6 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Bad Smells in Your Home

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The way your house smells is not just a reflection of the way you maintain your interiors. It also reflects who you are, as an individual! When the indoors smell pleasant and fresh your guests feel welcome. You and your family feel rejuvenated and mentally inspired! 

Unfortunately, bad smells have a way of getting into every household sooner or later. A much worn pair of shoes, old fruits inside the fridge, or cigarette smoke are some of the many things that can lead to distasteful odours inside your abode from time to time. So here, we will discuss some easy and smart ways of doing away with such smells to help you have a home which doesn’t just look clean but smells clean too.

How sodium bicarbonate can rescue you

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate can remove bad odours like magic. Often you can simply keep a container of soda open in a room to neutralise horrible smells overnight. For more stubborn smells or in-depth deodorising, more advanced solutions may be required.

For instance, if a bad smell is emanating from your drains, then just sprinkle a few tablespoons of soda on top of it, and let the hot water run for some time. This will do wonders for minor blockages too. If your shoes smell unbearably, throw about a teaspoon of baking soda inside them and let them rest overnight. Sodium bicarbonate can also be used for cleaning toilets, thermos bottles, and vacuum cleaners. To deodorise the latter, just sprinkle some soda on the carpet (especially if it’s emitting a stink), let it sit for an hour and then vacuum it. Two birds with one stone, right?

Say goodbye to smelly shoes

Thyme is an aromatic plant that belongs to the mint family, and has both medicinal and culinary uses. It is also effective for stinky shoes! When combined with mint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil, thyme can be used on both feet and shoes to banish bad odours. 

Natural thyme based sprays may also be available in the market if you are not sure about preparing the solution at home. Thyme kills bacteria too, and therefore fights the reason behind foul smells. But if your shoes smell really bad and offend people wherever you go, then maybe it’s time to bid them adieu!

What a potato in your fridge can do

Is the food cooked last weekend beginning to make your refrigerator smell in a not so nice way? Or maybe you are not sure how long those veggies have been sitting in that far corner of your freezer? Fret not. Keeping a peeled potato inside your fridge can absorb all unpleasant odours and freshen up your appliance magically. Just make sure that you change the potato after every 2 to 3 days, until the bad smell goes away completely.

Ways of fighting kitchen smells

White vinegar is extremely helpful when it comes to removing kitchen odours. Just pour it into saucers and leave them around to let them start their action. You can also boil a cup of water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to get rid of smells. Musty odours inside kitchen cabinets or larders can be vanquished with a slice of white bread and white vinegar. Just place a bread slice in a bowl and soak it with vinegar. Leave the bowl inside the drawer or cupboard for 24 hours. You can also deodorise ice chests or picnic coolers by washing them with hot vinegar, and then rubbing their insides with vanilla.

For all those of you who love gorging on fish or seafood, the stink of cooking fish in your kitchen may be a bother. In such cases, simply soak the fish in milk for about 20 minutes and then pat it dry. Any fishy smell that was there will vanish! Milk contains casein which aids in getting rid of the smell. Feel free to get inspired by this modern, airy and odour-free kitchen by Gutman+Lehrer Arquitectas, architects from Argentina!

How to fight smoke smells?

Maybe you don’t smoke but someone else in your family does. Or maybe your friends and relatives who come over often smoke profusely. The smell of smoking which permeates and lingers in a room long after the smoker has left can be extremely offensive for a non-smoker. And even airing the room generously may not be enough sometimes. So what do you do?

Use vinegar to say goodbye to stubborn smoke smells by cleaning surfaces which are not made of fabric. It cuts through the resin and tar left over after smoking, and will freshen up your room in no time. If you think that it’s still not working, then combine 1 gallon of warm water, half a cup of ammonia, a quarter cup of vinegar and a quarter cup of washing soda to clean the walls and ceiling of the room.

Besides vinegar, eucalyptus oil can also help in getting rid of smoke odours. Take a spray bottle and fill it with water. Add four drops, each of eucalyptus, tea tree and rosemary oils, shake the bottle well and then spray generously. Not only will the foul smoke smell vanish, but the ambiance will also become fragrant and soothing.

You don’t deserve stinky kitchen sinks

The kitchen sink is one such place in the entire house where it is natural to notice unpleasant smells from time to time. This is where you wash meats, fruits, vegetables, lentils and such. So it’s no surprise that the drain gets clogged frequently. But there’s no reason why you have to live with it when you have iodised salt and vinegar close at hand!

Gently mix a cup of salt and half a cup of vinegar in a bowl. Make sure that you get a thick, smooth paste. You can also add in half a cup of lemon juice if the clog seems really bad. Now pour this mixture into the drain, so that it soaks into the clog. Let it sit inside the drain for around 15 minutes. Then boil 2 cups of water in a pan, and pour it slowly into the drain. Your clog will be gone!

The above mentioned deodorising solutions are not just simple; they are natural and eco-friendly too. We are sure you will find them handy while battling foul smells in your abode. Here is another ideabook to get you going - Get Your House Clean as Fast as Lightning.

Have you tried any of these tips? We'd love to know how it went! Let us know in the comments!

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