How to Get Your Closet to Smell Clean

Closets develop bad odors for a variety of reasons. Most closets have poor ventilation, which can cause a stale smell. Damp items stored in the closet can result in mildew, which further exacerbates an odor problem. Soiled clothing, fumes from stored materials and other odor-producing items can all result in a smelly closet. Absorbing the bad odors and replacing them with something fresh-smelling helps your closets and the items they contain smell cleaner and more pleasant.

Things You'll Need

• Pantyhose or cheesecloth
• Cat litter
• Twine
• Cedar chips or potpourri

Instructions

1. Cut the foot off a pair of old pantyhose. Alternatively, cut a 12-inch square from cheesecloth.

2. Fill the pantyhose foot with 1 to 2 cups of clean cat litter. If using cheesecloth, place the litter in the center of the cheesecloth square.

3. Tie the opening of the pantyhose closed with a length of twine. If using cheesecloth, gather the edges together to form a bag and tie the bag closed with twine.

4. Hang the litter bag from the closet rod. The cat litter absorbs stale and unpleasant odors. Replace the litter in the bag once a month.

5. Fill a second pantyhose or cheesecloth bag with 1 to 2 cups of cedar chips or potpourri. Hang this bag on the opposite side of the closet. The pleasant odor from the cedar or potpourri leaves the closet smelling clean.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute activated charcoal or baking soda for the cat litter, if preferred.

References

• University of Kentucky Extension; Odors: What's That Smell; Linda Adler; January 1997