Odors in Vacation Rental Homes: How to Eliminate Them and Avoid Negative Reviews Due to Smell

Smell is the first thing a guest notices when opening the door. Before seeing the decor, before trying the bed, before connecting to WiFi. And here lies the problem: you no longer smell your own apartment. You've entered so many times that your nose has gotten used to it. But the guest can smell it. And if it smells bad, you've already lost half a point in the review before they even unpack. In this post, I’ll tell you how to detect odors you don't perceive, how to eliminate them at the root (not just cover them), and which products really work without spending a fortune.

Why Smell Matters More Than You Think

There is a phenomenon called "olfactory fatigue." Your brain stops processing smells to which it is constantly exposed. That’s why you enter a friend's house with a cat and think "ugh, it smells like cat," but they swear they smell nothing.

The same happens in your vacation rental. You enter, clean, leave. You don’t notice anything strange. The guest opens the door after a 4-hour trip, with a fresh nose, and the first thing they encounter is that smell of humidity, fried food from the previous tenant, or cheap cleaning products.

The result? Reviews like:

• "The apartment was clean but smelled weird"
• "Musty smell in the bedroom"
• "Smelled like tobacco even though it says no smoking"
• "Too much air freshener, overwhelming"

Any of these comments lower your cleanliness score. And on Airbnb and Booking, cleanliness rating is one of the most influential in the algorithm.

Typical Odors in Vacation Rentals (and Where They Come From)

Not all odors are the same. Each has a different origin and therefore a different solution. Let’s go step by step.

Humidity and Mold

This is the classic. Especially in closed apartments for days between guests, ground floors, bathrooms without windows, or coastal cities. The musty smell comes from microscopic fungi that grow where there is stagnant water or unventilated air.

Where it hides:

• Behind the shower curtain
• In the grout of tiles
• Under the sink
• In the air conditioning filter
• In towels stored damp
• In mattresses that have absorbed moisture

Closed Space Odor

Different from humidity. It’s that stale air smell, like an empty apartment. Appears when there’s no air circulation for days. Especially strong in low season.

Food and Cooking

Fried foods, garlic, fish, strong spices. They cling to curtains, sofa textiles, and the range hood. If your previous guest cooked a garlic paella, the next will smell it.

Tobacco

The worst. Even if you put "non-smokers," someone always breaks the rule. Smoke sticks to walls, curtains, mattresses, and ceilings. It’s one of the hardest odors to eliminate.

Cleaning Products

It may seem contradictory, but an apartment that smells too much of bleach or industrial air freshener is also bothersome. The guest thinks: "It smells so strong because they’re covering something up."

Pets (even if not allowed)

If you’ve ever had pets in the apartment, the smell stays. And if you accept pets, even more so. If you have a pet-friendly rental, this point is critical.

Pipes and Drains

Sewer smell rising through the bathroom or kitchen drain. Usually appears in apartments that are empty for several days because the siphon dries out.

How to Detect Odors You No Longer Smell

This is the key part. If you don’t smell anything, you can’t fix it. Practical tricks:

Leave the apartment for 30 minutes and come back

The simplest and most effective trick. Leave, take a walk around the block, have a coffee. Return and open the door as if you were a guest. Those first 5 seconds will tell you the truth.

Ask someone outside

A friend, your partner, the cleaning person. Someone who doesn’t enter every day. Their nose is objective.

Read your reviews

Look for words like "smell," "odor," "stinks," "humidity," "tobacco." If they appear even in a review from 6 months ago, take note. It’s not accidental.

Smell specific areas

Don’t limit yourself to smelling the general air. Bring your nose close to:

• The mattress (without sheets)
• Inside the wardrobe
• Curtains
• The sofa
• The trash can even if empty
• The air conditioning filter
• The shower drain

How to Truly Eliminate Odors (Not Just Cover Them)

Here’s the most common mistake: people buy increasingly stronger air fresheners to mask the smell. That only makes it worse. What you need to do is eliminate the source.

Ventilation, ventilation, ventilation

It’s free and the most effective. Between guests, open all windows for at least 30 minutes. If you have cross-ventilation (windows on opposite sides), even better. In 15 minutes, you renew all the air in the apartment.

If the apartment will be empty for several days, leave a couple of windows with the micro-ventilation grille open. Or schedule cleaning visits to ventilate.

Baking soda: your best friend

Baking soda absorbs odors. It doesn’t just mask them, it absorbs. And costs about 1 euro per pack.

• Sprinkle on the mattress, leave for 30 minutes, vacuum
• Place an open jar inside the wardrobe
• Add a handful to the trash can
• Mix with water to clean the inside of the fridge

White vinegar for bathrooms and kitchens

For drains, joints, and humid areas. Mix half vinegar and half water in a spray. Spray, leave for 10 minutes, rinse.

For drains: pour a glass of baking soda followed by a glass of vinegar. It will foam. Leave for 15 minutes. Rinse with hot water. Say goodbye to sewer smell.

Deep textile cleaning

Textiles are odor sponges. Every now and then (not every cleaning, but every 2-3 months):

• Wash curtains in the washing machine
• Wash sofa covers if washable
• Wash blankets and throws
• Wash bedspreads

If they’re not washable, use a steam upholstery cleaner. Rent it for 30-40 euros over the weekend or buy one for 100-150 euros, and it will last for years.

Air conditioning filters

One of the most overlooked odor sources. Remove filters, wash with water and soap, dry in the sun. Do this at least every 2-3 months. If your AC smells odd when turned on, the problem is there.

