Discover why your office smells, and how you can fix it
It’s a bit of a joke that our sense of smell exists. People usually think about this sense only when something stinks, which is why it is most people’s least favourite. Humans didn’t develop olfactory senses to compete with animals – their noses aren’t even close to as good as a dog’s (although dogs receive all the credit for their strong sense of smell, they’re completely outdone by bears, sharks, and elephants).
For all of its relative weaknesses, our sense of smell is far from useless. Our sense of smell is one of the most powerful senses we have.
We have relied on smell throughout history to help us survive – by quietly telling us when it’s safe to eat, when danger is present, and by helping us recognize familiar surroundings.
We associate smells with emotions and memories – such as how the scent of disinfectant can transport you back to the first day of school, or the memory of a hospital corridor. Similarly, the smell of freshly cut grass can evoke an old memory that has long remained buried in the back of one’s mind.
Discover why your office smells, and how you can fix it
Your home and office both have a distinct smell. As we become accustomed to those smells, usually we become blind to them. On the other hand, we notice smells when they are unpleasant.
It’s usually pretty easy to figure out what smells at home:
- Overflowing refuse bins
- Animals (and people!)
- The toilets
Often, the same is true in the office as well. In many cases, however, tracing the origins of office smells can be difficult. With this article, let’s check out the sources of the smell in your office and see if we can make a difference.
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Food
Is there fish in the microwave? How about abandoned lunches left in the fridge for months? What about a forgotten sandwich in a desk drawer? Those are all familiar experiences in the workplace – and can sometimes cause a little controversy!
The majority of employees admit that they usually eat at their desk (31%) as well. This is the recipe for a keyboard, desk, office chair, and phone-crushing nightmare. Warming up lunch is also a whole smell-producing ordeal (usually only cured by opening the windows).
It is possible for sticky foods eaten at desks to penetrate woodwork or fabric, leaving long-lasting odors. We recommend eating in a canteen or break room rather than eating at your desk during lunch. If you’re prone to spills and if you’re prone to smelling, vinegar is a great way to clean up.
With regard to forgotten sandwiches and left-over groceries, it is crucial to encourage good cleaning practices and get everyone on board with tossing out old food. After all, it could make people ill or trigger allergies, so when it comes to food, office cleaning must be taken seriously.
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Water sinks
Kitchen sinks get absolutely everything thrown at them at the office. There are probably a lot of things left in the sink, so it’s not surprising that they can smell bad. Food, teabags, packaging, we’ve seen it all!
The office sinks that are clogged and slow to run are almost always the source of office odors as well. Cleaning out dishes, food, and debris out of your office sink as soon as possible is your best bet to prevent an office sink smell. You can, however, try this if you’ve passed the point of no return and your office kitchen sink is dripping:
- Fill a kettle with boiling water and pour it down the drain.
- Add about 50g of bicarbonate of soda and let it work for a few minutes.
- Take 250ml of vinegar and 250ml of hot water and mix them together. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Flush the sink thoroughly with water.
- Your sink should be freshened up and speeded up by this!
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Rugs or Carpets
Once you’ve sifted through everything and found nothing, try aiming your nose downwards – below your feet!
Office carpets are often the most difficult to pinpoint when it comes to office smells. Nevertheless, years of mucky feet, walking in mud, and forgotten spills add up to a pretty bad smell In wet weather and with increased foot traffic, a musty, mouldy smell may arise.
There is probably no way your office vacuum cleaner will be able to get rid of that – but you can try treating the carpet with bicarbonate of soda Testing baking soda on a small patch of carpet first is a good idea since it is a mild alkaline.
Baked soda absorbs oil and dirt, which helps remove even stubborn stains and odors more effectively. Pour baking soda on the carpet and let it sit for as long as possible.
After that, simply vacuum everything up.
Action Points
Baking soda can sometimes fail to reach the mark, and carpets may still produce unwanted office odors. Use our office carpet cleaning service for restoring carpets and getting rid of lingering odors. We use powerful, professional grade equipment to clean your office carpets.
Keeping your office clean with a keen nose for details is our specialty at Kleenrite Cleaning Services. Contact us at 0803 620 8815 today and discover how we can make office cleaning as hassle-free and as minimal as possible for you.
