Smell From a Bathroom Vent

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Things You'll Need

  • Newspaper

  • Phillips screwdriver

  • Cup

  • White vinegar

  • 2 spray bottles

  • Measuring cup

  • Chlorine bleach

  • Rubber gloves

  • Stiff brush

The vent in a bathroom has the sole purpose of allowing air to escape to the outside -- keeping condensation from building up inside the room. Unflattering smells can build up in the vent as a result of mold and mildew and fill the bathroom with a less-than-pleasant odor. You can get rid of the smells that are plaguing the vent. Household supplies are needed, as are protective gloves that can be acquired from a hardware store or home and garden shop.

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Step 1

Place a sheet of newspaper on the bathroom floor. Remove the screws form the bathroom vent, using a Phillips screwdriver. Place the screws in a cup. Place the cup on the bathroom counter. Pull the vent off the wall. Place the vent, face down, on the newspaper.

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Step 2

Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle and screw on the cap. Shake the bottle for 10 seconds.

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Step 3

Spray a 10-second mist of vinegar onto the vent to saturate it. Wipe the vent's edges and between the slats, using a paper towel. Spray another misting of vinegar on the vent, only this time for three seconds. Turn the vent over. Repeat the procedure just completed on the other side.

Step 4

Pour 10 oz. of room temperature tap water into the second spray bottle, using the measuring cup. Add 2 oz. of chlorine bleach to the spray bottle. Shake the bottle, once the top has been screwed on, for 10 seconds.

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Step 5

Put on the rubber gloves. Spray a stiff brush to saturate it. Scrape inside the vent compartment's edges with the stiff brush. Wipe the brush off on a paper towel after 10 seconds have passed. Continue scraping the inside edges until all of the contaminants have been removed. Place the brush in the bathtub to wash off later.

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Step 6

Spray the inside edges of the vent for 10 seconds. Spray a three-second burst of mist into the vent. Let the vent air-dry for an hour before reattaching the vent. Empty the spray bottle in the toilet.

Tip

Keep the bathroom door and windows open, so there is ventilation while you work.

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