Fairfax, VA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/13/2012 -- By the time you have decided to put your house on the market in Fairfax, you probably already know that the appearance of your home, both inside and outside, is extremely important. But did you know that there is another element that is frequently overlooked, is equally important to how potential buyers perceive your house, and is right under your nose? The smell!

When potential buyers are viewing your home, the way that it smells is just as important, if not more important, than the way that it looks. The brain’s limbic system, which stores memories, is also responsible for identifying a particular odor as it is received by receptors, so emotional memories and smells are very powerfully connected. A clean, refreshing scent can leave people with a positive impression of your property, and a dirty or musty scent can leave people thinking that they simply could not imagine themselves being comfortable in that space. So, as you and your Realtor prepare to show your VA home, follow these tips to ensure that your home has a nice, fresh smell.

(1) Launder all of your curtains and bed linens. Fabrics can be magnets for foul odors.
(2) Place foul-smelling items, such as kids’ sports equipment and shoes, into airtight containers.
(3) Wipe down all of your floors, kitchen countertops, and windows with white vinegar. Although vinegar has a distinct smell when you use it, the smell dissipates and is then neutralizing. Plus, white vinegar is an excellent nontoxic cleaner. Use half of a cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of hot water.
(4) Hire a professional company to steam clean all of your carpets.
(5) Before showing your home, empty all of your garbage cans.
(6) Pay special attention to the pets and pet areas in your home. Place all pet toys in a closet or airtight container before showing your home. Bathe your pets to ensure that they are clean and fresh-smelling. Make sure to empty cat litter boxes and clean up dog waste in your yard. If your pets are indoor pets, you may wish to put them outside or ask if a friend can pet-sit for you while you are showing your home.
(7) If you smoke in your home, you should consider only smoking outside for several weeks before showing your home. Cigarette smells linger and can be very difficult to remove from a home.
(8) Because pet odors and cigarette smoke are the most common smell offenders, be as diligent as possible about smoking outdoors, removing ashtrays from your home, and keeping pet areas inside the house as clean as possible.
(9) Don’t simply rely on chemical “neutralizing” air freshener sprays to cover up offensive odors. Focus instead on removing the source of the odors.
(10) Once you have cleaned and/or removed odor sources, you can add in a pleasant scent to your home. Keep it light and subtle for the best effect. Natural scents such as sage, lavender, eucalyptus, and pine are clean and refreshing. Food scents such as cinnamon rolls, baking bread, or chocolate chip cookies are warm and homey. Or, for a quick and easy home freshener, simply run a few citrus peels through your garbage disposal.

Once you’ve removed the sources of odors in your home, all you need is a fresh, light scent to really appeal to home buyers. There is no need to go overboard with strong smells or air fresheners. The scents that appeal most to home buyers are subtle. Debbie Dogrul Associates can help you to make sure that your home smells nice and clean, leaving a positive, lasting impression on potential home buyers. Visit TeamDDA.com today for more information.