Simple Tips to get Rid of Tough Odors

I am a mom of 4, we have cats, dogs, and even snakes the house. Odors are a fact of life. One that drives me completely crazy.

I love a house that smells like cooking food or freshly cleaned floors. I love the smell of laundry right off the line and fresh sheets.

Needless to say, I had to learn some tricks to deal with the unwanted odors I don’t like. The good news is your entire home can smell great with some simple tricks to get rid of tough odors.

Make your home smell fresh with these simple tips to get rid of tough odors

I have a son that has a habit of trying to use the bathroom in the middle of the night without turning the light on. I can’t say I blame him.

The light can be a bit jarring. If you’re like me and have a young boy in the house or a grown man, you may notice the odor of urine sticks around more than you would want it too.

The good news is a simple spray bottle of white vinegar spritzed all over the bathroom near the toilet will get the job done. Really soak the floor, walls, toilet, and any fabrics in your bathroom.

You can give our Mom’s best friend shower cleaner recipe a try for a better-smelling option. Once the vinegar dries all odors will go with it.

My husband wears waterproof boots and shoes. They don’t have any air flow which means they can get pretty stinky.

I mean like I would rather him just throw them away kind of stinky. I have tried just about everything. Baking soda becomes messy, vinegar does not dry by morning. The trick that really works? Take some old nylons of tights.

Fill the feet with kitty litter and tie off. Cut off excess fabric. Each night place these inside shoes and boots to kill odors and soak up water and sweat drying them out for a new day. This kills two birds with one stone.

We all know baking soda is great for killing odors in the fridge but it has so many more uses.

I hate carpet and rugs because they hold odors. From feet walking on them to spills, and just general ick. I can’t stand how a rug or carpet can make a whole room smell bad just from dragging in water from the last rain. Rugs are easy.

I take them out to the laundry line or hang over the back porch. Give it a good old cleaning with the hose and some detergent and let the sun dry it out all the way before it comes in. Carpets and rugs in the winter take a bit more work. Making your own carpet powder is easy.

Simply fill a container with baking soda (An old spice shaker bottle is perfect) Add a few drops of essential oils, I love lavender essential oil because it is relaxing. Simply shape over the carpet, let sit for a while and vacuum up.

I am all for reusing and recycling. In the warmer months, we even compost for the garden. This means we do not have a lot trash-wise going out so a bag can get stinky before it get’s full.  No one wants that.

To keep the smell under control we regularly wash the trash can and line the bottom with a bit of baking soda and fresh kitty little to soak up any liquids that leak before they can become stinky.

If the bag gets stinky before it is time to go out I toss in used coffee grounds from the last pot instead of composting them. They neutralize the odors.

Odors can be hiding in everyday places

I love Salmon Patties. They are amazing and good for you too. Sadly I won’t lie when you open that can of pink salmon the smell hits you like a bag of bricks.

No matter what I did by the time my husband got home from work he could STILL smell the salmon and he HATES the smell of salmon. Eventually, I learned the trick that works just right.

By placing a bowl of white vinegar in the middle of the stove. It soaked up all the smell and we could go back to our normal life after dinner. This works on all kinds of tough cooking odors.

Drains and garbage disposals can pick up some really weird odors that I would rather not deal with, to be honest. Regular cleaning of drains with baking soda and vinegar keeps them running smooth and smelling clean.

To make a great cleaner for your garbage disposal fill an ice tray with slices of lemon or orange peels, 1 part water, and 1 part vinegar. Freeze and store in a zipper bag.  

Simply toss into the disposal and run to sharpen blades and freshen your disposal at the same time.

Laundry odors are no fun. When laundry comes out of the wash it should smell clean and fresh. Sometimes odors stick around and you would rather them not.

Washing laundry with a cup of vinegar is a great way to knock out orders. Sometimes that odor comes from the washing machine itself.

Regular cleaning will help. If you have a front loader fill soap dispensers with vinegar and run a sanitize cycle. If you have a top loader add the vinegar to the bleach and fabric softener dispensers that can hold odors and run al load of already clean towels.