Have you awakened in the morning and noticed a smell in your bedroom? We usually spend hours each night here, so we want it to be a relaxing and comfortable place that smells nice or doesn't smell foul. We've looked into reasons why your bedroom may smell in the morning and how to keep it smelling great and a place where you want to sleep or relax.
Usually, the reason your bedroom smells in the morning is due to poor air circulation combined with your breath and sweating throughout the night. If you keep your door and windows closed every night, the CO2 gets trapped along with any sweat and body odor.
Let's break this down a bit more. We looked into other questions that you may have, including why your bedroom smells sour, why your bed smells, how to keep your bedroom smelling fresh, and how to get rid of smells, along with some helpful links.
Why Does my Bedroom Smell in the Morning?
Our bodies regulate our temperature and are constantly going through multiple processes, from digesting food to repairing cells and much more. Since you spend hours sleeping each night in one room, there is a buildup of various, usually unpleasant, smells. Sweat, the buildup of bacteria, CO2 from your breath, and passing gas throughout the night can make your bedroom smell in the morning.
What are some things you can do? Get into the habit of washing your linens more often, leave your bedroom door open at night, and turn a fan on so the air can circulate. Other options include using an air purifier or diffusor and spraying an air freshener or disinfectant spray.
Why does my Bedroom Smell Sour?
Usually, this is the case if you keep your door closed and you sweat a lot. As mentioned above, you sweat throughout the night because your body regulates its temperature. Keep your door closed every night can cause a sour smell, especially in the morning.
Do you eat in your bedroom? Maybe something spilled, or you have a food item or container of something that you forgot about. It could be going bad somewhere you can't see and causing a sour smell. If you spilled food on your linens or even on clothing items in your laundry basket, they could also be the source of a smell.
Why does my Bed Smell?
This could be the case if you sweat a lot, spilled anything, and just over time of sleeping there every night and dead skin accumulating. Are you washing your linens regularly? Do you go to bed after exercising or physical activity? Are there any pets who sleep with you at night? Is it humid? How old is your mattress? It could be a combination of any of these reasons.
You could identify the source of the foul smell by first stripping your bed of all the linens and giving them a good wash with some fabric softener for an extra fresh scent. It might be time to invest in a mattress cover that provides an added layer of protection to your mattress and keep spills or anything wet from reaching the mattress layer. This is an excellent idea if you spent a lot of money on your mattress or if it is relatively new.
How to Keep Bedroom Smelling Fresh
Once you've identified the cause of the smell, you'll want to keep it smelling fresh. What are some ways to do this? We looked into a few options discussed below. You can use any combination of these.
Freshen Linens with Fabric Softener
Wash your linens regularly and establish a routine for this, such as every Saturday morning. Add some fabric softener to the wash and use a dryer sheet in the dryer to give them an extra fresh scent. It is such a great feeling to fall asleep on freshly washed sheets! During the week, you might want to refresh your linens with a spray fabric refresher. There are so many great scents out there.
An Air Purifier
Using an air purifier in your bedroom can help keep it smelling fresh and improve the air quality. There are many shapes and sizes of air purifiers available with different levels of filtration. At a wide range of prices, so there is something that suits everyone's preferences and needs. These can be especially helpful if you have pets or allergies. Be sure to check and change the filter regularly.
A Diffuser
Essential oils are another good option, so a diffuser is a great way to keep your room smelling fresh. There are so many options of individual oils and blends that are all-natural, which is great for those sensitive to artificial scents. A bonus of using different essential oils is that you can diffuse a blend for relaxation to help you drift off to sleep faster. In the morning, you may even want to start your day with an energizing blend.
Check out this popular diffuser on Amazon with great reviews and essential oils included.
How do I get Rid of Morning Smell in a Room?
What can you do about a morning smell in your bedroom? Check out a few recommendations below.
Leave the Door or Windows Open
If the weather permits, you might want to open or crack a window to let some fresh air in or even leave it open at night. The same goes for your door since keeping the door closed all night traps the air in the room and doesn't allow for it to circulate, causing a smell in the morning. Opening the window and the doors in the morning lets some fresh air in and provides more air circulation.
Use a Fan or Air Purifier
Whether you already leave your bedroom door open at night or prefer to keep it closed, using a fan or air purifier can help with keeping the air circulating. Having both provides even more air movement throughout the night, which can prevent the morning smell. You may find that you sleep better too.
Adjust the Temperature
Since your body is regulating its temperature throughout the night, it could be that you need to adjust the temperature in your bedroom. If you find yourself sweating a lot, try lowering the temperature. Do you need too many blankets? Maybe raise the temperature a bit and use fewer blankets. It is recommended to keep your bedroom cooler for better sleep, especially since our bodies tend to sweat while we sleep.
How do I get Red of a Bad Smell in my Bedroom?
Do you need some ideas on how to get rid of a bad smell? We have a few recommendations below. Additionally, you can check out some ideas on how to take care of that smell here: How to Get Rid of Odor in the Bedroom [11 Ways]
Find the Source of the Smell
Track down the source of the smell so you can choose the best option rather than just masking the odor. Is it food-related, pet-related, or a pile of dirty clothes? Once you find out what is causing the smell, you can prevent it from smelling again. Just spraying an air freshener if you have spoiled food under your bed or a pile of dirty clothes won't last very long.
Air it Out
You may need to air out your room and get the air circulating. Having doors and windows closed can trap the air and leave it stagnant. Try opening the doors and windows regularly or now and then to let in some fresh air. Maybe you need to air out your mattress or pillows. Turn on a fan as well to get the air moving and the bad smell out.
Use an Air Purifier or Something Scented
As mentioned above, an air purifier is a great option to improve the quality of the air and get rid of bad smells. There are various options available to meet your needs. We linked a popular one from Amazon, and you can also explore others to find your perfect match.
You may want to try something scented like a wall plug-in with a fresh scent, spraying an air freshener around, or a fabric refresher on fabric items in your bedroom. Try lighting some candles in your favorite scent, which could also serve to provide a relaxing atmosphere. Be sure to keep an eye on your pets and never leave a candle burning unattended!
Check out this popular air purifier on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
If your bedroom smells, it could be due to various reasons, from stale air and body odors trapped in the room throughout the night, a pile of dirty clothes, or food that's been forgotten about. Once you track down the source, you can take care of the odor and find ways to prevent smells in the future.
Curious about how to get rid of smells in other areas of your home? Check these out:
How To Get Rid Of Dog Smell In A New House [6 Practical Methods]