Whether it’s a foul-smelling garbage disposal, dirty laundry or a musty house, unpleasant smells can sneak into any home. Fortunately, most of these scents are simple to eliminate with common household items like baking soda, distilled white vinegar and lemon juice.
Start by opening windows to get fresh air circulating. Use baking soda as an odor absorber in refrigerators and freezers, and place a scented potpourri sachet on closet doors and upholstery.
Deep Clean
A home is often described as a warm and welcoming refuge that can take us away from the chaos of daily life. However, when dirty, musty, or stale odors linger in your home, it can feel more like a war zone that you wish to escape from rather than a place to relax and unwind. You need to ensure your workspace is clean to have a better working environment.
If foul smells persist in your home, it may be time for a deep clean. Unlike regular cleaning, deep cleaning reaches all of the areas of your home that aren’t usually cleaned on a weekly basis. According to a cleaning service, this includes wiping all surfaces in your kitchen and bathrooms, vacuuming carpets, scrubbing sinks and tubs, washing the inside of your microwave and oven, dusting ceiling fan blades and light fixtures, and disinfecting door knobs and light switches.
The good news is, most of the items on a deep cleaning checklist can be done in just a few hours. Use a long-handled duster or broom with a clean microfiber cloth to wipe all of the walls and ceilings in your home, including baseboards, moldings, and corners. Clean and dry the ceiling fans in your living room and bedroom. Remove dust from all of your light fixtures, as well as any decorative wall hangings and mirrors. Clean all of your blinds with a damp cloth, and use an extendable handle to get to those hard-to-reach spots.
Similarly, declutter and freshen up your drawers and cabinets by wiping all of the surfaces, including cabinet and pantry doors. Throw out any expired food and toss crumbs that have accumulated in your pantry. Make the surfaces in your fridge shine by wiping down the inside and outside of the refrigerator, as well as the backsplash and floors around it. Wash your dishes by hand or in the dishwasher, and declutter your counters to keep only what you use regularly.
Ventilate
When your home is well-ventilated, odors can dissipate quickly and more easily. This is because air that contains odor-causing materials will be released into the outside air, and fresh air will be pulled in to replace it.
Ventilating is especially important for kitchens, bathrooms and other areas where odors tend to accumulate. Strong cooking odors, pets and damp areas can all contribute to unpleasant odors in the home.
If the weather permits, open windows and use fans to ensure that your home is well-ventilated. Remember to avoid using perfumed air fresheners and other chemical-laden products that can actually exacerbate indoor odors. Instead, opt for natural scents that are more gentle on the lungs and environment. They can also be safer for children and pets who may come into contact with them.
Use Natural Odor Eliminators
No matter how tidy your house is, it’s hard to feel like your home is clean if there are foul smells lingering. These odors can come from a variety of sources, including dirty clothes or dishes, cooking odors, pet urine and waste, or even sewer gas or mildew. Using natural odor eliminators and homemade air fresheners can help eliminate these smells and leave your home smelling clean and welcoming.
Baking soda is a common household item that absorbs and neutralizes many different odors. Many people keep an open box of baking soda in their refrigerator to remove food odors. Baking soda can also be sprinkled around the kitchen or used to scrub and deodorize appliances, sinks, toilets, trash cans and drains.
You can also use a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle with water and spritz the air to freshen up a room. Essential oils can add a pleasant fragrance without the harsh chemicals that some store bought air fresheners contain.
Another great option is eucalyptus leaves, which have a potent and refreshing scent. These can be hung in the bathroom or placed in an open container, such as a glass jar, to fill the room with their aroma. These leaves can be burned as well, to release their fragrance into the air.
Vinegar is another effective natural odor eliminator. A cup of vinegar added to the wash cycle can remove odors from towels and clothing. Vinegar can also be sprayed onto carpets, furniture or surfaces to remove odors and kill bacteria. You can also put a small amount of vinegar in a spray bottle and use it as a bathroom deodorizer.
Tea tree oil is another natural odor eliminator that can be used in many different ways. You can place a few drops of this oil on a cotton ball and leave in the bathroom, or you can rub a few drops of this oil onto a light bulb to scent a room. This essential oil can also be burned in a scented candle to create a nice aroma throughout the house.
Add a Fresh Scent
Many odors can be traced back to a specific problem like spoiled food in the refrigerator or burned-on grease in your oven. These smells are easy to address as long as you follow your nose and clean up spills or messes promptly. But scents that build up slowly are more difficult to get rid of. Our brains tune them out over time. Be an olfactory detective and sniff out problem areas, such as the trash can, basement, attic or behind appliances.
A spritz of fresh air goes a long way in making your home feel more inviting. Instead of spraying commercial air fresheners, use natural home fragrance recipes to deodorize and refresh your home without toxic chemicals.
Keep a bowl of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors, and sprinkle a bit around the tub, toilet and sink drains for an instant cleanse. A few drops of vanilla on a light bulb will scent the room, and an open box of baking soda can be placed in a closet or under a sink for the same effect.
Another quick way to refresh your home is by swapping the photos in your photo ledges for new ones. It’s surprising how much of a difference this simple task can make. You can also freshen up your home by adding a few plants, candles or reed diffusers to each room to create an inviting atmosphere.