Smells in the kitchen, cupboards, the house, and even your clothes tend to settle everywhere. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to banish those bad odors in your home. It’s incredibly easy to get rid of them without reaching for synthetic fragrances or deodorizing aerosols!
Getting rid of odors in the kitchen
The kitchen is often the heart of the home, and it’s common for it to accumulate multiple odor sources. Fortunately, there are simple solutions that work!
Bad odors in the fridge
- Keep a small dish in the fridge with white vinegar, baking soda, or milk to neutralize smells;
- Place a halved lemon in the door of the refrigerator;
- Put a piece of charcoal in the fridge to absorb odors.
Bad odors in the dishwasher
- Place a half-lemon in the utensil basket;
- Clean the door seals to remove residues;
- Run a hot, empty cycle with white vinegar in the detergent compartment.
Bad odors in the sink
- Pour in some coffee grounds and run hot water;
- Add a dose of baking soda and pour in two measures of white vinegar to help lift buildup in the plumbing.
Bad odors in jars and containers
- Pour a bit of white vinegar and hot water into the jars. Turn them upside down overnight and rinse.
Bad odors in the microwave
- Heat a bowl of hot water with a few drops of lemon essential oil for 3 minutes. Remove the bowl and wipe the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth.
- Dip a kitchen sponge in white vinegar and dust it with baking soda. Place the sponge in the microwave for 30 seconds and use it to wipe the interior clean.
- Always cook with the window open or the vent turned on;
- If you’re using the oven, place a few orange or lemon peels while the oven is still warm;
- After cooking, place near a heat source a small dish with a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil.
Bad odors in the home
In the home, odors have many sources. Here’s how to make them disappear.
Bad odors in the living room
- Place a drop of essential oil on a light bulb before turning it on;
- Light Armenian paper to release a pleasant scent.
Bad odors in closets
- To curb , stud an orange with cloves and place it in the closet;
- Put a cup of hot milk on a shelf and let it cool with the closet closed;
- Place a few dried lavender seeds in a small sachet to tuck into the closet.
Bad odors on fabrics
- If your clothes smell like tobacco or musty air, place them near a radiator or in the sun. Heat will break down the odors;
- For carpets, sprinkle with baking soda, let sit for 10 minutes, then vacuum;
- For carpets, boil a large pot of water, add 4 drops of lavender essential oil, and pass the curtains through the steam to refresh them.
Bathroom odors
- Strike 2 matches in the room.
- Add a few drops of essential oil inside the toilet paper roll to release a fresh scent each time someone uses it.
- Consider cleaning your toilet brush with baking soda and a bit of lemon.
Trash can and litter box odors
- To reduce litter box odors, you can add baby powder or baking soda to the bottom of the litter tray.
- To deodorize the trash can, place a layer of baking soda in the bottom or put two drops of Tea Tree and lavender essential oil on a cloth and leave it at the bottom of the bin.
