- Conquer Household Odors
Something stinks. But the cover-up is usually worse than the original culprit (blasting the bathroom with a rose-scented spray is like dousing your body with eau de toilette after two hours of tennis). The key to clean air is tackling the source of the smell, not its lingering effect. "There's a difference between an air freshener and an odor counteractant," says Jenny Botero, director of housekeeping operations for the Marriott International hotel chain. "Odor counteractants do more than mask a smell; they actually get rid of it."
While there are a number of reliable all-purpose counteractants, such as Lysol Disinfectant Spray and baking soda, certain pungent smells call for specific measures. Read on to find the best ways -- from vanilla extractto light bulbs that kill odor-causing bacteria -- to eradicate unwanted aromas anywhere in your home. Because for every nasty scent you sniff, there's a way to snuff it.
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquering Clothing Odors
The Cause
Stored clothing
Mothballs may be toxic, and they make you smell like a thrift store.
Sweat/body odor
Bacteria on the skin plus sweat causes body odor, which can seep intoclothing.
Shoes
Consider the potent combination of 98 percent July humidity and approximately 250,000 sweat glands on each of your feet. (No wonder you keep finding your sneakers on the back porch.)
The Cure
Stored clothing
At-home dry-cleaning kits like Dryel ($11 at supermarkets) can remove stale odors.
Sweat/body odor
Simply wash your clothes to kill unseemly body odor in fabrics.
Shoes
Avoid wearing the same pairof shoes two days inarow,and stuff them with newspaper, which absorbs moisture and, therefore, smells. Avoid sprays, which can leave a white residue.
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquering Refrigerator Odors
The Cause
A refrigerator odor that you can't "see" is like an itch you can't scratch. You can spend an afternoon scrubbing your fridge from top to bottom without getting rid of that whiff of food gonebad.That's because spills often trickle into the drip pan underneath the refrigerator or into the insulation and go undetected for months.
The Cure
There's still nothing better for absorbing fridge odors than baking soda, and the old staple justgot a makeover: Arm & Hammer's new Fridge-n-Freezer Deodorizer (70 cents at supermarkets) has front and back windows lined with a cheeseclothlike fabric to maximize ventilation. Vanilla extract is also an effective remedy: Soak a cotton ball in itand leave the cotton ball exposed on a dish until dry.
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquering Pet Odors
The Cause
Litter box
The ripeness of Snowball's litter box depends on the litter as well as on her diet, allergies, or infections, and whether the box is cleaned daily.Fur: Dirty coats breed odor-causingbacteria. "If we went months between baths, we'd stink," says Robert Krapfl, a veterinarian in Omaha, Nebraska.
Accidents
Fluids spread as they seep into carpet padding and create nasty smells.
The Cure
Litter box
Clay-basedlitterthat clumps when wet, such as Scoop Away Plus Crystals ($10 to $13 for a 25-pound box, at supermarkets) absorbs odors.
Fur
Brushing and bathing can prevent the buildup of bacteria. Ask your vet about shampoos.
Accidents
Spray Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Remover (about $8 at pet stores) on an area wider than the spot (and under it, if possible).
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquering Food Odor
The Cause
Poorly ventilated or cramped kitchens mixed with pungent foods -- such as garlic, curry, eggs, cheese, and burned casseroles -- make for strong odors that re-create the atmosphere of a pub at closingtime.
The Cure
Lemon and citrus fragrances, such as Lysol Neutra-Air Citrus spray ($4 at supermarkets) or all-natural Citrus Magic Air Freshener ($10, citrusmagic.com), remove strong food odors. Often the best (and easiest) remedy is to open a window or turn on a vent. "We use exhaust fans that suck everything out," says Wayne Almquist, a professor at the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York.
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquering Cigarette Smoke Odors
The Cause
Cigarette smoke is insidious. "Depending on how bad the smoke is in a room, sometimes we have to change the curtains, the bedspreads, everything," says Vera Harris, executive housekeeper for the Radisson Plaza Hotel, in Minneapolis.
The Cure
No one should smoke in your home if you dislike the smell or the habit. When hosting an incorrigible guest, rely on cross-ventilation: Place a fan in a window, facing out. Ventilationis the best solution for ridding clothes and furniture of the noxious smell, and for immediate relief spritz Arm & Hammer Deodorizing Air Freshener (about $1 at supermarkets). Citrus sprays work well, too.
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquering Bathroom Odor
The Cause
Mold and mildew
Mold and mildew grow where there is moisture, and odor-carrying bacteria can accompany them. This fast-growing ecosystem results in bad smells.Bodily functions: The mostnatural odors can be the most embarrassing -- especially if there is no bathroom window and you have a house full of guests.
The Cure
Mold and mildew
Clean off the bacteria that generate odors with Naturally Yours Mold & MildewRemover ($5 a quart, 888-801-7347), and dry all tiles and caulking when wet. Lysol Disinfectant Spray ($4 at supermarkets) inhibits growth.
Bodily functions
Lit candles or matches kill odors, as does Lysol Disinfectant Spray. Urinecan emitanammonia-like odor, so clean the toilet regularly.
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquering Basement Odor
The Cause
Musty odors
The thick stench that seeps into books, quilts, and maps of the countries you backpacked through in college is caused by moisture that gets trapped in unventilated spaces, resulting in mold and mildew that breed odor-causing bacteria.
Water damage
Water damage can cause leaks, and leaks create odors that won't dissipate until the wet spots -- and the source of the damage -- are dry.
The Cure
Musty odors
"Activated charcoal reduces odors," says Meredith Montague of Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. Pour two cups into an airtight bin, prop your items on a showbox in the bin so they don't touch the powder, seal until fresh, then airthem out.
Water damage
Once the source is sealed, ventilate and turn on a dehumidifier, like the Kenmore 50-pint model ($180, sears.com).
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquer Garbage Odor
The Cause
The fetid blend of banana peels, used paper towels, cheese scraps, onion ends, milk cartons, takeout containers, and dead flowers is inevitable. Lidded garbage cans left outdoors are especially proneto bacteria growth.
The Cure
Originally designed for pet odors, SeaYu Petrotech Odor Eliminator ($10, petsmart.com) also works well in garbage cans and diaper pails. The nontoxic spraybinds to odor particles and naturally biodegrades the odor-causing bacteria. To prevent garbage smells from forming, clean and disinfect both indoor and outdoor garbage cans with an all-purpose cleaner at least once a month.
- Conquer Household Odors
Conquer Dishwasher Odor
The Cause
Most dishwasher odors are caused by dirty plates that have been sitting for a few days or by food trapped in the filter or on the tub bottom.
The Cure
If your dishes sit before you start the dishwasher, run a "rinse and hold" cycle until you're ready to wash. To clean the whole machine, run an empty cycle with two cups of white vinegar (a natural odor absorber and neutralizer) instead of detergent. Remember that your dishwasher isnot a garbage disposal: You can prevent odors by rinsing food off before you load.
