While it’s certainly not a perfect one, there’s an undeniable link between odor and air quality. Many of the substances that threaten air quality also tend to smell bad, and there are even many odorous substances in the environment – known broadly as “environmental odors” – that can lead to physical symptoms, including toxic and extremely harmful side effects.
At Wasatch Clean Air, we’re proud to offer services like air duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning and several others to prevent not only air contaminants in your home, but also poor odors – and especially any contaminants that check both these boxes at once. Let’s go over a few of the most common sources of these kinds of high-odor air contaminants, plus how you can prevent them in your home with a combination of DIY efforts and assistance from our team.
Mold
We’ve gone over mold plenty of times previously in this space, and there’s a good reason why. Mold is one of the single largest threats out there to clean and fresh air within the home, and it’s also a top source of foul odors found in many spaces.
Mold and humidity are directly connected – when humidity levels get too high, as they are prone to do in certain areas of the home, namely bathrooms, the potential for mold formation is far higher. For this reason, if you’re noticing consistently poor odors from any bathroom or another location where moisture and humidity are regularly involved, we recommend using a simple hygrometer that will test the humidity level in a given area. If yours is higher than 60%, there’s a good chance mold formation is what’s causing your odor, and you should take dehumidifying steps to begin remedying this.
Food Sources
Another common source of poor odor contaminants in the home: Food, particularly leftover food that’s expired, rotted or otherwise gone bad. Many of us have made the mistake of forgetting about some food in the back of the fridge for weeks or even months – the wrong kinds of food here will pick up mold and numerous other contaminants.
Periodically, clean out your fridge to avoid these risks. This includes not only throwing away old food, but also washing the inside surfaces.
Soft Fabrics
You may not have realized it, but various soft fabrics like rugs, pillows and similar materials are actually a common collection point for various forms of dust, dirt, bacteria and moisture. If they are left without care for too long, they will often form significant contaminant odors. Be sure to wash and vacuum these fabrics regularly.
Trash Bin
Finally, while trash bins and similar disposal areas will naturally contain some level of odor, there’s a point at which this becomes a risk. Be sure to clean the trash can at least a few times per year – even if you’re throwing things away properly, it will build up contaminants and odors over time.
For more on odor sources that might also be air quality contaminant risks, or to learn about any of our indoor air quality solutions, speak to the staff at Wasatch Clean Air today.
