Keep all litter boxes clean and out of sight, bathe dogs regularly, and wash pet blankets and beds often. Specifically, shampoo carpets and upholstered furniture every three to four months to keep the home smelling fresh — pet odor accumulates in fabric over time and is one of the most common buyer complaints during showings. Additionally, keep hardwood floors swept and mopped so pet hair does not compound the issue. Furthermore, addressing pet odors before listing is not optional if you want buyers to stay long enough to make an offer.

If anyone in the home smokes, smoke exclusively outside while the home is listed — no exceptions. Specifically, cigarette smoke embeds into walls, carpet, and upholstery in ways that are extremely difficult to mask and immediately off-putting to most buyers. Additionally, if smoking indoors cannot be avoided, use an air purifier, diffuser, or ozone machine to help reduce the smell. Furthermore, sprinkling baking soda on carpets and furniture and letting it sit for a few days before vacuuming is an affordable and surprisingly effective way to absorb embedded odors.

Avoid cooking food before a showing — buyers are sensitive to smells and strong cooking aromas, even pleasant ones, can draw them out of the experience. Specifically, use a showing as an excuse to go out for dinner, visit a friend, or have a picnic. Additionally, before leaving, set a wax melter with cookie, citrus, or cinnamon scents to fill the home with welcoming aromas. Furthermore, a vanilla extract trick works well: three capfuls in a mug with half water at 300 degrees for 30 minutes — or cinnamon sticks simmered in water on the stovetop, a tip Sam credits to her mother-in-law.

Keep all shoes away from the front door area and store them in a closet with a freshener inside. Specifically, a pile of shoes by the front door is one of the first smells buyers encounter and it sets a negative tone immediately. Additionally, stay on top of laundry — piles of dirty clothes in hallways or visible from walking paths are both a visual and olfactory problem. Furthermore, empty all kitchen and bathroom trash cans before every showing — it takes seconds and makes a significant difference in how the home smells overall.

Always flush the toilet and close the lid before every showing — this is non-negotiable. Specifically, keep the vanity wiped down, the mirror clean, and good soap and fresh hand towels set out before buyers arrive. Additionally, a light scent is fine in the bathroom — a single air freshener or candle is welcoming. Furthermore, Sam’s advice is direct: do not overdo scents anywhere in the home. You can have too much of a good thing, and a house that smells aggressively perfumed is as off-putting as one that smells bad.