Looks like a house, smells like a litter-box?!

Are air fresheners the key to clean healthy air?

I attended a training awhile ago where the speaker talked of how some agents will "name" a house when showing as it is much easier to remember than 123 Main Street or 456 Mockingbird Street.  The names selected for each house was based on what the buyers could remember most about the house when referencing it, for example "Pretty Red Door", "Tuscan Style Kitchen"...and while they can't all be that positive there was also names like "the Cat Pee" house; the point was you didn't want YOUR listing to be known as the house with the negative name!

As a real estate agent, we enter people's homes daily, showing homes to our clients.  In doing so we encounter many things, the one I am writing about today is what your nose will notice...the smells/scents of a house when you enter.  Some are so strong that I cannot even enter the house. Recently while previewing (thank goodness my client was NOT present) the odor was extremely offensive and so overwhelming that I could not and would not enter...luckily it was VACANT, so I simply tossed my card inside, shut the door and locked up.

We've all been in the houses that smell like pets, smoke, strong spices, dirty laundry, mold, you name it!  I am sure many real estate agents have run into houses with worse, and I personally don't want to know...I do have a weak stomach so keep those scary stories to yourself, thank you.

I recently was touring through homes when one home in particular had so much air freshener coming from it, you could smell it when you opened the front door.  Now although it was not offensive to me, the scent was really strong and another agent reacted to the strong scent...or rather his lungs did and he was left breathless reaching for his inhaler. 

After researching air fresheners on the internet, I found an article in the Seattle PI about Toxic Fragrances.  I honestly didn't realize that air fresheners could have TOXIC ingredients and still be approved for sale!  Silly me!

While researching for this blog I mentioned my research to my husband John and he let me know about Just a Drop...if you haven't seen this...click on the link and take a peek, it's John's contribution to my blog submission.

I then wanted to find natural air fresheners, you know simple solutions to freshen up a place without toxins, and I found several but this one had recipes for homemade air fresheners...which I liked.  Also check out Orangemate (bad name, but good product...at least according to the link). 

Please consider the effects of those air fresheners on not just the environment, but on your health and look for natural solutions and essential oils to add scent without the harmful side affects!  Here's to being healthy and green!

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More posts on Home-owner Tips:

Vancouver WA Homeowner Tips - Got "stinky" paint?
If These Walls Could Talk!
The Terminator in Bambi's Skin?! (aka - Deer Gone Bad?)
Neighborhood GAS Saving Tips!
Vancouver WA Home Owner Tips: Have Your HVAC System Serviced!

Clark County WA Parade of Homes 2008 in Felida Washington

Contact Kathryn Alexander and John Slocum, Alexander ~ Slocum Team Realtors®, RE/MAX equity group, inc. Licensed Real Estate Agents and Realtors® in the State of Washington at 888-525-5528 ext 81 to list your property for sale or, to purchase a property in Vancouver, Camas - Washougal, Felida, Salmon Creek and the rest of Clark County Washington.  We're your friendly referable RE/MAX Realtors® in Vancouver Washington!

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