No one wants their house to smell of an off-putting odor. Stenches can creep up and quickly fill entire rooms and deprive the air of freshness.
There are countless things that can make your home smelly. Yet, there remain only a handful of household formulas that can remove the odors. Thanks to these solutions almost any odor can be eliminated within your household.
General Household Solutions
General tips apply to nearly all smells within the household. By following these solutions, you can be sure that you’ll minimize any odor.
1 Open Windows
The first step to clearing an odor from your house is to open the windows. Allowing a gentle breeze to sweep through the house will carries much of your unwanted aroma off and adds freshness within your home.
2 Remove Smelly Things
If you identify the source of the odor, put the smelly item outside as soon as possible. Doing this will often solve the problem and entail no further cleaning.
3 Baking Soda
This household substance is a cornerstone in the fight against odor. Sprinkling this powder over most odor-filled spills will usually be enough to absorb the unwelcome aroma.
4 Vinegar
This substance does wonders in getting deep down within fabrics and surfaces to neutralize odors. Whether it is used to deodorize the laundry, carpeting or furniture, it is almost always successful.
5 Vodka
This alcoholic substance works wonders on short notice. By pouring vodka within a spray bottle, you can simply mist down smelly areas of the house and allow them to air dry fresh.
Smoking Smells
Smoke odors are one of the most challenging odors to remove within a home. Once the smoke gets deep down within fibers and surfaces it is usually a struggle to remove the smell.
1 Walls & Ceiling
You will need to wash down the walls and ceiling surfaces with a solution of bleach. Mix one part bleach with six parts water and scrub down all of the wall and ceiling surfaces within your home. Leave windows open during this process to allow for fresh air and faster evaporation.
2 Baking Soda
Sprinkle heavy amount of baking soda over the entirety of the carpeting. Allow for the powder substance to sit for 24-48 hours before returning to vacuum the powder up. Much of the smoke-bade odor will have been absorbed within the baking soda, leaving freshened carpeting behind.
For more solutions on removing smoke odors from your home, click here.
Urine Smells
Household urine odors can come with their own set of challenges as it is often difficult to find the source of the spills. The following household solutions help in finding these locations and neutralizing the odors. In preparation, you will need to purchase a black light and enzyme cleaning solution at your local pet store.
1 Black Light
Once you’ve purchased a black light, shut all of the blinds within your house ensuring that the interior is in darkness. Turn on the light and begin surveying the floor in search for pet urine stains that will glow under the light. When spots are found, pour a small amount of baking soda over the spot as a marker until it can be properly treated. Once completed, open the the blinds and move forward with cleaning the spots.
2 Enzyme Cleaning Solution
Active enzyme products are invaluable solutions for eating through harsh organics like pet urine. Return to the marked locations and pour enzyme cleaning solution over the entire area of the flooring. Allow this solution to sit for 24 hours before returning to blot up the excess moisture. Once the remaining solution evaporates, you will be left with freshened flooring.
Deodorizing a home often requires a deep cleaning, and this Redbeacon video on house cleaning offers some fun solutions on getting this job done:
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Once an accident happens, it is important to take immediate action in cleaning it up. If ignored the urine can often make its way through the cushion or into the cracks making this problem much more challenging to remedy. Remove the affected cushions as soon as possible and temporarily place them outside for cleaning.
Step 2: Blot SpotUsing a fresh cloth press firmly down on the location of the urine accident. Placing your body weight behind the cloth ensures that you will get as much of the urine out of the cushion as possible.
Once no more urine can be blotted from the cushion, pour water onto the spot of the accident and allow for it to saturate into the fiber. Once it is fully absorbed, begin blotting this spot again to remove this water. By repeating this step two or three times you can dilute the urine and lift off residual odors within the couch cushion.
To speed air drying process, place cushion outside on the grass within the sun for a dry. Take measures to prop the cushion to allow for ventilation on both sides. As an added benefit, the chlorophyl from the grass, UV rays and fresh air will all work to freshen the cushion.
Develop a solution of 5 teaspoons of shampoo with a half gallon of hot water, and pour on the location. Using a cloth, begin scrubbing down area. Pay extra attention to remove all of visible mold from the carpeting. The shampoo will help the lift any discoloration and clean the spot.
Run a fan pointed at the location of the mildew to aid the carpet in a faster drying process. For added measure, open the windows during the day to allow for ventilation.
Scoop up all of the vomit as soon as it hits the carpeting. Using a flat edged instrument like a spoon can be helpful for scooping up the the substance. Keep in mind that the faster you treat the accident, the less likely it is to get deep down within the fiber and padding.
Blot as much urine from the carpeting as possible. Using several paper towels press down with you entire body weight to absorb the majority of the urine spill.
