“Home sweet home.” Your home means peace and security, as well as comfort and belonging. However,  excessive moisture, mildew, and mold can lead to unpleasant home odor smells. 

From pet accidents to unvented gas appliances, these smell-altering contributors take away from your family being able to enjoy your home. Have you encountered these problems? Here are some tips on home odor removal and how to keep your house smelling fresh.

1. Using Baking Soda to Attack Offensive Odors

Using baking soda to attack offensive house odors is one of the oldest and most reliable tricks in the book. Baking soda’s natural absorption ability helps to neutralize odors in the air and on surfaces, which can help your home smell fresh and clean.

Sprinkling baking soda onto carpets and fabric-covered items before vacuuming helps lift smelly particles. A tablespoon in a bowl or two of water creates a natural, odor-absorbing air freshener. You can even add a few drops of essential oils to give the air a pleasant, mild scent.

2. Natural Air Fresheners to Rid Your Home of Unwanted Smells

Apart from the all-powerful baking soda, boiling citrus fruits and spices also creates a pleasant aroma. White vinegar and essential oils are great for adding a natural scent to any room.

Other tricks include leaving out saucers of fresh coffee grounds, filling bowls with vanilla extract, or using cotton balls soaked in any fragrant oil of your choice. With a little creativity and some simple ingredients, you can rid your home of any unwanted smells.

3. Dust, Vacuum, and Mop

Frequent vacuuming and mopping will help reduce unpleasant smells like pet dander, smoke, mildew, and musty odors. To get the most out of vacuuming and mopping, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and change it regularly.

Make sure to use hot water with your mop and use the correct cleaning solution for the type of flooring you have. Also, don’t forget to vacuum your drapes, furniture, carpet edges, and baseboards. Finally, get an air purifier to capture odors and purify the air in your home. 

4. Ridding Your Home of Pet Stains and Pet Smells

Blotting or vacuuming up the mess and then treating the area with an enzymatic cleaner is the best way to break down the pet urine odors and stains. It’s important to be diligent with how you treat the stain and odor, as even trace amounts of urine can cause the smell to come back.

If the area is particularly stubborn, steam cleaning can be a great way to deep clean and remove any lingering odors. Pet owners should make an effort to train their pets, like doing puppy pee pad training, to avoid stains and smell moving forward.

5. The Power of Vinegar

Vinegar is an inexpensive and super-effective odor neutralizer and is one of the keys to removing odors from your home. Vinegar is extremely versatile and can be used to tackle odors from cooking, pets, and cigarettes.

To get rid of cooking odors, fill a pot with water, vinegar and a few pieces of citrus peel and allow the mixture to simmer on the stove. For cigarette smoke, fill dishes or bowls with full-strength vinegar and place them around the house for a few days. 

Simple Tips for Odor Removal

Home odors are no longer a problem that needs to be lived with. Now that you know some of the secrets to home odor removal, you can easily get rid of those smelly odors quickly and efficiently. Try out these techniques to transform the smell of your home!

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