No one likes to come into a house with lingering pet smells and smoke odors. While you might not feel any offensive odors where you live, chances are that anyone who visits you will be able to smell them if you haven’t cleaned up properly. Whether you’re selling your home soon or are just tired of hearing that it smells to friends and family alike, this blog goes over ten easy home odor removal techniques that every homeowner should try.
10 DIY Odor Removal Tips: From Funky To Fresh
Over the years, Stay Dry Go Green has dealt with countless carpets and numerous homes that give off a funky smell. While homeowners may have developed sensory adaptation, the guests can smell something fishy as soon as they enter your living space. From opening windows to using baking soda and more, keep reading to find out how to deodorize your space.
Here’s a look at a few things you can do to restore freshness to your home!
Open All The Windows
Simple yet effective, opening windows helps stubborn odors escape into the outside world. Meaning, that wet dog smell or that pasta you burnt last night will all be washed away on the breeze!
Clean Trash Cans For A Clean-Smelling House
One of the most common kinds of smells inside a home is the trash. Make it a habit to regularly take out the trash to prevent lingering rotten fruit or expired milk smells in the air. Also, clean your trash cans once a month to really keep them fresh, and sprinkle some baking soda or kitty litter at the bottom to absorb nasty odors.
Clean Your Carpets & Upholstery
Soft and fluffy? Not quite. The fibers of rugs, carpets, and even curtains tend to hold on to food scents, pet accidents, and coffee smells, leading to an uncomfortable lingering odor that may cause your guests to scrunch up their noses. Regularly vacuum your carpets and tackle spills immediately so that any unwanted smell doesn’t have the chance to settle. If that’s not enough, consider a deep clean with a steamer or send out your carpets to be professionally cleaned.
Battling Those Bathroom Smells
Bathrooms are small and humid spaces that tend to hold on to unpleasant odors. Scrub vanities with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar and clean your shower regularly. When drying towels, make sure to space them apart on racks and scrub your floors with a mixture of vinegar and water. Finally, ensure your bathroom is ventilated by running the fan and leaving the door open when it isn’t in use.
Don’t Forget Your Drains!
Foul smells from the drains mean it’s time to clean them. A useful home odor removal technique is to pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by half a cup of vinegar. After 30 minutes, flush out the mixture using hot water for fresh-smelling drains.
| Bonus Tip! Throw a few pieces of lime peels down your garbage disposal and run it with cold water for the same effect. |
Eliminating Cigarette Smells
If you’re a smoker or you like to party a lot, chances are you’ve brought the acrid smell back home with you. It’s stubborn, unpleasant, and can even cause health issues through third-degree smoking. Wash your clothes with at least two cups of vinegar in the washer, and use a water and vinegar solution to clean your ceilings and walls. If the smell lingers on your carpets and couches, consider spreading baking soda on the surfaces and vacuuming them after half an hour. The powder will have absorbed all the stench.
Say Goodbye To Those Pesky Pet Odors
Just because you love your furry friends doesn’t mean everyone else does. Take out the litter every day to prevent lingering smells. Attack carpets with enzymatic solutions to get rid of stains and olfactory evidence of pet accidents, and run their bedding in the wash at the highest water temperature to eliminate any smells.
Refreshing The Refrigerator
Your refrigerator has so many expired foods that they can stink up your house. Do a monthly check and throw out any expired food items. Also, give it a proper clean and soak the drawers and trays in hot soapy water to keep your refrigerator fresh.
Do The Dirty Dishes
The dishes from last night or the day before can tend to emit nasty smells as you continue to ignore them. A good home odor removal tip is to tackle dishes and clean spills immediately to prevent your kitchen from smelling bad.
Do The Laundry
Dirty clothes aren’t just unpleasant to look at; they’re also smelly. Ignored laundry throughout the house can really stink up the place—especially if you have workout clothes in your gym bags. Never put off your laundry, and throw in sashes of baking soda in your gym bags to help neutralize the smells.
Conclusion
Your home can trap a lot of nasty smells without you even realizing it, leading to offensive comments, germs, and lowered property value. But by using simple yet powerful home odor removal tips like doing laundry, cleaning out drains, and tackling your upholstery with baking soda, we guarantee you will have a cleaner, more comfortable, and fresher-smelling home in no time at all.
FAQs
- How can I make my home smell good after deodorizing it?
Consider diffusers with just a few drops of essential oils. - What else can I do to keep my home smelling fresh?
Regularly change out your HVAC filters and use a simmer pot. - Does activated charcoal help with smells?
Yes. Activated charcoal can absorb all the smells inside your home, making it pleasant and comfortable. - Can baking soda really eliminate bad odors?
Yes, baking soda neutralizes acidic and basic odor molecules, making it one of the cheapest and most effective natural odor removers. - How often should I deodorize my home?
It depends on lifestyle, but most homeowners benefit from a deep deodorizing session every 4–6 weeks, especially if pets or smokers are in the home.
