An Australian cleaning professional has exposed the seven unexpected reasons your home might smell worse than you think, alongside straightforward weekly adjustments that can maintain a pleasant aroma in every room.
The Hidden Saboteurs of Home Freshness
Jason Shipway, CEO of Enhanced Cleaning, claims most households remain completely unaware of concealed grime, mould and daily habits secretly undermining their home's freshness. According to this professional cleaner, who regularly shares home advice with his 65,000 Instagram followers, the culprits are rarely what you'd expect.
From shower mats transforming into mould factories to laundry hampers fermenting sweaty gym wear, Jason explains these sneaky odour traps accumulate gradually until your home develops a scent you simply stop noticing. "Take care of these and you'll be amazed at how fresh your home smells and feels," he stated in a recent post that's already attracted thousands of views and comments.
Seven Key Areas to Transform Your Home's Scent
Rather than suggesting overwhelming cleaning regimens, Jason has identified seven crucial checkpoints to monitor over time, plus natural, low-toxicity cleaning solutions for combating bad smells in each area. His straightforward list is simple, but once you've read it, you'll find it difficult to ignore the same spots in your own home.
1. Shower Mats Harbour Mould and Mildew
Your bathroom floor could be responsible for that persistent damp smell plaguing most bathrooms. "Fabric mats go mouldy quick [and] washing doesn't remove the deep smell," Jason cautioned. He recommends regular replacement or abandoning fabric entirely. "Switch to bamboo [or] stone mats – these are a game changer."
2. Sink Drains Accumulate Sludge and Attract Fruit Flies
While kitchens might appear clean superficially, the pipes often tell a different story. "Trapped food sludge plus fruit flies equals bad smells," Jason noted. His solution is both quick and budget-friendly: a weekly flush using bicarb soda followed by boiling water effectively breaks down grime and neutralises odours.
3. Your Bins Serve as Breeding Grounds
If your kitchen never quite achieves that 'fresh' smell despite thorough cleaning, Jason says the bin is almost always responsible. "Liquids leak, cupboards get grimy, and big bins sit too long," he added. His primary hack involves downsizing to a smaller bin that requires more frequent emptying, preventing bad smell accumulation. Jason also advises weekly cleaning of both the bin and cupboard, inside and out. A sprinkle of bi-carb soda at the bottom "keeps smells down", while a cotton bud dipped in essential oil placed inside provides an extra freshness boost.
4. Shoe Racks by the Door Trap Odours
If you've ever entered your home and detected something unpleasant, check your entryway. Sweat, moisture and dirt from shoes on your rack are likely culprits. Jason recommends weekly spraying of shoes with shoe spray and giving the rack "a proper wipe down" to prevent smells from lingering.
5. Laundry Hampers Contain Festering Smells
Dirty gym clothes and damp towels don't merely smell bad – they can fester inside hampers, particularly fabric versions. Jason's golden rule involves washing the hamper itself monthly. For those using fabric hampers, he suggests upgrading to eliminate extra work: "Consider switching to a hard surface hamper instead of fabric for easier cleaning."
6. Air-Conditioning Filters Circulate Stale Air
According to Jason, Australians routinely neglect cleaning one of their home's most important appliances. "Air conditioners can be full of dust and a breeding ground for mould that circulates throughout your home," he warned. His solution proves quick and easy: monthly filter checks that involve vacuuming followed by washing in warm soapy water.
7. Your Dishwasher Harbours Hidden Grime
Even the cleanest kitchen can be compromised by one forgotten component: the dishwasher filter. "If the filter's dirty, the whole kitchen smells," Jason stated. He recommends removing and thoroughly rinsing the filter, wiping door seals, and running a hot cycle with bicarb soda or dishwasher cleaner every few weeks.
Public Reaction and Additional Tips
Jason's followers flooded comments with astonishment at how many areas they'd overlooked, with many admitting they couldn't recall their last air-con filter cleaning or shower mat replacement. Some quickly offered their own suggestions, with one commenter noting that dog leashes and harnesses could cause bad smells. "I'm a dogwalker and I'm amazed at how bad people let them get, at times it has made my eyes burn, that smell carries," they wrote. Another added: "Also, open windows! The amount of houses I see [with] windows never get opened."
