A Property Manager’s Guide to Apartment Odor Control

As a property manager trying to rent out units, odors are some of your worst nemeses. Whether it’s the urine creeping up from the carpets, the cannabis smoke crawling down the halls, or the odor of clashing foods traipsing through doorways, bad smells can be a turnoff to prospective renters—and a discouragement for current tenants who may be considering whether to renew their leases.

At State Chemical, we manufacture and distribute biological and chemical solutions for various applications, including odor control. We know that bad smells can be particularly stubborn, and it’s especially frustrating in a rental setting where you can’t control the odors your residents create.

To help you fight odors in your units, we’ll explain the leading causes of odors in apartments and how to eliminate them. After reading, you’ll understand how to effectively control odors on your property.

What are the Main Causes of Odors in Apartments and Condos?

Many of the most common odors originate from organic materials, and any organic material can cause odors, making the sources virtually limitless. That said, certain odors tend to be especially common in apartment and condominium buildings.

Pet Odors

If your property allows pets, odors will inevitably come along with their presence, including those of urine, fecal matter, dander, and pet food. These odors can often make their presence known throughout individual units and shared spaces where pets are common.

Usually, this issue stems from carpets retaining old residue and bacteria. And as long as this old residue is burrowed in your carpeting, it will emit malodors.

Smoke and Cannabis Odors

Additionally, smoke and cannabis odors may be a problem in your building. Whether in individual units or throughout hallways, these are the types of odors that really permeate a space, and for tenants and prospective renters, this can be a dealbreaker.

You may not be able to eliminate this issue at the source, but you can target the air in the hallways as your problem area. By focusing on air treatment in these areas, it’s possible to make communal spaces smell fresh again.

Cooking Odors

Have you ever walked through a building and smelled a cooking odor incredibly distinct and yet unidentifiable? When different tenants cook different foods throughout the building, the scents tend to coalesce and create this strange odor that may plague your halls.

As with smoke odors, you can’t eliminate this issue at the source (after all, it isn’t exactly possible to control what tenants cook), but you can focus on treating the hallways’ air to keep the area smelling clean.

Trash Odors

Finally, trash creates odors powerful enough to make anyone hold their breath. 

Whether your facility utilizes outdoor dumpsters or a trash room, you’ve probably dealt with the icky coalition of trash from across the complex.

For this situation, it will be most effective to zero in on the garbage cans or dumpsters in your odor control efforts.

How to Get Rid of Apartment and Condo Odors

You have a few different options for odor elimination depending on the specific problem area you’re looking to focus on.

How to Eliminate Apartment Carpet Odors

For pet odors or other odors likely tied to the carpeting, you should use a carpet cleaner first if there’s any residue.

But if the stench remains after a cleaning, a fabric refresher spray can effectively deodorize the carpet and/or affected furniture while adding a pleasant scent to the area.

This treatment can be reapplied about weekly to keep odors under control and your space smelling pleasant.

How to Get Rid of Apartment Smoke Odors

Meanwhile, for lingering smoke and cannabis odors, the most effective solution is an automatic scent diffuser. 

If there are constant odors in the air, a handheld air freshener isn’t going to make a big difference. 

However, if you put an automated system in an area where the odor is most prevalent, it will consistently fight smoke odors and add a pleasant scent without management having to reapply a product constantly.

How to Eliminate Apartment Cooking Odors

An automatic scent diffuser is also the best solution for cooking odors that may be lingering in common areas like hallways. 

As with smoke odors, a handheld air freshener won’t impact constant smells throughout the air. Meanwhile, an automatic scent diffuser will keep these problems consistently maintained even if staff forgets.

How to Get Rid of Apartment Trash Odors

Trash odors, like pet odors, must be treated directly at the source.

Grab your garbage cans or dumpsters and spray the interior with an odor eliminator. If there’s liquid pooling at the bottom, you can also use a granular odor eliminator to absorb the liquid and add a fragrance. 

Additionally, if your trash is located in a trash room, you can use an automated scent diffuser to treat odors in the room as a whole.

How to Quickly Deodorize an Entire Unit

To prepare a unit for new tenants or showings, you should use a specialized product.

In this type of situation, you want a fast, easy remedy that controls odors as painlessly as possible. To accomplish this, you can use a total-release air deodorizer. This is an aerosol product where you press down the trigger, leave the room, and let it fog the space with an odor eliminator and fragrance, which provides a quick, effective solution.

Learn About How a State Chemical Air Care Agreement Can Eliminate Odors in Your Building

Persistent odors can deter prospective tenants and affect retention rates. However, this will no longer be a concern for you when using the right odor treatment approach. To learn how a State Chemical air care agreement can help you eliminate odors from your proper, watch the video below.