Air Fresheners Are Not a Solution

As a home inspector, I’ve started to notice a growing trend during recent inspections: an excessive number of air fresheners throughout homes. A recent inspection had me note a total of 14 air fresheners in the small basement area alone. While everyone wants their home to smell pleasant, it’s important to understand that air fresheners are not a solution: they’re a temporary cover-up at best.

What Air Fresheners Really Do
Air fresheners don’t eliminate odours; they mask them. Whether it’s a damp basement, mould growth, pet odours, or poor ventilation, the real problem remains hidden behind a cloud of artificial fragrance. This can make it harder for potential buyers or even inspectors to identify serious issues that require attention.

Why This Matters in a Home Inspection
When I walk into a home and find multiple air fresheners in nearly every room, it raises a red flag. It makes me wonder:

• Is there a moisture or mould issue?
• Are ventilation systems working properly? This is especially an issue with homes built in the 80s: increasingly weathertight but lacking modern ventilation.
• Is there a persistent pet, plumbing, or sewage odour?
• Is someone trying to conceal a problem before listing the home? Maybe or maybe not. Homeowners can become "nose blind" to the smells in their own home and air fresheners may be used merely to add a pleasant scent or they can be attempting to cover up foul odours.

Potential Health Concerns
Beyond masking problems, heavy use of air fresheners can also affect air quality. Many contain chemicals like phthalates, benzene, or formaldehyde, all of which can irritate the lungs, trigger allergies, or cause headaches, especially for children or anyone with asthma or sensitivities.

This is an AI generated exaggeration, but not far off what I have observed in some homes.

Address the Source, Not the Scent
Instead of reaching for another plug-in or spray to eliminate the bad smell, consider solving the root cause of the odour:

Improve ventilation: Use bathroom fans, kitchen range hoods, or consider installing mechanical ventilation like HRV/ERV systems. Even a stand alone air purifier is an improvement, even if not ideal. 
Control moisture: Use dehumidifiers (especially in the summer!), seal foundation cracks, or improve drainage around the home.
Clean regularly and naturally: Baking soda, vinegar, and activated charcoal can neutralize odours without chemicals.
Have professional inspections: If you’re unsure of the cause, a home inspector can help identify where the problem is coming from or in some cases can direct you to who to contact or next steps to take.

A fresh-smelling home is great, but a healthy, well-maintained home is far better. Air fresheners might create a pleasant first impression, but they are not a substitute for proper maintenance, ventilation, or repairs and do not resolve the underlying issues that cause unpleasant odours in the first place.