Why is there a bad smell in my hallway?
The first step to making your hallway smell nice is identifying the reason why it might be smelling unpleasant in the first place. In most homes, the source of bad smells in the hallway is typically due to daily activity – from wet coats and umbrellas creating a damp smell, to shoes bringing in mud, dirt and other debris from the street. You might also be using the empty space in your hallway to dry laundry, keep a pet bed or have a handy storage cabinet. [1]
Keep any damp smells at bay by hanging clothes outside to dry where possible and thoroughly drying your coats and umbrellas as soon as you enter your home. Ensure there’s good ventilation in the space, and keep a dehumidifier nearby for that extra reassurance. Top it off by keeping an Air Wick Aerosol at easy reach so you can give the space a quick spritz whenever it’s needed.
To combat mud, dirt and debris – or the musty smell that can accumulate with pet beds – some regular cleaning and maintenance might be all that’s required. Keep a welcome mat outside your door so people can clean their shoes before entering your home. Clean your pet’s paws when they come in from their walks, and make sure to launder pet beds on a weekly basis. With all this done, why not install an odour-neutralising spray such as the Air Wick Automatic Spray to keep your hallway smelling nice all day long?
Why some bad smells in the hallway can be dangerous
If you’re regularly dealing with unpleasant apartment hallway smells, this could be a sign of something more serious. Some smells in the hallway could be coming from issues that have spread elsewhere in the home and could even be dangerous.
A sulphur smell in the home could mean faulty plumbing
A smell of rotten eggs (or sulphur) in the hallway could be due to poor or faulty plumbing elsewhere in the home. Some companies also inject their gas supply with a sulphur smell, so you’ll know when there’s a leak. If you have a bathtub or sink that isn’t used regularly, the empty pipes could start to smell, too. [2]
Check your drain pipes, inspect your boiler, and look for gas leaks around your home. While some of these problems could be an easy fix – like running water or bleach down under-used drains and opening windows for ventilation – others will require a plumber or engineer to fix.
Smell of urine or rotting meat could mean rodents in the home
A musty smell in the hallway – or the smell of urine or rotting meat – could indicate rodents in your home. Rats and mice can in turn attract other smelly household pests, so treating the problem quickly is important to get your home smelling fresh again. If you spot urine or rodent droppings, clean them up thoroughly and come back to the spot to spray it with disinfectant for a few days afterwards. [3] You may need to call pest control if you have a major problem, but in general, keeping your home clean, putting away food properly, and keeping lids on bins can help keep rodents at bay. [4]
A fishy smell could indicate electrical problems
If it’s a fishy smell you’re dealing with, it could be due to electrical problems, including scorched, overheated, or melted wiring, sockets and outlets. All these could lead to a fire, so get an electrician in to figure out where the issues lie. [1] [3]
On the other hand, if your hallway smells of fish due to cooking smells seeping out from the kitchen, a few simple steps could mean an easy fix. Keeping the kitchen door that leads to the hallway closed can help prevent those smells from entering the hallway, while using the cooker hood and opening a window can help stop smells from lingering. An Air Wick Plug-In Scented Oil might also help provide continued freshness that lifts the mood of your kitchen.
With all the tips and troubleshooting above, you’ll be prepared with a wonderfully welcoming hallway even if you have guests drop in unexpectedly. As the perfect finishing touch, place an Air Wick Reed Diffuser near your front door. Whether you opt for a clean and elegant Linen, sweet Vanilla or White Vanilla Bean, or go fruity and floral with the Tropical Island Breeze or Mystical Garden, these diffusers provide long-lasting fragrance for a truly fresh-smelling hallway.