Last Updated on January 8, 2022 by Ellen Christian
Getting rid of household odors is something I think about whenever we have guests over. When you’re looking for a quick and easy way to eliminate odors from your home, consider natural remedies
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Getting Rid of Household Odors
Household odors can be a problem for even the most attentive housekeeper. When your home doesn’t have a chance to breathe, odors don’t have anywhere to go. The air can become stale and odors can be absorbed by fabrics and furniture. Here are a few tips for getting rid of household odors before guests show up.
Get Rid of the Source
Eliminate household odors by getting rid of the source. Change the cat box, wash the dishes, wipe down the stove and take out the garbage if those are issues. Look for any messes made by your pets and try to identify the source of the odor.
Open the Windows
If the weather is warm enough, open the windows to let in fresh air and let out household odors. If you need to, place a fan facing inwards in front of an open window to pull in the fresh air. Try to open more than one window to create a cross breeze.
Sink and Drain Odors
If it’s your sink drain or garbage disposal that is causing the odor, try pouring a cup of baking soda down the drains and then following up with a cup of lemon juice.
Get Rid of Kitchen Odors
If you have an exhaust fan in your kitchen, turn it on so it can vent the odors outside. This works even better if you also open a window to draw fresh air inside.
Scent the Air
Try covering up the odor with a naturally scented candle
or bowl of potpourri. You can also heat cinnamon sticks on the stove in a small pot with a few cups of water.
Please look for natural products rather than artificial fragrances. This step will only cover up odors, not eliminate them, but it will help in a hurry if the other methods don’t work.
Check out the best essential oils for odor elimination.
Add a Plant
Place plants like English Ivy and Boston Ferns
throughout the house. These plants are known to help reduce odors. Read more about houseplants that clean the air for ideas of which type will work best for you.
Odor Reduction Filters
Try an Odor Reduction Filter
for your HVAC (furnace/air conditioning) system. These filters will help remove odors from the air as it circulates by using tiny pores of activated carbon with electrostatically charged fibers.
Do you have any other tips for getting rid of household odors naturally?
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
After reading this article I immediately went to Whole Foods to buy the suggested oils for drain odors. My daughter’s apartment has a horrible smell and those oils worked a miracle. Thank u so much!!!!!
I’m so glad. Thank you for stopping by!
Great tips!! Thank you! =)
That filter sounds great but I really like the idea of simmering a couple of cinnamon sticks on the stovetop.
Thanks for all the tips these are going to come in handy
That would come in handy in my house! Between the teenage boy, the husbands workout clothes and the dog it seems like something always smells bad in my house!
We do the baking soda and lemon juice in the drain all the time. I don’t know why, but it just makes me feel better LOL No one else smells it, but I *think* I do 🙂
Great odor reducing tips with the plants too! I wouldn’t have know that
What great tips! I love the one about having green plants in the house to help reduce odors. Not only that but it helps keep the air fresher for everyone which does make a big difference.
My tip for the Holidays is that after you are finished cooking the Turkey to clean the entire kitchen from top to bottom. I don’t cook meat much but I have to say the one time I cooked a Turkey the smell lingered until everything in the kitchen was washed down. I don’t mind making the entire rest of the meal I would even make other meat to go along with the turkey but someone else can bring the turkey and I will just make sure it stays warm.
I love this tip too. 😀 I’m bookmarking that page so I can get the right plants. THANK YOU!
Thanks so much, Susie!
LOL, for us, the odors are from the wee wee pads from the two fur babes.