More about this in the post on heating and air conditioning.

The coffee trick for strong odors

If you have a persistent smell (tobacco, fried food), place plates with ground coffee beans on the floor for 24 hours. It absorbs odors like a beast. Cost: 2 euros.

Comparative Table: Odor-Removing Products

Product	Cost	What it’s for	Effectiveness
Ventilation	0 euros	Everything	High
Baking soda	1-2 euros	Textiles, closets, trash	High
White vinegar	1 euro	Bathrooms, drains, humidity	High
Ground coffee	2-3 euros	Strong odors (tobacco, fried food)	Medium-high
Activated charcoal (bags)	10-15 euros	Closets, bathrooms without windows	Medium
Essential oil diffuser	20-40 euros	Subtle ambient aroma	Low for elimination, good for scenting
Ozone generator	80-200 euros	Tobacco, pets, extreme cases	Very high
Spray air freshener	3-8 euros	Temporary masking	Low (and sometimes worsens)

When Does an Ozone Generator Make Sense?

If you have a serious problem (a guest who smoked inside despite the ban, a pet that peed on the sofa, impossible-to-remove humidity smell), an ozone generator can save your life.

Ozone oxidizes odor molecules and destroys them. It doesn’t just mask them. It eliminates them.

How it works:

1. Remove plants, food, and pets from the apartment
2. Close doors and windows
3. Turn on the device for 1-2 hours
4. Leave the apartment (you can’t breathe concentrated ozone)
5. When you return, ventilate for 30 minutes
6. Odor eliminated

A decent device costs between 80-150 euros. If you manage a vacation rental, you’ll recover the investment in less than a year compared to hiring external deep cleaning services.

Important: ozone is toxic while active. Never use it with people, pets, or plants inside. Ventilate well before guests arrive.

What NOT to Do (Common Mistakes)

Overusing air fresheners

Excess artificial scent is a red flag for guests. Think: "If it smells so much like flowers, they’re covering something up." Better to have a very subtle scent or none.

Burning scented candles

Don’t even think about it. Fire risk, and if the guest finds it out, they’ll think it’s used.

Bleach indiscriminately

Bleach kills bacteria but leaves an aggressive smell associated with "hospital" or "dirty covering up." Use sparingly and rinse well.

Ignoring the trash can

The trash can is the number one source. Wash it inside every 2-3 cleanings. Changing the bag isn’t enough.

Not checking the mattress

A mattress with old stains smells even if you put clean sheets on top. Always use a mattress protector and wash it regularly. More details in the post on mattresses for vacation rentals.

Ambient Aroma: How to Scent Without Overdoing It

Once the background smell is eliminated, you can add a subtle aroma. But with caution.

Effective options

• Reed diffuser (diffuser with sticks): 10-20 euros, lasts 2-3 months. Constant, gentle aroma. Recommended.
• Lavender or cedar sachets in wardrobes: very cheap and effective
• Electric diffuser with timer: for common areas, programmed for 1 hour daily

Scents that most people like

• Citrus (lemon, orange, bergamot): feeling of cleanliness
• Lavender: relaxing, associated with clean sheets
• Mild vanilla: cozy
• Green tea or eucalyptus: fresh, spa-like

Scents to avoid

• Very strong floral (jasmine, intense rose)
• Musk or "masculine" aromas
• Very sweet exotic fruits
• Anything reminiscent of cleaning products

Odor Prevention Protocol for Each Guest Change

Include it in your cleaning routine. It adds no more than 10 minutes.

1. As soon as you enter, open all windows
2. While cleaning, keep ventilating
3. Wash sheets and towels (you already do this)
4. Clean the inside of the trash can with vinegar
5. Pour a stream of vinegar + hot water down the drains
6. Check if the air filter smells
7. Close windows 15 minutes before the guest arrives
8. Lightly spray a mild aroma in common areas (optional)

If you follow this protocol, 95% of odor problems disappear.

How Autoregistro Fits In

While you ensure the apartment smells freshly ventilated, there’s something else that must be ready when the guest arrives: the SES Lodging registration.

Autoregistro is the simplest way to do it. The guest receives a link, fills out a form, and the data automatically goes to SES. You don’t have to do anything.

It costs 1 euro per month per property. Less than the baking soda you’ll buy this month. And it saves you the most boring part of managing a vacation rental.

FAQ

How often should I ventilate if the apartment is empty?

Ideally every 2-3 days, at least 20 minutes. If you can’t go, leave micro-ventilation open or install a timer fan.

Do plug-in air fresheners work?

Yes, to maintain a constant aroma. But they don’t eliminate odors, only mask them. If they have a strong scent, they can be overwhelming. Better to use reed diffusers or essential oil diffusers at low volume.

How do I eliminate tobacco smell if a guest has smoked inside?

Wash all textiles, clean walls with water and vinegar, ventilate for 24-48 hours, and if it persists, use an ozone generator. In extreme cases, repaint walls. And charge for non-compliance with the no-smoking rule (be sure to include this in your deposit, see more in deposits and security bonds).

Can an ozone generator damage furniture or paint?

Used correctly (1-2 hours maximum, not daily), no. If left running for 8 hours or used weekly, it can degrade rubbers, soft plastics, and some paints. Use it only when necessary.

Can I put scented candles to make it smell good when guests arrive?

No. Fire risk if left burning, and if left unlit with a burnt wick, they look used. Use reed diffusers or plug-in diffusers instead.