You know what the WORST game is? Playing “what’s that smell” and trying to find the source of bad smells in your home. There are a ton of things that make a house smell. I’m going to list of the top 9 reasons your house probably smells – and what to do about them.
This post is brought to you by OdorKlenz. All opinions are 100% my own. The following article may contain affiliate links. Venture1105 will earn a percentage of all sales at no extra cost to you.
9 Funky Smells & How to Get Rid of Them
When you finally narrow down the source of a bad smell, it is so much easier to fix! Plus, you can prevent it from happening again. Which of these smells have you experienced -and how did you fix them?
Trash Can
It doesn’t take long for a meat container inside your trash can to stink up your entire house. You know that smell when you smell it, too. Kitchen trash cans are some of the smelliest parts of a home.
How do you keep your trash can from being too stinky?
- Baking soda – sprinkle a little bit directly in the trash can or the trash bag to absorb odors
- Throw meat containers directly into the outside bin – if you keep this out of your kitchen trash can, it will stink less
- Dryer sheets – put 1-2 sheets in the bottom of your trash can, before you put the trash sack in. This will absorb bad odors and release pleasant ones
Garbage Disposal or Sink Drain
Walking into your kitchen, you know the smell! The trash can is empty, the fridge is clean…so what is that smell? It might be your kitchen sink drain or garbage disposal. And it makes sense too! Just remember all the food stuffs that go down the drain. If you’re looking for the smallest garbage disposal in the market, check out GarbageFix’s article.
To get rid of bad kitchen drain smell, pour boiling water down the drain. If it’s been a while since your drains have been cleaned, it may be time to schedule a professional drain cleaning service.
If you have a garbage disposal, freeze some lemon peels in ice cubes. Then, put a few ice cubes at a time in the garbage disposal. You’ll have a lemony-fresh smell in your kitchen!
And of course there is the “old reliable” method that has been true for years: baking soda & vinegar. Pouring this foamy mixture down the drain will eat away at any foods that are causing the bad odors. Wash it all down with hot water to really melt away any extra grease.
Sewage problems can be plenty during harsh summers. Residential sewer lines are backed up with rainwater during springtime. Sometimes the water sweeps into the sewer pipes through small cracks and breaches. The solution to this problem is to have an annual inspection by a plumbing contractor to check out your sewer pipe lines, then have an Oil water separator clean up to keep your sewer system in top-notch condition.
Mildewy clothes and washing machine
I know I’m not the only one with this problem: you forget your clothes in the washing machine and they begin to get that smell. Mildew. Damp. Mustiness.
I don’t like using perfumes to cover up that smell. I prefer something that is gentle, earth-friendly, and actually works to remove the smells, not just cover it up.
OdorKlenz is amazing and perfect for those smelly clothes situations. Do you have someone with extra stinky laundry? It works for that too.
And it doesn’t take much! One little scoop is all it takes to have a fresh-smelling load of laundry.
What Is OdorKlenz?
OdorKlenz is an earth friendly laundry additive that removes odors detergents leave behind.
It’s made with soda ash, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, and Titanium dioxide. Basically, it harnesses the cleaning power of oxygen to fight odors at the molecular level. These are all safe earth minerals.
Another thing I love about it? It’s non-toxic and safe to use around my family and pets.
How to Use OdorKlenz
For HE and front load washers, follow your manual’s instructions for additive use.
For top load washers, first partially fill the tub with water. Next, add the detergent, followed by the OdorKlenz, and then the clothes last as it keeps filling with water.
Where to Buy OdorKlenz
You can buy OdorKlenz from their website. All orders ship the same day and you can get free shipping on orders over $75.
You’ll be able to find a ton of home products on their website. They have more than just laundry additives!
Some other products you might like include:
- Pet litter additive
- Pet urine eliminator
- Sports release bag
Cat Box
You love your cat, but you don’t want to be that person with the house the smells like a cat.
To keep the cat smell down, clean the litter box every single day. Don’t let it go too long. In fact, if you ignore the litter box, you are risking your cat peeing and pooping around your house.
You can cut down on litter box smells with the pet litter additive from OdorKlenz.
Other pets
What other pets do you have? Even fish bowls can create their own unique smells. Keeping on top of cleaning up after your pets (like cleaning out cages and bowls) will go a really long way in preventing bad smells.
If you have a dog, you probably deal with pee/poop accidents around the house from time to time. Even the best trained dogs have their moments.
You want to use something that won’t just cover up the smell, you need to totally get rid of it. When you are house training a new dog, any odor left behind gives a clue to the dog that it’s ok to pee there again. The OdorKlenz pet urine eliminator completely removes all traces of urine from the fabric.
Here’s a video from Top Dog Tips, reviewing it.
Dirty Fridge
Sometimes, smells can actually be starting in your refrigerator or freezer. This seems strange because, isn’t the fridge supposed to keep your food from going bad?
Yes, but only for a certain amount of time.
Pay attention to the “best by” dates.
Only keep leftovers for 5 days.
And…yes…baking soda! Keep an open container of baking soda in your refrigerator. This will absorb any foul smells.
If you keep your refrigerator clean, you’ll eliminate the smells. However if your fridge is malfunctioning then it will most likely make your food go bad in a short amount of time, and spoiled milk does not smell like roses.
To keep this from happening you can hire Commercial Refrigeration Repair Services for regular maintenance to avoid your fridge from going bad.
Mold or Mildew in the house
Mold or mildew in the house is something that does happen, but need fixed as soon as you realize it. Mold is extremely dangerous so schedule a mould detection by JMB Environmental Consulting for your peace of mind.
The Family Handyman has a very thorough guide that explains what mold and mildew is, and how to get rid of it.
It doesn’t just stink, it can be hazardous to your health and rot away your home. That’s why it’s wise to seek help from professionals like Aegis Environmental.
Something Died
Do you have a rodent problem? If you tried to solve it with poison, then you risk having dead mice or rats in your walls. And let me tell you, that smell is unlike anything else.
Unfortunately, solving this problem can be pretty difficult. One option is to cut a hole in the wall, use a camera and look around. While this will require you to fix the wall, finding the dead rodent is worth it.
Prevent this from happening by handling your mice problem the right way. You can humanely use traps to catch them and release them.
Identify how they are getting into your house and fix it. If they can’t get into your house, you won’t have to worry about any of this.
Clutter
Yes, clutter can smell bad! Half-eaten food sitting on your desk begins to rot. Clutter collects dust and begins to create a very musty odor.
Cleanliness and tidiness are about more than just looking nice. Living clutter-free means you are able to actually clean your living space, killing bacteria and fungi.
How do you get rid of bad smells in your home?
These 9 funky smells are easy to fix and even easier to prevent. Which of them have you dealt with? Share this post, pin it to your Pinterest board, and share in the comments what you think.
your blog is very useful