No matter how nice or well-decorated your house is, the household odor can make it seem dingy and dirty. If your bathroom, kitchen, or other living areas could use a fresher scent, follow these tips to eliminate household odor for good.
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Vinegar in Your Dishwasher Works Wonders
Although it might seem counterintuitive, your dishwasher can be one of the smelliest places in your house. Food particles and sediment get caught in the dishwasher, making it stinky if not attended to. Fortunately, there’s a straightforward way to deal with the problem. All you need to do is put a cup of vinegar in the dishwasher and run it through one cycle. The vinegar will disperse throughout your dishwasher as the cycle runs through, leaving it sparkling clean and smelling as good as new.
Keep Your Trash Cans Clean
Trash cans are common odor culprits, and it’s easy to understand why. The receptacles we use to toss out garbage can get coated with debris and pick up a funky scent. Fix the problem by sprinkling some baking soda or a few citrus peels at the bottom of your can and always using trash bags to line your cans. You can even buy scented trash bags that emit a pleasant fragrance.
Use the Power of Coffee
Used coffee grounds can easily pick up scents in your home and are a lifesaver when eliminating stubborn odors. If you have a problem with your plumbing, stinky trash, or another unpleasant lingering smell, leave a bowl of used coffee grounds nearby and seal up the windows and doors tightly overnight. The coffee grounds will suck up the offending odor, and you can easily toss them the following day.
Clean Your Filters Regularly
Your filters suck up dirt and debris and trap it within the heating and cooling systems in your house. Cleaning them regularly is an excellent way to make sure that you breathe in the fresh air, but they will also help keep your home from stinking by trapping offending odors. Make sure that you put together a regular schedule for changing your filters. Your nose and lungs will thank you.
Open the Window or Turn on a Fan
Your bathroom can get notoriously smelly if you don’t take proper steps to ensure it is ventilated. Turn on a fan or open the window to air out your bathroom regularly. Proper ventilation also prevents mold buildup. Mold can be a severe health hazard, as well as an unsightly element. When possible, shower with the window open or fan on to keep steam from clinging to the walls and promoting mold buildup.
Use Lemons on Stinky Garbage Disposals
Kitchen sinks with garbage disposals are stinky places simply because they’re places where old bits of food can collect and fester. Take care of the problem by dropping a few lemon slices, some salt, and ice cubes down your disposal and give it a good run. The lemon will neutralize any odors, and the ice and salt will give your garbage disposal a good cleaning. To be on the safe side, run lemons, salt, and ice through your garbage disposal at least once every couple of weeks.
Put Bleach or Vinegar in Your Toilet Bowl
In between regular cleanings, you can keep your toilet bowl smelling fresh by simply pouring bleach or vinegar into the bowl and letting it sit for ten minutes. Bleach or vinegar can kill lingering odors and even whiten up your toilet bowl. This should not be done as a substitute for regular toilet cleaning but as a way to keep the toilet bowl sparkling in between cleanings.
Invest in an Odor Eliminator
Odor eliminators are generally better than air fresheners, especially in your bathroom, because they don’t just mask odors: they eliminate them. There are several varieties to choose from, but it’s usually best to opt for a neutral scent that won’t be overpowering for anyone. You can leave a small bottle of odor eliminator on the back of your toilet or a spray version of it in your cabinet. Be careful not to mask the odors themselves but actually address the problem, as sometimes bathroom odors can indicate a more significant issue, like a mold infestation.
Household odors are embarrassing, pesky, and troublesome, but you don’t need to live with them. There are plenty of ways to eliminate household odors for good and make your house as warm and inviting as it can be.
