I was wondering if there were any means of bombing it with a new scent which would idk stick. I tried stuff like air fresheners but they last a day or a few and then aren’t noticeable while the apartment smell persists. I didn’t try candles because I don’t have anything to light them on with. Are scented candles powerful enough to make the entire place smell different long term? I want to eventually invite a guy over and he asked me if the place smells bad because he’s sensitive to smells and knows they renovated it (or rather are about to finish) with me moving in.
In the US, sage smudges are usually with incense and candles in a store, so if you’re not seeing them when you shop for those things, maybe they’re not available where you are.
It sounds to me like you’re already doing all the right things. I think the smell issue will be gone within a few weeks of you living there, moving air in and out, and cooking in the place. If that’s not soon enough, I think your original plan of candles is probably the best one.