Bad smells in your home ?
Identifying Odors, Their Origins, and Risks
An odor results from the presence of volatile compounds in the air we breathe. The source of odor molecules can be natural, originating from organic materials (molds, stagnant water) or chemicals (hydrocarbons, essences, gases, synthetic perfumes).
Often, we imagine that a bad smell can be harmful to health, but this reasoning is rarely applied when the smell is perceived as pleasant. However, there is no direct link between olfactory discomfort and the potential danger represented by a smell.
Harmful Organic Sources: Mold
As stated in our dedicated article on molds, the National Housing Campaign 1 (CNL1) conducted between 2003 and 2005 by the Observatory of Indoor Air Quality (OQAI) found that 37% of homes had mold. This measurement campaign was repeated between 2020 and 2023, and the results are currently being published as we write1. We will keep you informed of the progress of this data.
Molds are microscopic fungi that often develop with too high humidity. European standards indicate that the humidity level should be between 30 and 70% to avoid the harmful consequences of air that is either too humid or too dry.
To know the composition of the air in your home and especially its humidity, you can equip yourself with a sensor such as the TEQOYA S1, available for purchase, or rented for a month with the "Test My Air" option.
Molds impact health in several ways:
- They emit spores in large quantities. Spores are the reproductive cells of fungi. If inhaled by sensitive individuals, they can cause irritation of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract or trigger allergy symptoms: rhinitis, bronchitis, asthma... The ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety) declared in 2016 that children exposed to molds over the long term had an increased risk of asthma.
- They are sometimes hard to detect: they can resemble stains, although one can differentiate mold from a stain by its texture (woolly, powdery), its color (blackish or greenish), and the musty odor it emits. Molds also easily develop in inaccessible places, behind walls, or even behind coverings: bulges can be a sign of water infiltration on walls: then one should worry about a possible presence of hidden molds.
To maintain a healthy humidity level for the indoor air quality of your home, do not overheat or opt for an air humidifier if the air is too dry.
Chemical Sources
Household products, air fresheners, furniture, scented candles, and incense contribute to the pollution of our indoor air by emitting many VOCs (volatile organic compounds). VOCs are organic compounds that can easily be found in gaseous form in the earth's atmosphere. They constitute a heterogeneous group of substances, the most well-known of which are acetaldehyde, benzene, formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is found in many DIY products, cleaning products, floors, furniture, plastics, but also in tobacco smoke. Cold tobacco smoke odors are among the most persistent.
These VOCs have harmful effects on health: acute effects during high exposure over a short period, such as irritation of the eyes or mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, and sometimes serious long-term consequences, such as heart problems, toxic effects on reproduction and development, or even certain cancers2.
The Spread of Odors in Collective Housing
If you live in an apartment, bad odors can come from other apartments or common areas of the building. They circulate through doors, pipes, ventilation ducts, and all interstices: false ceilings, junctions between walls and floors, cracks... Porous materials also allow them to circulate.
What Does the Regulation Say About Indoor Air Quality?
Since a decree on October 20, 1969, general and permanent ventilation of housing has become mandatory in France. Other regulations have supplemented this first step, notably the decree of March 24, 1982, concerning housing ventilation.
Long neglected in the face of climate and energy challenges, indoor air quality has returned among the concerns of the French during the Covid-19 health crisis, and regulations are currently evolving. The future CAP 2030 label, constructed by various working groups, integrates for the first time the theme of Indoor Environmental Quality, which is approached from four angles: thermal environment, indoor air quality (IAQ), acoustic environment, and luminous environment.
How to Get Rid of Bad Odors in Your Home?
Renewing the Indoor Air of Your Home
Poorly ventilated housing can cause problems, both for your home or apartment itself and for your health, causing a risk of humidity, mold... and thus the creation of bad odors, musty or stale odors.
It is important to ventilate your home, especially if you are carrying out interior renovation work, when you are cleaning or cooking, with some cooking methods causing the release of many substances, as we detailed in our article "Smells in Your Kitchen, Why and How to Get Rid of Them", if you have pets or engage in creative activities where you use adhesives, paints, solvents...
It is recommended to ventilate for at least 15 minutes a day, in summer as well as in winter. Ensure there is always about a 2 cm gap under your doors, and leave the doors ajar at night to facilitate air circulation.
Finally, be vigilant about properly maintaining your air inlets and extraction vents, which should obviously not be blocked, as well as your ventilation system, whether it is a single-flow or double-flow VMC. Poorly maintained ventilation can generate mold or bad odors in your home, especially if the affected rooms are sources of moisture: kitchen, bathroom, toilets...
A few simple gestures:
- Dust the air inlets every month.
- Clean the extraction grilles 2-4 times a year with hot water.
- Clean the filters of your double-flow VMC every year, and replace them if damaged.3
Prefer Using Natural Products
There are solutions to fight against bad odors. Baking soda is a natural, biodegradable product that is not harmful to the environment or health. It softens water, eliminates odors, and cleans. You can deodorize ashtrays, carpets, cat litter by cleaning them with baking soda. If bad odors are embedded in fabrics like your sofa, you can also remove them by sprinkling baking soda on them and leaving it overnight before vacuuming it up.
It is also recommended to use white vinegar if you have persistent odors. This grandmother's remedy absorbs kitchen odors such as frying odors, fish odors... All you have to do is place a bowl filled with white vinegar on your countertop.
Candles, Incense, and Scented Sprays: Avoid
When you notice that your home emits a bad odor, you may be tempted to mask this uncomfortable smell with incense, a deodorant spray, or a scented candle. However, this is a short-term solution and harmful to your health. Indeed, some of these products can contribute to indoor air pollution by emitting particles and VOCs, sometimes carcinogenic, such as benzene, toluene, formaldehyde... This pollution not only discolors the walls but can also contaminate the ducts of your ventilation system.
Finally, remember that behind the smells are molecules that can be toxic. Masking bad odors leaves potentially harmful substances in the air. Your goal should be to have clean air, rather than just pleasant air for your nose.
An Air Purifier to Eliminate Bad Odors and Enjoy Healthy Air?
Even though ventilation is essential, it is not enough to eliminate some ingrained bad odors: kitchen smells, tobacco, pets... Moreover, air circulation, though indispensable, allows pollutants from outside to enter your home.
An air purifier will allow you to neutralize even the most stubborn odors, not by covering them up, but by eliminating their components. The devices offered by TEQOYA work by ionizing the air, meaning they charge pollutant particles and remove them from the air through electrostatic precipitation. Perfectly silent, the ionizers TEQOYA T200 and T450 are suitable for bedrooms and living rooms. The device TEQOYA E500, with its different adjustment levels and its ability to capture pollutants in its electrostatic filters, will be ideal for your kitchen. Connected to the air quality sensor TEQOYA S1, it will allow you to adjust its speed according to the observed air pollution level, which varies depending on the activity, cooking method, types of food... you use.
Regardless of the chosen air purifier device, TEQOYA air purifiers neutralize odors and up to 99% of ultrafine particles, allowing you to fight against bad odors in your home!
Watch the testimonial video of our customer Thierry Martin, an entrepreneur in Tours.
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