8 nuances that make even a perfectly tidy house seem dirty

Any housewife understands that moldy corners or sections of walls in the bathroom should not be shown to friends or mother-in-law. But it turns out that there is another nuance that irritates guests – it was mentioned by many respondents. They said they found wet or dirty towels off-putting, which is good news: It doesn’t take much effort to replace towels.

“Would you like to let people know that they were really welcome?” Hang fresh towels in the bathroom so you can use them easily without having to guess which one to buy. If you want to leave a lasting impression, quickly wipe down the surfaces and light a scented candle to win first place in the Hostess of the Year competition,” explains Claire De Boer, organizer of the space.

No one expects your kitchen to be spotless, especially if a holiday dinner was just prepared there. However, it turns out that a dirty dishcloth can bother anyone – after all, a person immediately has a picture in his head of how you wiped the plate from which he eats or the cup from which he served coffee with a dirty cloth.

Stains on carpets or rugs scare few people – we’ve all spilled tea at least once. But it turned out that textile accessories in the toilet are a completely different matter: customers immediately wonder where the yellow marks come from and come to disappointing conclusions that cause a flash of disgust. So don’t forget to wash the rug next to the toilet, or simply remove it if strangers use the bathroom.

No housewife will tolerate cobwebs in the corners, leave visible dirt on the windows or visible shoe marks on the floor. Crumbs and stains in the cutlery tray are another matter: when we notice that they have appeared, we very often tell ourselves that we will deal with them tomorrow and close the drawer. It turns out that this is a big mistake: dirt in the compartments where forks and spoons are located disgusts people – they think that the cutlery is clean only in appearance, and the owner of the house begins to be considered sloppy and doesn’t do it. respect hygiene rules.

“All sorts of unpleasant things” on the edge of a trash can, its lid or the floor nearby took first place on the “disgusting list”: neither dust on surfaces, nor wrinkled curtains or curtains, nor stains on the furniture evoked an equally strong negative. emotions among survey participants. But there is good news: simply hiding the bucket from prying eyes will solve the problem.

You shouldn’t ask guests to take milk out of the refrigerator for coffee if you don’t remember the last time you washed it: it turns out that stains and crumbs on the shelves can cut you appetite. However, the reasons for this are clear: no one wants to think that the food they have just eaten is stored in unsanitary conditions.

The issue of unpleasant odors is different from others: few people do not understand that the stench will horrify even the most loyal customer, and yet it was mentioned very often by those interviewed during the survey. Why does this happen? As Leslie Stein of the Monell Center for the Chemistry of the Senses in Philadelphia explains, it’s a matter of “olfactory blindness”: we stop smelling unpleasant aromas emanating from constantly nearby objects. To put it simply, you may simply not notice that the apartment smells bad.

How to manage this? Cleaning Services President Alicia Sokolowski advises making a natural air freshener. “The combination of rosemary and lemon always works: it is associated with freshness and comfort. Slice a lemon, throw it into a saucepan with fresh rosemary, cover with water and simmer for an hour before guests arrive to fill the whole house with a wonderful aroma. You can also take a glass of the resulting solution, strain it, add a quarter cup of clear alcohol or rubbing alcohol, and spray the mixture on couches, pillows, and curtains, Alicia advises.

Also Read: What Cleaners Do to Make Your Home Smell Fresh: 10+ Pro Secrets

As space organizer Meredith Goforth explains, blindness is sometimes more than olfactory: We often don’t notice the local pockets of clutter that catch guests’ attention — carelessly folded sheets, a pile of shoes messy in the hallway, a pile of papers on the floor. painting. “This is something that is particularly visible to other people, so try looking at your home after cleaning from an outsider’s perspective. Keep rooms tidy and make sure everything has its place,” advises Meredith.

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