Located high in the upper chambers of our noses is a remarkable creation called the olfactory epithelium. Tiny cells located in that region change the chemical properties of things which enter our noses into signals. These signals travel up between our eyes to our brain. Our brain interprets those signals into what we call our sense of smell.
Technology now allows doctors to test our sense of smell as accurately as they can test our eyesight or hearing. Some interesting things have been discovered. On average, women have a better sense of smell than men. As we age, our sense of smell diminishes the same way our hearing and vision do. Changes in our sense of smell have been identified as symptoms of certain illnesses.
Our sense of smell is directly tied to our higher brain centers. This means smells can arouse our emotions and cognition. They can also alert us to pending danger, like when we smell smoke or leaking gas. That is why thingswhich smell like foods we enjoy or places we knew as children can evoke pleasant memories.
"Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
John Wooden
“Nothing awakens a reminiscence like an odour.”(Les Miserables, 1862). It smells clean. It is not unusual for our clients to tell us things smell clean when we have finished a job. Understanding how remarkable our sense of smell is, we are not surprised, but what you may not know is clean is sometimes no smell at all.
That’s right. Just as quiet is the absence of noise, for something to smell clean it must be free of odor. Most carpets are synthetic fibers such as nylon. Nylon has no odor. Even wool carpets are odorless when they are clean and dry. So what causes that clean smell?
The answer is frequently in what we don’t smell. With the accumulation of airborne and tracked in soils, our carpets and furnishings can harbor the very things which cause odors. Dropped bits of food and dander decompose in our carpets. Animals also contribute their share. In the end, the carpet or sofa may be tainted by an odor which is not its own.
When we clean the fibers, we remove the odor makers. The carpet or sofa now smells different in that it doesn’t smell at all. This freedom of extra odors is frequently perceived as smelling clean or smelling fresh. You’ll get used to it.
Another system in our bodies can work for and against us. We have the ability to unconsciously block out signals to our brain. This allows us to get used to things around us that might otherwise drive us crazy. If you enter a home with a grandfather clock or an aquarium, the first thing you hear is the tick-tocking or perhaps the gurgling of the water. The person who lives there doesn’t notice it. To you, the sound fills the room. He has gotten used to it.
Odors are similar. We get used to them, especially if they accumulate slowly and over time. Our home, our place of work, our car and many other things may have a distinctive smell (good or bad), but we don’t notice it. Sometimes an odor in our homes can be a warning. If a family pet has an “accident” or two, there will usually be a telltale odor. Sometimes minor leaks in the plumbing or in the roof can led to a mildew colony (and its musty odor).
More often than not, an odor is your furnishing’s way of calling for attention. If you notice a faint odor as you re-enter your home after being away for a few days it may be time for cleaning.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
|
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS 
|
 SIGN OUR GUESTBOOK
|
BROWSE TO ANOTHER ARTICLE 
|
SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES
|
RESPONSIVE AD RATES
|
[TextCounter Fatal Error: Could Not Write to File _health&law_97nov_carpet.shtml]