How to Banish Odor from Your Home

Homes are full of smelly culprits but luckily there are easy ways to banish odors from your home.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scented bar soap
• Air fresheners
• Febreze
• Hand sanitizer

1. Do an inspection of your home, walking from room to room and sniff testing odor-absorbing pieces like couches, cushions, bed sheets, trash cans, closets and wardrobes.

2. Remove any stains from linens and couches using a powerful stain fighter. Allow it to dry and then conduct the sniff test again to ensure that any existing odors were removed and that no new odors from the chemical are settling in.

3. Open the windows as you go from room to room, allowing the fresh air to enter.

4. Remove any odor-causing agents you may find during inspection, including dirty socks left out, bowls with leftover milk and workout towels.

5. Place gently scented bar soaps at the bottom of hampers and drawers.

6. Plug in air fresheners near the biggest odor culprits, such as toilets and dog beds.

7. Make sure your family clearly knows where to place smelly, sweaty or muddy items like boots, coats, umbrellas and sports/workout clothes. Establish places for these items that are both convenient for your family and easy for you to control.

8. Purchase cheap pairs of sandals or shoes for your family that can be "backyard shoes," a pair that only goes outside and then sits nearby the back door.

9. Establish weekly and monthly cleaning routines that won't allow odors to settle into rooms. Take the trash out from every room every week and replace it with a new trash bag. Place a bar of soap in the trash can, beneath the trash bag. Dust your home every few weeks as well and open up the windows to keep the air fresh and avoid mothballs, mildew and stale smells.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that too many cleaning supplies can be overwhelming, so keep the cleaning products to a minimum.

Resources

• How to Make Your Home Smell Nice
• How to Make Your Home Smell Great

[AirQualityMike]

on 7/23/2008 Interesting tips! I have a very sensitive nose for odors and nothing I’ve used has worked better than the RGF Guardian Air Plug in Plus. I have one in my basement, bedroom, and next to the cat litter box! It eliminates those funky smells and makes me feel good about my house. I’d recommend it to everyone!

http://www.rgf.com