Tips to Freshen Up Your Home.

How to Elimination Odors in the House

My house smelled bad for weeks. I had no idea where it was coming from and dreaded the thought of friends or family coming over because of it.

It wasn’t the cat box, my refrigerator, the dishwasher or my old running shoes (although I’m sure they might have contributed to the smell to some degree).

I was sniffing everything in my house trying to find the source of the odor, in fact, a few people might have thought I had gone a little bonkers as I was sniffing everything trying to pinpoint the smell.

The odor could have been caused by a number of things. I love cooking homemade meals and I also have to admit that I have a little, tiny, tiny tendency to be a hoarder. I have to be on red alert enough and make sure things don’t creep up or creep behind me.

Poor ventilation, bacteria, mold, cooking, smoking, humidity, body odors, fresh fruit and vegetables long past their prime – take your pick, there are so many reasons why the air in my home may have had this odor and smelled bad.

I don’t always turn on the fan when I cook, or when I take a shower. Despite changing my habits and turning the fan back on, and deep cleaning my house, the smell still refused to leave.

Thankfully, after some trial and error, I was able to get rid the embarrassing odor in my home.

So don’t lose any sleep over odors like I did, instead, eliminate them using common household products and common sense tips. You’ll smell the fresh, clean difference, guaranteed.

Fresh Air

Before you get started tackling the odors in your home, you need to consider air flow. If there isn’t adequate ventilation in your home, you are practically inviting odor in.

So, begin by opening up your windows and doors to allow air to flow through your home, even in cold weather.

It is ideal to have windows and doors open 24/7 if there is an odor in your home but keeping them open for twenty minutes twice a day will certainly help the smell dissipate.

If you can’t open your windows, keep a fan on at all times to get rid of and prevent odors from accumulating.

Sunlight

For anything that smells in your house that can be easily moved, I recommend moving it outside into direct sunlight. The ultraviolet rays of the sun can kill mold and bacteria.

Plus, the heat  in combination with the wind will dry out any moisture locked inside.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a miracle worker when it comes to deodorizing. Smoke, pet smells. you name it and baking soda will get rid of it.

Any easy solution is to put a few bowls of baking soda in the problem areas of the room you’re dealing with. This will quite literally suck odors up.

For rugs and carpets, simply sprinkle baking soda (I like to use a sifter or tea sieve), let it sit a bit, then vacuum it away. You’ll notice the difference.

Distilled White Vinegar

Vinegar is a great, all natural and safe deodorizer. It effectively kills germs, mold and bacteria because of how acidic it is. Also, vinegar leaves no residue, and the vinegary smell dissipates as it dries.

If your garbage disposal stinks to high heavens, simply freeze distilled white vinegar in an ice cube tray and then put a few down the disposal while running cold water.

If your child’s lunch box smells, don’t throw it out! Just soak a piece of bread in vinegar and leave it inside the lunch box overnight.

Natural Deodorizers

Research suggests that some viruses, bacteria, and fungus cannot survive when essential oils are used. That is why I use essential oils to keep my home smelling fresh. Plus, they are inexpensive and last forever.

You can use any essential oil your nose desires. Just put a few drops of your favorite oil into a spray bottle with water, shake, then spray it a few times in the air. Repeat every three or four hours if the odor comes back.

If you aren’t sure which essential oils to use when deodorizing your home, try out some of my recipes:

Potent Essential Oil Disinfectant

This recipe cleans and disinfects in seconds, so, if you want a fresh and clean smelling home, give the air a little spritz for instant freshness.

In a spray bottle, add:

• Two cups of water
• Five drops of lavender essential oil
• Five drops of lemon or citrus essential oil
• Five drops of lemongrass essential oil

Give the spray bottle a good shake and it’s done.

Potent Essential Oil Deodorizer

If you have a tough odor, consider this heavy duty spray. Test out its effectiveness before you get all spray-happy because a little goes a long way.

In a spray bottle, add:

• Two ounces of distilled water
• Twenty drops rosemary essential oil
• Eight drops grapefruit essential oil
• Four drops of peppermint essential oil

Shake bottle before using and lightly spray.

Live Your Life Odor-Free

I went through a lot of stress and agony trying to track down the cause of odor in my home. If the odor isn’t apparent, don’t go through the hassle of smelling every item like I did, just follow my tried-and-true deodorizing tips to achieve the home your nose has always dreamed of.

So don’t tolerate a stinky house – live odor-free and smell the difference. Ahhhhhhhh.