Mix a solution of 4 teaspoons of dish detergent with a gallon of warm water. Pour half of the contents on the location of the urine spot, and proceed to blot the formula from the carpet. Once the solution has been blotted up, repeat instructions with the second half.
As a first step, the cushion must be removed from the couch. If the cushion is not removed it time, there is a chance that the urine can drip down into the cracks and be much more challenging to treat.
Measure a half gallon of warm water and pour half of the liquid on the spot of the accident. Blot this location up, and then pour the second half of the water on the spot and repeat. This will help in diluting the amount of urine which is left within the cushion.
While air drying is normally one of the best things you can do to remove odors from clothing, it is harmful to jeans as the fabric usually requires more than one day to completely dry. In this time, it can develop long-lasting mildew odor that can be difficult to remove.
As a rule, don’t wear your jeans more than 2-3 times without washing them. Everyone has their own limits, so be sure to know your own. Take caution, as these types of smells are challenging to remove once they have set deep into the jean’s fiber.
Laying out in direct sunlight for an hour can help in reducing much of the odor. The open air, fresh breeze and UV ray all help within the odor reduction.
This product can help in reducing jean odor on short notice. Give jeans a thorough spray down and and allow for it to air dry. Much of the smell will be swept away and replace with a subtle product aroma.
Mix one full cup of lemon juice with a half gallon of water, and pour contents down the sink. The citric acid within lemons will cut through much of the odor producing residue, and loosen it to be washed away. Allow 2-3 hours to pass before running sink or pouring boiling water down the drain.
Get close to a gallon of water to a boil, and proceed to pour it down the drain. The hot water will loosen the remaining hold that the gunk has within the pipe and wash it away.
For added effect, add 3-4 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract to a pot of boiling water prior to pouring it down the sink. This will help in masking any remaining odor, and leave a fresh scent of vanilla within the kitchen.
If clothes and linens are left within the laundry machine more than 8-12 hours, they can begin to develop an unwanted odor. Wet laundry serves as a habitat for mold and mildew residue, and can quickly smell if left within the washer.
The best way to dry clothing is by clothesline. Besides benefiting your electricity bill, but the UV rays, open space and fresh air all work to reduce odors. If you believe an odor is still present after running through the wash, take the preventative action of hanging you laundry outside in direct sunlight.
Often one rinse and spin in is not enough to remove difficult odors. As a rule of thumb, if the laundry smells after a wash, the odor will not improve by placing them directly into the dryer.
During the drying cycle be sure to include at least two sheets of fabric softener. It will make the fabric soft and add a pleasant aroma that masks any residual odors.
If nothing has been effective at removing odor, this product can help in taking the laundry the final mile. Pour Oxiclean in with your normal detergent wash and air dry outside for safe measure.
Fresh air and open space can help in diffusing the smell of this material. Placing the rubber item outside for 1-2 days will reduce the potency of the chemical smelling aroma. As an alternative to placing it outside, you can keep it within a garage or storage place until the smell lessens.
Peppermint oil does a fantastic job at masking odor within the short-term. Apply some peppermint oil to a dampened cloth and proceed to wipe down the surface of the rubber.
Citrus juices are very effective at cutting through smoke-related odors. The citric acid contained within lemons works as the active ingredient in combating smoke residues.
These devices take awhile to get warmed up, but work well over longer periods of time. Within a few hours of plugging a freshener within your home, you will be able to enjoy a freshened aroma.
Candles can help in burning musty air and replacing it with a freshen scent. Placing candles in the smokiest rooms of the house and burning them for 30 minutes can majorly reduce the detection of tobacco odors.
If you have smoked within close proximity of your closet, you may need to remove all of your clothing to and wash them. This can be a lot of work, but if they smell of tobacco you do not want them stinking up your house.
If the furniture is made of fabric, your best option will be to use a steam cleaner to get deep down within the fiber. The shampoo washes out much of the smoke residue and neutralizes the smell. Place the piece of furniture outside in the shade to allow for it to air dry.
The best product for this is Orange TKO. This product is made naturally from orange peels, and the citric acid works in cutting through the smoky residues that cling to leather furniture. Pour some Orange TKO on a cloth and wipe down the entire surface of the leather furniture. For added measure, you can also pour baking soda within the lining to freshen the cushion.
Similar to Orange TKO, the citric acid within lemon oil eats through the smoke residues on the wood’s surface. Apply lemon oil to a cloth and wipe down the entire surface of the furniture’s wood.
This process takes a bit longer, however works well at absorbing odors. Prepare by first placing activated charcoal briquets within an old pair of nylon leggings. Place nylon covered activated charcoal and clothing within a enclosed container for 5-7 days. After a week has passed, remove the freshen clothing from the container.