20 Quick Fixes For Foul Odours Around the House
Dealing with a smelly pet or can't stand the smell of fresh paint? Look no further than your kitchen to keep these annoying odours at bay.
Failing fridge
There are many different ways to keep your fridge smelling fresh. You can place a wide, shallow bowl of coffee grounds in your fridge or freezer, leaving it overnight to absorb and get rid of odours. Other great odour absorbers are tea bags; placing three to four around your fridge on a regular basis will prevent strange smells from occurring in the first place. If you don’t happen to have any tea bags handy, peel a raw potato and slice it in half, placing the two halves on different shelves in your fridge. Once the cut sides turn black, slice them away and pop them back in the fridge for continued use. If your smelly fridge needs a deep cleanse, empty it out and wipe the interior with undiluted tomato juice, then rinse with warm water. This remedy will also work on an odorous cooler.
Fishy hands
If you’re about to cook fish but are worried about the scent lingering on your hands afterward, halve a lemon and rub your hands with the cut ends before handling fish. If the smell persists after you’ve finished cooking, get rid of the odours on your skin by scrubbing wet hands with baking soda and rinse with warm water.
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Garbage can
Keep your garbage can smelling fresh by sprinkling baking soda in the bottom each time you change out the bag. Baking soda is one of the most effective natural deodorizers out there and will prevent the area from smelling.
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Grease in the kitchen
Put a bowl of white vinegar out in your kitchen next time you fry something using grease. The vinegar will absorb the stench and prevent an unsavoury smell from emanating through your kitchen. Alternatively, simmer the vinegar once you’re done cooking for an even stronger deodorizer.
Try out these other household uses for vinegar.
New paint smell
Although it may be exciting to be adding a fresh coat of paint to your walls, the accompanying odour can detract from the fun. Mix a tablespoon of vanilla extract into a gallon of paint to make the sharp smell slightly sweeter.
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Recycled food container
If you’re reusing an old food container that was previously occupied by something that left an odd smell behind, squirt a bit of yellow mustard in the bottom and fill the container halfway with warm water. Swish the mixture around gently, let it sit for 15 minutes, and wash.
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Skunky-smelling car
Your pet may have managed to outrun that pesky skunk, but it still spent the evening lurking under your car. Dissolve a cup of dried mustard into three gallons of water and splash the solution over your vehicle’s tires and undercarriage.
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Musty dishwasher
To rid your dishwasher of that musty and dank smell, throw one cup of baking soda in the bottom of the washer and run it on the rinse cycle. Should the smell persist, sprinkle a few more tablespoons in the bottom to sit in between loads, but don’t feel the need to rinse the washer again before the next load. Prevent weird smells from accumulating in the first place by adding half a cup of lemon juice to the detergent receptacle each time you use the machine to get rid of odours.
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Smelly sneakers
Stop smelly sneakers from stinking up your whole house by crumbling a couple of dried sage leaves inside each shoe just before you put them on. Sage carries a light fragrance while killing bacteria, and you can just shake the flakes out each night and replace them the next day.
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Kitchen smoke or cooking odours
Did last night’s dinner leave an unexpected reek in your kitchen? Wet a washcloth with vinegar and wave it around the room to neutralize any smell. Another method is to slice two lemons and place them on a baking sheet, then preheat your oven at 225 F and bake for 60 to 90 minutes. Once time is up, leave your oven door open and let this natural air freshener work wonders.
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Stinky feet
Keep your feet from stinking up your shoes in the first place by soaking feet in a tea bath for 20 minutes every night. After two weeks, you should notice a decrease in sweat and odour. Another helpful solution is to sprinkle a 50-50 mixture of baking soda (to get rid of odours) and cornstarch (to absorb sweat) on your feet and in your shoes each morning.
Find out more home remedies for stinky feet.
Chemical smell in oven
Chemical oven cleaners can be necessary for thorough cleaning, but they leave your oven with a harsh smell that leaches into food when it is next used. Prevent this from happening by wiping the inside of your oven with a sponge soaked with white vinegar after it’s been cleaned. Let the vinegar dry completely before you turn the oven on again.
Rank microwave
You’ve just cleaned your microwave and it’s spotless—except for the lingering stink. To rid the appliance of unwelcome fragrance, microwave a few tablespoons of vanilla extract on high for one minute. Let the vanilla cool and repeat as needed.
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Odorous pet accidents
New puppy’s not housebroken? Soak up as much of the accident as you can, then get rid of the urine smell by pouring a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water onto the smelly spot so that it soaks through. Let it sit for a half hour, then wash with cool water to get vinegar out. Pat dry, then place a half-inch-thick layer of dry rags or paper towels and weigh them down with a heavy object, which will speed moisture absorption. If odour persists, work an eighth- to a quarter-cup of baking soda into the carpet, leave for 15 minutes, and vacuum up. However, general pet odours can also be quelled by heating freshly ground coffee beans over low heat in a cast-iron skillet. Then, place the skillet in the smelly room and the odour should be gone by the time the coffee grounds cool.
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Burnt milk
While boiling milk, it’s easy to glance away for a minute and look back to see your pan overflowing. If you’ve burnt milk and need to mitigate the smell, wet the bottom of the pan and coat it with salt. Let the pan sit for about ten minutes and then wash normally to get rid of odours.
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Smelly car
If you’ve cleaned your vehicle meticulously but can’t seem to get rid of an unpleasant smell—whether from a carsick child or a fast food drive-thru—offset the odour by leaving an undiluted bowl of white vinegar on the floor of your vehicle overnight. If you have vinyl seats, sprinkle baking soda over your seats and work it into the material using your hands or a soft-bristle brush. Shut all doors and windows overnight, and vacuum the neutralizer out of your seats the next day. One helpful tip to keep your car smelling fresh is to keep coffee beans or baking soda in your ashtrays to keep offensive odours at bay.
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Dank-smelling drain or garbage disposal
Keep your drain and garbage disposal smelling fresh and clean by pouring a cup of salt down the drain, followed by a cup of baking soda, and a kettle’s worth of boiling water. You could also grind citrus peels, fresh mint, or ice cubes that are half water, half white vinegar.
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