Yet a few inexpensive household essentials you probably have on hand already—vinegar, salt, coffee, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide—will neutralize most noxious odors around your home and in your vehicles.
Some of the best odor eliminators are coffee grounds, tea, vinegar, oats, and baking soda. Leaving a bowl of any of these odor absorbers out in a room that's due for a little freshening up will help clear out the less-than-pleasant smells from the air.
Mix water, baking soda and lemon juice in a large bowl and stir or whisk together. The ingredients may fizz a little, so wait a few minutes until they stop fizzing. Both lemon and baking soda are traditional odor eaters, and the bonus is... most people have them on hand and they are super inexpensive!
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.
Among what's available to consumers, activated charcoal absorbs bad smells better than any other material. But for what you may have around the house, it's hard to beat the classic cleaners of vinegar and baking soda. Use these cleaners together or by themselves to handle odors in every room of the house!
#1 - Baking soda
Baking soda is one of the best items you can use to absorb bad smells. You can leave an open box or bowl of baking soda in your refrigerator and sprinkle some in the bottom of your trash cans to neutralize foul odors that tend to develop in these places.
The acetic acid in vinegar neutralizes alkaline odors, which means it can help get rid of cooking smells cheaply and easily.
Many undesirable smells, such as that of spoiled food, are due to organic acids, and can be neutralized by baking soda. Fragrant molecules in the air can also be destroyed by means of a chemical reaction. Ozone generators produce ozone gas which can destroy smelly compounds in the air.
Odor absorbents include baking soda, activated charcoal, and the like. An antimicrobial, odor control composite contains film with fabric laminated on both sides. The film is a breathable film layer with a measurable gas or vapor transmission rate.
Charcoal is a natural and non-toxic ingredient. These bags can be used anywhere to combat all odors. They can even neutralize stubborn smells like smoke, pet urine, cat litter boxes, and more. These charcoal deodorizers come in a 12-pack, which includes two 200-gram bags and 10 75-gram bags.
Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and a fine abrasive — that's good for odor absorption and scrubbing. Vinegar's acid cuts through grease and shines things up, making it a winner for cleaning hard surfaces like countertops and windows.
Salt is a mild antiseptic that cuts through grease, removes odors, and lifts stains.
Keep things dry with a dehumidifier in your basement, and try leaving out a bowl of vinegar for around 15 minutes to neutralize any odor.
It depends on the air flow in the space. However, vinegar actively looks for things to bind to. In most cases, it won't take more than 5-15 minutes for the smell to go away.
These two common household materials can serve as natural cleaners to remove grime and keep your surfaces clean. Because vinegar and baking soda are on opposite ends of the pH scale, they can be combined and used as effective cleaning solutions.
Baking soda can take several hours to absorb odors. It's recommended that you allow at least 24 hours to remove odors. When you make this baking soda air freshener DIY, let it sit for 24 hours to notice a change. You can let it sit for several weeks.
Use baking soda
Place a small bowl or vase of baking soda or white vinegar somewhere in the room, suggests Lily Cameron, a cleaning expert at Fantastic Services. “They'll absorb most of the smell in the air,” she says.
White vinegar contains acetic acid, which neutralizes odors by killing the bacteria and mildew causing the bad smell.
When baking soda is mixed with vinegar, something new is formed. The mixture quickly foams up with carbon dioxide gas. If enough vinegar is used, all of the baking soda can be made to react and disappear into the vinegar solution.
Baking soda, unlike most commercial air fresheners, doesn't mask odors, “it absorbs them," says Mary Marlowe Leverette, a home economist and blogger. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate in a convenient box) neutralizes stubborn acidic odors -- like those from sour milk -- as well as other funky smells lurking in your home.
Deodorize the Room
Unpleasant odors lurk in the carpets, rugs, and upholstery. To remove these musty smells, fill a dish with half an inch of white vinegar and leave it out in the room until the smell dissipates.
Coffee grounds act as a natural deodorizer. Simply scrub your hands with them after cooking to remove any unwanted smells like garlic and onions. You can also use coffee grounds to absorb odors in your fridge. Allow some used grounds to dry out.
Some of the most popular essential oils for odor control are as follows: lemon, lemongrass, rosemary, lavender, tea tree, and orange. You can choose one, or create your own unique blend using your favorite oils!