Does your office smell like a Monday morning?
Stepping into your office, do you often get a whiff of stale coffee, last week’s lunch leftovers, or that weird lingering odor you can’t quite identify?
Subtle (or not) as these can seem, a pungent-smelling office can quickly turn any workspace from productive to near putrid without intervention. It’s not just about the scents either. Poor indoor air quality is also to blame.
But don’t worry, freshening up the scent of any office is easier than you think. Let’s dive into simple, yet effective ways to make any office smell better so you can breathe easy and work happy.
Identify the source of the scent. Is it the overflowing trash bin? A lingering food spill under the desk? A years-old, musty-smelling carpet that’s been unwashed for months now? Or is it the lack of proper ventilation?
Then go to point B from there:
- Trash and recycling: Practice proper waste disposal by emptying trash and recycling bins regularly. Focus on common areas like break rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. Use deodorizing trash bags or sprinkle baking soda at the bottom of the bin if the odor persists/
- Foods and spills: If you’re working in a home office, do not let spilled food or food left out in the open accumulate. Clean them up immediately and avoid eating at your desk. The same goes for those working on-site. Try to take your meals in dedicated breakrooms. If the odor lingers, wipe down surfaces with a vinegar-water mixture or apply a commercial odor eliminator per the instructions on the cleaning solution’s label.
- Carpets and upholstery: Carpets and upholstery are tricky ones because you think you’ve cleaned whatever it is that’s causing the smell, only to peel beneath the layers and find this isn’t the case. Regularly vacuum them and invest in a company that provides professional deep carpet cleaning services.
- Ventilation: Open windows whenever possible to allow for natural light to flow in. Make sure the office’s HVAC system is regularly cleaned, and inspected, and has had dirty filters replaced.
Quick and easy fixes for a fresher office
Sometimes, a quick refresh is all it takes to remove unwanted odors and improve overall air quality in any office. Here’s a few
Here are a few easy and effective solutions:
- Wax melts are a great way to infuse your office with a subtle, long-lasting fragrant. Choose fresh scents like jasmine, lemon, vanilla, or whatever scent seems fresh to you.
- Introduce office plants. Low-maintenance options like snake plants, ZZ plants, or photos are great because they thrive in low-light conditions while helping remove toxins from the air.
- Open windows and let fresh air circulate. Do this for a few minutes each day, and you’ll notice over time its effectiveness in removing stale air and unwanted smells.
- Buy essential oil diffusers or natural room sprays. These help release fresh scents while creating a calming and uplifting atmosphere at the same time.
- If you haven’t yet. Invest in air purifiers with built-in HEPA filters to remove dust, pollen, allergens, and other pollutants. In most HEPA filters, the settings can be controlled through a mobile app. Turn up the settings up or down depending on the current air pollution indicator as detected by the device.
- Place a handful of these in a wide, open container like a bowl or plate in office rooms you want to freshen up. These can help reduce the overall intensity of the odor. Coffee grounds are highly porous, meaning they have a large surface area that traps and absorbs odor molecules. They also contain nitrogen, which helps neutralize odors by breaking down molecules that cause unpleasant smells.
Key Takeaway
Ultimately, having fresh-smelling office rooms depends on how tight your preventative cleaning measures are — prevention, not cure.
If you anticipate that your office might turn into a putrid-smelling area, especially without the intervention of janitorial cleaning services, do your part. Take out the trash, disinfect breakrooms, clean the flooring — all that jazz.
Only THEN can you focus on the quick fixes — allowing indoor air to circulate by opening windows, using room deodorizers, or investing in HEPA-filtered purifiers. All this can go a long way to making your office smell pleasant.