Eliminate the Top 10 Household Odors

Cigarette Smoke in Upholstery and Carpet

The smell of cigarettes lingers in carpet and furniture fibers long after the smoke clears. Sprinkle baking soda over the offending surface, let it sit for several hours, and clean it up with a HEPA vacuum, which traps small particles. If odor lingers, take a day to deep clean your carpet or upholstery; you can rent a Rug Doctor machine in your area.

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Garbage Disposal Odor

Are offending odors rising from the depths of your sink? Pour white vinegar down the disposal, or freeze it into ice cubes and let the disposal chop them up. Or try this solution for cleaning the garbage disposal with oxygen bleach.

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Garbage Can Odor

Toss whatever is in your garbage and give the trash can a good scrubbing inside and out with a disinfectant cleaner. If you'd rather use natural methods, clean the can with your favorite eco-friendly cleaner and then deodorize it by spraying it with white vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe clean.

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Refrigerator Odor

You guessed it -- that old standby, baking soda, is the best offense when it comes to fridge odors. But if you still sense that something's awry, try doubling up with some activated charcoal, available at home and bath stores.

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Pet Odor

Air out your furniture if you can (putting it in the sun for a bit may help zap some of the odor naturally). Then vacuum it carefully using a machine with a HEPA filter (it's designed to trap small particles). You may also need a cleaning product like Nature's Miracle, designed to remove pet odors; check your local pet store.

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Dishwasher Odor

Run the machine while it's empty, using two cups of white vinegar instead of detergent.

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Compost Odor

If your compost has a foul odor, turn your pile to aerate it (you should be doing this once a week anyway), and mist it with water: this will create an ideal environment for the microbes to work.

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Coffee Pot Odor

The smell of freshly brewed coffee may be inviting, but the lingering scent it leaves behind is a wake-up call that your coffee pot needs cleaning. Fill the pot with one part white vinegar to two parts water, then pour this solution into your water reservoir and turn the coffee maker on.

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Mildew Odor in the Bathroom

Mildew thrives in moist environments like bathrooms and basements. The best solution is to open all windows on a dry day and run a dehumidifier. Use the exhaust fan -- or an oscillating fan -- to circulate the air. Remove damp towels, rugs, and shower curtains and run them through the laundry. 

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Musty Drawer Odor

There are eight very efficient ways to remedy a musty drawer. Our favorite? Sprinkle baking soda into your drawer and let it sit for at least a few hours (or a few days, if you can). Then vacuum it up.

Photo Credit: flickr/Happy Monkey