You’ve got a plan to prep your home in the days before your open house: reduce the clutter, pare-down your personal effects, paint strategic walls for a more neutral appearance, and stage it to help buyers visualize it as their own home. But on open house day what scent should permeate your rooms? What would buyers most appreciate?
The absence of odors.
Below is how to make sure your home is odor-free, and some suggestions for open house scents that sell.
Do a Smell Test
Over time you can become used to lingering odors from cooked foods and pets—smells that can be off-putting to house hunters. The last thing you want is for a buyer to love your house, but become discouraged by the prospect of having to get rid of an odor they think might be difficult to remove. So have a friend, who can offer an unbiased nose and opinion, stop by and do a smell test before and after you clean your home so that odors don’t become an issue.
Below, consider these recommendations for performing a deep clean.
Do a Deep Clean
You should scrub or wipe down all hard surfaces in your home so that they shine, including your hardwood floors. Don’t forget to clean your kitchen cabinets, too, since they can collect grease over time.
Choose cleaning products that are unscented or have subtle aromas. For cleaners that contain ammonia or bleach make sure they’re infused with a fresh scent (like lemon or orange) to help offset the smell of chemicals.
Vacuum or steam clean your drapes, carpets, rugs, and any upholstery that could benefit from a good cleaning.
On the day of your open house, and before showings, remember to remove your dog bed or litter box.
And now for choosing an aroma for the big day.
Fresh and Simple Is the Way to Go
When it comes to picking an aroma for your open house experts say that using a simple scent is your best bet. Avoid potpourris and mingled scents because they can distract potential buyers as they subconsciously try to identify the scents instead of staying focused on your house. Instead, stick with one simple aroma like orange, lemon, cinnamon, vanilla, cedar, basil, or pine. Consider using candles or reed diffusers.
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