Bad smells come from a variety of sources, including pets, enclosed spaces, garbage pails and cooking. They can be annoying and embarrassing, but numerous home remedies for odor control exist. They are gentle and effective, and cost less than prepackaged odor control products.
Dryer Sheets
Safe Natural Tips recommends placing dryer sheets between the covers of old books to eliminate musty odors. Place the sheets in the armpits or crotches of dry clean–only clothes to remove body odor and stretch your dry cleaning budget. If you don’t have time to do a load of laundry but want fresh-smelling clothes, place the clothing in a plastic bag with a dryer sheet for several hours.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a versatile substance for providing odor control. Place a small dish or an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator to eliminate food odors or in the closet and under sinks to eliminate musty odors. Use baking soda in car ashtrays to absorb smoking odors. For a smelly drain, pour 1 cup baking soda into the drain, followed by 1 to 2 cups vinegar. The mixture will bubble, cleaning and deodorizing the inside of the drain. Rinse with very hot water when the bubbling has stopped. Mother Earth News recommends using baking soda as a gentle scrub to remove burnt food and its odor from pots and pans. Sprinkle baking soda on smelly carpets or upholstered furniture. Let sit overnight and vacuum.
Vinegar
As contrary as it might sound, vinegar is an effective odor remover. But once vinegar dries, its unpleasant odor vanishes. Pioneer Thinking recommends washing food containers with vinegar to remove trapped food smells. Wipe walls with a mixture of vinegar and water to remove mildew. Remove skunk odor from pets by rubbing undiluted vinegar into the soiled fur. Eliminate cooking odors from the kitchen by boiling 2 cups water and 1 tbsp. vinegar. Use a mixture of vinegar and water to remove bad odors from garbage and diaper pails. Rinse well with clean water and let dry thoroughly before adding a new liner to the pail.
Lemons
Cut the rind from half a lemon into small pieces and grind in the garbage disposal to provide a fresh smell. Add 1 tsp. lemon juice to cooking water to reduce the smell of vegetables such as cabbage and cauliflower. Freshen your dishwasher by adding 2 tbsp. lemon juice to the detergent dispenser when washing a load of dishes.
Fresh Air
One of the simplest methods of removing the musty smells of closed-in spaces such as bedrooms and bathrooms is to open the windows. If possible, also run ceiling fans or electric fans. Let fresh air flow through these spaces, or through your whole house, for at least half an hour each day. Open windows also reduce indoor moisture, one cause of bad smells, in less humid climates. If you live in a humid area, open your windows only on low-humidity days.
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