeze is one idea, but you might have to do a thorough steam cleaning of all fabric surfaces in your home.

Food, smoke and grease odors. If you have a preference for stinky foods like cabbage and fish, you may need to go on a different diet while you're marketing your home. And if you cook a lot, it's a good idea to clean your oven, burners, and any other equipment that may have burned on food or spills.