There is nothing worse than coming home and being met with a wall of smell that makes you wish you had never left the office. Smell is an often overlooked sense, but it can have a profound impact on our mood and even our health if subjected to the worst kinds of smell. There are many smells which cause us to hold our noses or even leave a room, but there are some which are so common that it is worth noting them and how to combat them.

Fish - Fish is one of those smells that will linger long into the next day after an evening meal of haddock in milk or of kippers cooked on a Sunday afternoon. The smell can be a joy to some while eating, but once it has hung in the air for a long period of time can make some feel nauseous. Best plan to avoid stinking the whole house out is to instead of frying your fish, try grilling it in the oven and eat it outside on a sunny day, thus limiting the amount of time that it is exposed to the air.

Dog - Some dogs smell. Whether they are the cutest puppy or the most well trained border collie in the world, they can be smelly creatures. Rolling in mud and running around for hours they can build quite an aroma and when cooped up in the house all day can allow their smell to seep under doorways and into nostrils. A way to combat this could be to use a plug in air freshener. Set to go off every few hours, may give a small puppy a fright, but will keep their smell in check.
Smoke - This is a tough one. Smoking is very bad for you and even if you are a non smoker you can be affected by second hand smoke. However, the smell left in a room after a party where many people have been smoking can be very hard to get rid of and can cause your Mum to give you 'that look' when she comes to visit. Smoke sinks into clothes and upholstery, and can even discolour walls and pictures if exposed for an extended period of time. The best thing to do is to smoke outside for the benefit of everyone, but if smoking inside does occur the best option would be to open windows, spray some air freshener and use a fabric cleaning spray on all your sofas and armchairs.

With this advice, hopefully coming home will be a more pleasant experience for everyone. Never underestimate the power of smell!  Sam Qam