The Importance of Odor Removal When Preparing a Home to Receive Renters

10/12/2020 (Permalink)

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Summary: SERVPRO of Carrollton advises investors on how to remove household odors and repair property damage to prepare a rental property to receive tenants.

As experts in odor removal and deodorization, the team at SERVPRO of Carrollton is trained to identify and eliminate offensive odors. The source of the odors can come from both inside and outside a structure. Mitigating strong odors requires special training, professional-grade cleaning solutions, and advanced equipment. Technicians are IICRC trained in the proper removal of odors. Masking and other shortcuts fail when the odor problem is serious or persistent.

Realtor.com, a national realty advisory company, offers real estate investors and private homeowners tips to prepare a property for rental. Property clean up, property damage restoration, and odor removal are crucial when preparing a property to receive tenants. Following these tips can help investors properly prepare a property to receive a renter.

Tip #1: Conduct a thorough home inspection.

Identify and repair major problems, which may include roof leaks, sagging or clogged gutters, driveway cracks, leaky faucets or pipes, electrical outlets, and burnt-out light bulbs. In addition, inspect floors to make sure they are structurally solid. Current and previous water damage may need the services of a water, fire, smoke, or sewage damage restoration professional. The inspection may turn up mold issues that need remediation. Taking care of these issues while the home is unoccupied can simplify the damage restoration process.

Tip #2: Make the home safe.

Replace worn locks and door hardware that might compromise security. Smoke detectors should be functioning properly. The kitchen and each floor of the home should be equipped with a fire extinguisher.

Tip #3: Inspect appliances and make sure they are clean and in good working order.

Appliances should be clean, safe, and in good operating order. Renting a home with appliances may mean the rent can be increased, but faulty appliances that require frequent repairs or maintenance can eat up this extra income.

Tip #4: Clean up and remove odors.

Potential tenants are turned off by a dirty, unsanitary, and odor-ridden rental property. Here is a checklist of what needs to be cleaned. Choose safe solutions appropriate for the surfaces and applications for which they will be used. The aim is to clean, sanitize, disinfect, and deodorize.

• Wipe down walls, baseboards, and molding around doors and windows.
• Clean windows, blinds, shades, drapes, and curtains.
• Clean toilets, sinks, showers, bathtubs, including hardware.
• Mop and disinfect floors in the kitchen, bathroom, and other rooms that do not have carpeting.
• Vacuum, shampoo, disinfect, and deodorize the carpets to kill germs, remove stains, and eliminate odors.
• Repaint walls with a neutral color to make the rooms seem cleaner and brighter. A primer coat may be needed to ensure that streaks, stains, and odors are thoroughly covered.

Be careful when dealing with serious and persistent odors.

More needs to be said about tobacco, smoke, soot, and pet odors. Removing tobacco odor requires removing nicotine that may coat every surface of the property. When wiping the surfaces, use a safe, strong cleaner approved for residential use. Properly ventilate the house to avoid ingesting the fumes, which can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and mouth. Nicotine poisoning can occur if commercial-grade gloves are not worn. Painting the entire home with a stain and odor-blocking primer may be required to fully cover both stains and residual odor from the tobacco smoke.

Similar or even more stringent precautions may need to be taken when cleaning and deodorizing the rental property for smoke and soot problems. Soot is a toxic chemical substance that should not be ingested or come in contact with the skin, eyes, nose, or mouth. The general cleaning strategies described above should remedy slight to moderate pet odors. However, when the pet odors are serious and persistent, stronger measures may be needed to resolve the odor issues. The odor technicians at SERVPRO of Carrollton are specially trained and equipped to handle the toughest odors in a safe, fast, and efficient manner.

The property damage restoration specialists at SERVPRO of Carrollton, TX, have the training and equipment to identify and eliminate offensive odors. By using surface-penetrating odor removal products, technicians can neutralize an unpleasant odor thoroughly. The science of identifying and eliminating odors requires skill, knowledge, and advanced technology. Contact SERVPRO of Carrollton, TX, by phone at (972) 544-4049 or by email at office@SERVPRO10952.com.