The first thing you need to know about household odors is that you’re probably the worst judge of whether or not you’ve got them. That’s because the human body has a self-protective mechanism that quickly desensitizes your nose to lingering odors. So, if you suspect stinky house syndrome, start by asking a trusted friend to perform a sniff test immediately upon entering your home.
If the news is bad, the second thing you need to know is that—be they commercial/chemical, natural, or ‘green’—deodorizing agents work in one of three ways: they mask bad smells (short-term solution requiring repetition), interfere with your sense of smell (yikes!), or they eliminate odors at the source either by bonding chemically to neutralize odor-causing molecules or killing organisms (bacteria, molds, and mildews) that cause odors in the first place. When you remove the sources of bad odors in your home, you create a fresh, clean palette for adding all the scents and fragrances you really love. Our best advice for lasting—and green—household odor removal is this:
Open your windows! Just a few minutes of fresh, clean air works wonders for dissipating and displacing airborne odor-causing molecules—all the better if it’s a windy day.
Clean regularly. Regular and thorough home cleaning is, hands down, the most effective and ultimately greenest means of removing odor sources from your home. The reason: When you clean frequently, you can use mild, environmentally friendly solutions and still be effective at preventing big odors from developing. But, when you allow odor-causing agents to dig into surfaces and textiles, you need much stronger, harsher chemicals to address the unpleasant smells that result.
Deep clean if it’s been a while. If you’ve been less-than-dedicated to regular house cleaning for some time, deep-cleaning might be necessary to address well-established odor sources before regular cleaning can be truly effective. Key odor-producing areas on which to focus include: toilet tanks, drains, refrigerators/freezers, trash receptacles, recycling bins, garbage disposals, oven spills, washing machine (sanitize), mattresses, heavy bed linens, curtains, carpets, furniture upholstery, and your dishwasher’s food grinder and filter.
Use your science. Baking soda (which is alkaline) works well as a so-called ‘green’ deodorizer because it bonds chemically to neutralize acid-based odor-causing agents. The reverse may be true for acidic substances such as white vinegar or used coffee grounds, which are also often recommended as ‘green’ odor removers. The key takeaway here is that you need to know the basic chemistry or biology of an odor you’re attacking in order to determine what substance will be effective at eliminating it. For serious odor sources such as black mold or pet urine, it’s best to call seasoned pros (like MaidPro’s PROs) who know how to remove both effectively and safely.
Once you’re done eliminating all the sources of foul odors in your home, try these DIY projects to make your home smell amazing!
