Scentsational tips for selling your house

More than love is in the air as spring has sprung. If you’re one of the millions putting your house on the market in this peak season, avoid allowing its scent to sink the sale.

Here are a few simple tips from the experts that will help you enjoy the sweet smell of success when preparing your home for sale.

Air things out. For a few minutes each day, open the windows and let the fresh smell of spring replace winter’s mustiness with a crisp, clean scent.

Give your mattresses and upholstery an odor-absorbing once-over. Sprinkle a little baking soda over everything and let it sit for 30 minutes or more before vacuuming the smells away. Or, if you’re especially ambitious, give them a power cleaning. Carpets, too, are notorious for trapping nose-wrinkling odors in their fibers.

Run some citrus scraps such as orange peels or juiced lemons through your kitchen’s garbage disposal. And if you’re a fan of simmer pots, try lemon and mint together for a spring variation on the traditional cinnamon and cloves.

Get the opinion of a trusted friend or neighbor. Take a smell survey. Someone you trust will let you know if it’s time to remove the kitty litter and give Garlfield a trip to cat spa for the duration of your home selling process.

The jury is still out whether using air fresheners, fresh cut flowers or baking chocolate chip cookies before a home tour is a good idea. Spring is peak allergy season, and you don’t want potential buyers leaving your home with the sniffles. Ask your real estate agent for advice on the added smells that best sell homes. Your added efforts to freshen things up may be just what home buyers ordered.