How to Get Rid of Room Odors Without a Fragrance Smell

Washing your dog can improve the odor in your home.

Burning a scented candle or using a commercial air freshener to make your room smell better doesn’t necessarily get rid of the unpleasant odors; it typically just masks them. Some people are sensitive to fragrances. Therefore, using a scented room freshener may be more annoying than the original odor. To improve the air in your room without introducing a new fragrance, begin by eliminating the source of the bad odor.

Things You'll Need

• Trash bags
• Laundry detergent
• Pet shampoo
• Fan
• Baking soda
• Vacuum cleaner
• White bread
• White distilled vinegar
• Bowl
• Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Remove all trash and debris from the room. Look under furniture for any odor-causing debris hiding from sight. Check your indoor plants and remove any decomposing plant debris or stagnant water.

2. Clean or remove dirty laundry or fabrics in the room. Fabric items such as sweaty gym socks and dirty dog beds may be adding offensive odors to the air.

3. Bathe your indoor pets. If you have a litter box in the room, move it somewhere else.

4. Open the windows and let in the fresh air. Strategically position a floor fan to help circulate the room’s air. Leave the fan on while you air out the room.

5. Clean the room. If necessary, shampoo the carpet and upholstery.

6. Sprinkle baking soda over the dry carpet and upholstery. Let it set for two or three hours, and then vacuum up the baking soda.

7. Place a slice of white bread in a bowl and cover with vinegar. Leave it in the room overnight to absorb the odor. Discard the bread and vinegar in the morning.

8. Fill a spray bottle with a cup of water, add 1 teaspoon baking soda and mix well. Spray the air, to use like a room freshener.

References

• Frugal Living for Dummies; Deborah Taylor-Hough; 2011
• Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things; Reader's Digest; 2004
• Vim & Vinegar; Melodie Moore; 1992