Why Does My Bedroom Smell in the Morning? (And How to Fix It)
A bedroom smells in the morning because you spend eight hours breathing warm, moist air into a closed room. Moisture, body heat and fabrics combine into a stuffy smell that you only notice when you walk back in. The good news is that it is easy to fix with a few daily habits. Once the air is fresh, a soft scent such as our vanilla and cedarwood reed diffuser keeps it calm.
Why does a bedroom smell in the morning?
- Moisture: an adult breathes out a noticeable amount of water vapour overnight. In a closed room it settles on windows, walls and bedding.
- Warm air with nowhere to go: with the door and window shut, the air does not change.
- Fabrics: bedding, pillows, curtains and carpets absorb sweat and skin oils and release them slowly.
- Damp: if you often see condensation on the windows, moisture may be building up behind furniture on outside walls, which leads to a musty smell.
What are six simple fixes?
1. Air the room every morning
Open the window for 10 to 15 minutes after you get up, even in winter. Pull the duvet back so the bed can breathe too.
2. Wash bedding weekly
Wash sheets and pillowcases every week and pillows and duvets every few months. Fresh bedding makes the biggest difference.
3. Deal with condensation
Wipe windows dry in the morning, keep furniture a few centimetres off outside walls and dry laundry outside the bedroom.
4. Keep the door open during the day
Letting air move through the house stops the bedroom holding on to stale air.
5. Keep shoes, gym kit and laundry baskets out
They add smells that build up overnight.
6. Add a soft, steady scent
Once the room is fresh, a reed diffuser keeps it smelling calm. Place it on a chest of drawers rather than beside the bed, and use fewer fibre reeds in a small room. Warm, soft scents like our Mayfair Library reed diffuser suit bedrooms. See the best scents for the bedroom and sleep.
You can browse all our reed diffusers handmade in England. Each is made from organic natural ingredients, with a plant based reed diffuser base and is vegan.
When should you look further?
If the room still smells musty after a week of airing and fresh bedding, look for damp behind the wardrobe or under the bed. Black spots or peeling paint mean it is time to treat the damp before you add any scent.
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.
