Directly sprinkle baking soda over the affected area. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight for strong odors. Vacuum the surface to remove the residue. Repeat until the smell is gone completely.
Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on the smelly carpet and let it sit as long as possible, ideally overnight, so it can absorb as much of the odor as it can.
That's right. That unassuming baking soda is a walk-on-water miracle for your kitchen. Baking soda, unlike most commercial air fresheners, doesn't mask odors, “it absorbs them," says Mary Marlowe Leverette, a home economist and blogger.
When this alkaline powder comes into direct contact with smells, it can make a difference. We recently tested different approaches to removing garlic and onion smells from a cutting board (July/August 2007) and found scrubbing with a paste of 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon water to be the most effective.
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A: Spokesmen at Church and Dwight Co. Inc., the makers of Arm and Hammer baking soda, said baking soda contains a hydrogen ion and that can bind with acidic (body odor) and alkaline (fish smell) odors to neutralize them.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a fantastic odor-absorber. Carpet and Upholstered Furniture - Sprinkle baking soda on surface, let sit 30 minutes or overnight, then vacuum away to freshen and remove odors. Bedding - Refresh your mattress with baking soda.
Effectiveness: Baking soda tends to be more effective at removing deeper, tougher odors. It neutralizes both acids and bases in the air and on surfaces. Versatility: Vinegar is a multi-purpose solution that can clean various surfaces as well as eliminate odors. However, its strong smell often lingers after use.
Add about 25 drops of your favorite essential oil to 2 tablespoons of baking soda and stir to combine. Lemon and lavender are great choices, but eucalyptus is my favorite because of the refreshing scent. Pour the baking soda and essential oil mix into the water and stir. Then funnel the water into your spray bottle.
Successful removal agents include potassium permanganate, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, ozone and dichromate. In order to provide intimate contact between scrubbing liquid and odour producing gas, packed bed scrubbers are employed.
Baking soda: Open a container and place it in the area where the smell originated. Coffee grounds: Put used coffee grounds in shallow bowls and place around your house. The coffee grounds will absorb and eliminate smells. White vinegar: Bowls of white vinegar can act as an odor neutralizer.
Add about 25 drops of your favorite essential oil to 2 tablespoons of baking soda and stir to combine. Lemon and lavender are great choices, but eucalyptus is my favorite because of the refreshing scent. Pour the baking soda and essential oil mix into the water and stir. Then funnel the water into your spray bottle.
Lemon is an especially effective air deodorizer. You can also add oils to a bowl of water, which has the added benefit of adding moisture to inside air through evaporation or burn essential oils in an aromatherapy diffuser (safer than burning paraffin candles).
Apple cider vinegar: Mix apple cider vinegar with a small amount of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto your armpits. The acid in vinegar helps kill bacteria.
For extra persistent smells, soak clothing in a baking soda and water mixture before washing, or place dry clothing in a sealed bag along with baking soda and leave for a day or two to allow the baking soda to absorb the odors.