Things You'll Need:
- Small box of baking soda (one per cabinet)
- Rag
- Antibacterial surface cleaner
- Sink
- Dish soap
- Sponge
- Old sheet
- Scrub brush
- Rubber gloves
- Pest traps
- Anti-odor shelf liners
- Paper towel
- Scissors
- Plumber
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Step 1
Don rubber gloves to protect your hands from chemicals, mold and bacteria.
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Step 2
Empty the cabinet completely, and set chemicals, foods and other items on a sheet. As each item is removed, check to ensure bottle caps are tightened and jar tops are still sealed. Look for leaking chemicals or spoiled canned food items that could be the source of the cabinet odor.
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Step 3
Use dish soap to wash all the chemical bottles, canned food items or food items contained in jars. Wipe down boxes of food with a damp rag. Set the clean items back on the sheet to dry.
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Step 4
Remove shelf liners, and use a damp rag to wipe away dust and debris. While doing this, look for the source of the odor, which could include evidence of a spill, mold or pests.
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Step 5
Remove and wash all removable shelving units and fixtures with dish soap, and then set these items on the sheet to dry.
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Step 6
Spray the inside of the cabinets with an antibacterial surface cleaner, and use a scrub brush to remove dust, dirt and potential odor sources like spilled chemicals, food residue and mold. Wipe away excess surface cleaner with a rag.
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Step 7
Keep the cabinet doors open for a period of six hours to allow the cupboards to dry and air out.
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Step 8
Place a paper towel under sink pipes, and run the water for five minutes. After this period of time, examine the paper towel for moisture as this will cause mold and odor. If a leak is detected, a plumber will need to be summoned to fix the pipe before you proceed.
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Step 9
Cut anti-odor shelf liners to size, and place the liners on the cupboard floor and on shelves.
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Step 10
Open a small box of baking soda, and place it in the corner of the cupboard to absorb odors. This will need to be replaced once a month.
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Step 11
Place ant traps or other pest control traps inside the cupboard if you've found evidence of pests (i.e. dead bugs, mouse droppings) during the cleaning process. For a suspected mouse or rat problem, it's best to use humane animal traps which should be be checked daily. This will prevent odor from a dead trapped animal.
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Step 12
Replace the contents of the cupboard, and while doing this, inspect each item to double check for evidence of rotting food, loose caps/lids or leaks that may cause the odor to return.
