As small of a task it is to air out your garage, it should be something you should consider. When you have a commonplace you walk through and especially a place that is connected to the living space your family commonly uses, you should ensure that it is taken care of as well.
Yes, there are several reasons to air out your garage. If there is no proper ventilation installed (vents) then you should open your doors regularly to air them out. The best time to air out your garage is in the early morning when the temperature outside is cooler than inside.
You should also air out your garage if it smells like gasoline, oil, or other materials that are bothersome to smell. While airing out the smell may not remove it completely, you will at least reduce it somewhat so that it is more tolerable.
Why Do I Need to Air Out My Garage?
If you’re wondering why you need to air out your garage, it’s probably because of the smell. Maybe your garage smells like gasoline or oil. If that’s the case, this is actually something you should do more often than just when it floods during a heavy rainstorm.
In fact, there are a few good reasons for airing out your garage. First of all, it’s safer for you when you start your car in the morning after it has been sitting in the garage all night.
The odor that collects in the garage over time is caused by gas and oil leaking out of your vehicle (and other things that release carbons).
That’s not good because it can be hazardous to your health. It’s also bad for the environment – especially if you live in a city or where there is a lot of traffic.
Car exhaust contains carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbon vapors which are all fine particles that can harm your lungs. According to EPA statistics, this pollution contributes to asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.
Using an air cleaner that filters all of these particles are a great idea if you have any breathing problems or allergies.
In fact, an airing of your garage can help reduce the odor of gasoline and oil significantly, which makes it safer for everyone who lives in more urban areas where there are stricter laws about using leaded gasoline.
How Can I Air Out My Garage?
Ventilating your garage is very simple. All it takes is a bit of time to thoroughly clean out the garage, clean up any excess gasoline or oil, and open the doors in the early morning when it’s cooler outside.
You should aim to air out your garage at least once every month. As with most things you do regularly, it doesn’t take much work to air out your garage – but you should do it anyway.
When you’re cleaning up the piles of debris that accumulate in a garage, be sure to pick up any empty bottles or cans and throw them away properly.
You don’t want to expose yourself or your family members to any unnecessary risks or toxins. This is especially important if you have small children in the house who like to play around in all your belongings.
Lastly, open up your garage doors just after sunrise when it’s cooler outside and there isn’t much wind or traffic that will stir up dust in the air. After you’ve opened all of your doors and windows (if necessary), you should leave them open for 10 to 15 minutes.
By doing this, you’re allowing any gas fumes that have collected in the garage to escape outside instead of being kept inside. Any time you start your car after this, it will be much safer and pleasant for everyone who has to breathe in the air around your home.
How Often Do I Need To Air Out My Garage?
You should air out your garage at least once every month, but if you want it to smell fresh and be safer for you when you start your vehicle in the morning, then it’s best to do this every day.
Just open up all of your doors and windows for 10 minutes or so after sunrise while there isn’t much wind or traffic around.
If it’s a really hot day, then you might want to wait until the early afternoon. If your garage is attached to your home, make sure that you leave all of the doors open as well as any windows if necessary for about 15 minutes.
In most cases, this is enough time for all of those nasty pollutants and odors to dissipate and exit your garage. If you or anyone else has asthma, allergies, or any other sort of breathing problem, this is a great way to prevent flare-ups of those conditions.
If you have a particularly strong odor that isn’t going away after airing out your garage, then you should try using a diluted baking soda and water solution.
Just spread this mixture all over the floor of the garage, allow it to sit for about an hour, and then dust it off with some old rags or paper towels.
The baking soda in the mixture will help absorb and neutralize any odors that might be lingering in your garage. The vinegar is also an excellent grease cutter, so this mixture will do a decent job of getting rid of any oil stains on the floor or other surfaces.
Just don’t use it immediately after you’ve finished repairing your car or working under the hood because the strong vinegar odor could be a bit overwhelming. Wait for at least several hours before going into the garage if that’s the case.
If you have a particularly strong odor in your garage that you can’t get rid of no matter how often you air it out, then you should consider contacting a professional exterminator.
These folks will have access to stronger cleaning agents, so they may be able to help you get rid of the smell.
What Causes Odors In My Garage?
There are a variety of different odors that can occur in your garage. Gasoline is one example.
Whether you have an old gas tank that needs to be disposed of or just spilled some gasoline on the ground, the smell can be unpleasant and dangerous. Gasoline fumes are quite flammable, so airing your garage out is not a bad idea.
Oil is another source of horrible smells in your garage. When you drive an older car that has oil leaking internally, it will leak onto the hot engine parts and smoke like crazy when you start the car.
Since this oil is being burned, it can create some sickly-sweet smells that are likely to bother you every time you go into your garage.
Engine exhaust is another common source of unpleasant garage odors. Again, if there are leaks in the engine or other issues with your vehicle, the smell will get worse when you start it. There are several different types of exhaust, but all will have a bad smell to them.
Odors can also come from pets or trash if you store it in the garage. If your pet has an accident on the garage floor, for instance, then airing out the area is probably a good idea. The same goes for old trash that has spilled over everywhere. Odors can come from just about anywhere, so knowing what you’re dealing with is the first step towards eliminating the problem.