Why Can't I Smell My Own House? Nose Blindness Explained
Yes, you can be nose blind to your own home, because your brain stops noticing smells it meets every day. So cooking, pets or damp can be obvious to a guest while you notice nothing at all. The fix is to test what your home really smells like, clear the source, and add a light, steady scent on top. If you want a scent that guests notice, our guide to strong reed diffusers shows how to choose one.
What is nose blindness?
Scientists call it olfactory adaptation, and it comes from the way your nose and brain are built to spot new smells, like smoke or food that has gone off. Smells that never change are treated as background, so your brain turns the volume down on them.
That is why you stop smelling your own perfume an hour after putting it on, while a friend can still smell it. The same happens with your home, because you live with its smell every day and so you stop noticing it.
Why does nose blindness matter?
For most people this is harmless, but it does mean you are the worst judge of how your own home smells. These are the common smells that people stop noticing:
- Last night's cooking, especially fried food and spices in open plan kitchens
- Pets, their beds and their blankets
- Damp or mustiness in older homes
- Stale air in bedrooms kept closed
- Bins, drains and washing that dried slowly indoors
Guests walking in from the fresh air outside will notice these straight away, even when you cannot smell them at all.
How can you tell what your home really smells like?
The fresh nose test
- Go outside for at least 15 minutes, and a walk round the block is ideal.
- Come back in and breathe in slowly as you open the front door.
- Note the first thing you smell, because that is roughly what your guests smell when they arrive.
The honest friend test
Ask someone you trust to walk in and tell you the first thing they notice. It can be uncomfortable to hear, but it is the most accurate test there is.
The coffee trick
Some people sniff coffee beans to reset their nose between smells, and it is a popular tip in perfume shops. Fresh air works just as well, and you do not need anything special for it.
What should you do if your home smells?
1. Fix the source first
Fragrance does not fix damp, drains or a dirty dog bed, because it only sits on top of the smell. So start with these simple steps:
- Air every room for 10 minutes a day, even in winter.
- Wash soft furnishings and pet bedding more often than you do now.
- Clean bins, fridge seals and drain covers, where smells tend to build up.
- Deal with damp, because persistent mustiness needs a proper check.
2. Add a steady scent
Once the base is clean, add a light fragrance that runs all day, and a reed diffuser does this without a flame or plug. Choose a fresh scent for problem rooms like the kitchen and bathroom, and a softer one for the rooms where you relax.
3. Rotate or refresh
You will go nose blind to your reed diffuser too, but that does not mean it has stopped working, and visitors will still notice it. Flip the fibre reeds weekly, and if you want to notice it again yourself, try a different scent each season.
"I can't smell my reed diffuser any more." Is it working?
Often it is, and the easiest way to find out is to ask a visitor. If they can smell it and you cannot, it is nose blindness, but if nobody can smell it, see our guide on why you can't smell your reed diffuser.
Quick answers
Is nose blindness real?
Yes, it is real, and it is called olfactory adaptation, which happens to everyone.
How long does it take to go nose blind to your house?
You adapt to a new smell within minutes, and to the smell of your own home over days of living with it.
Can other people smell my house when I can't?
Yes, because guests coming in from outside have not adapted, so they notice smells you no longer do.
Start with the room guests see first by reading our hallway guide, or browse our reed diffusers to find a scent you love.
A steady scent guests notice
Put one reed diffuser where guests arrive, so it is the first thing they notice when they step inside. The Kew Morning reed diffuser is light and fresh for a hallway. When people come round in the evening, light the Kew Morning scented candle in the same scent, so the two never clash.
If you still have questions, you will find more answers in our reed diffuser FAQs.
New to IVNA London? Every scent we make comes as a reed diffuser and a matching luxury scented candle, both handmade in England.
