Sometimes our olfactory nerves don’t pick up on funky smells right away. When a guest or other member of the household points them out, it’s when alarm bells start ringing.
What are some areas in the house where bad odors are relatively frequent? Below is a shortlist and some suggestions on how to address each issue.
Stinky bedding
It’s perfectly normal for the body to secrete natural oils and shed dead skin, but sheets often absorb the brunt of these secretions. Bedsheets that have been left unchanged for months on end will start emitting unpleasant smells.
Make it a point to change and wash your sheets bi-weekly at the very least. If you’re a heavy sweater or you often drool on your pillows — happens to the best of us — it may be best to make sheet washing a weekly chore.
In some cases, the mattress itself will start to stink — as well as stain — and you might need to do more than just replace old sheets.
If you’re not yet ready to check for good mattress sale deals, you can clean your mattress naturally use baking soda and a few drops of essential lavender oil. This combination is effective at removing stubborn odors.
Find the source of the smell and let the baking soda and oil combination sit on it for about an hour.
Bad-smelling refrigerator
Newer refrigerator models nowadays feature auto-defrosting technology. Essentially, these types of refrigerators will rarely need to be unplugged for defrosting and cleaning.
However, there’s a risk of becoming a bit too complacent and forgetting that refrigerators need to stay fresh now and then. Bits and pieces of leftover food are bound to end up in the corners of the fridge — often unseen until it’s too late. It’s an essential recipe for producing foul smells.
Consider inspecting and cleaning your fridge at least once every month. If you don’t detect any foul smells, check for signs of spillage and don’t wait for them to start producing bad odors.
When you do need to do a bit of thorough cleaning, make sure to unplug the machine and clear out its contents. Use a mixture of baking soda and hot water to clean the interior. Additionally, you can also use a vinegar-dipped cloth to obliterate any lingering smell further.
Musty basement
Basements often experience water infiltration from pipe leaks and flooding. When left unattended for some time in humid temperatures, basements become an ideal environment for mildew and mold. The growth of these fungi will leave a musty and damp smell.
Fortunately, they are easy to detect with the naked eye. If you find gray or white fragments in the nooks and crannies of your basement, that’s a sure sign of mildew and mold growth. Scrub down these areas with an all-purpose cleaner.
If the mustiness persists, you can use vinegar and baking soda to deodorize the area. Additionally, you can purchase a potent odor eliminator online or from your local hardware store.
For you to move forward, an excellent proactive strategy is to improve overall air circulation. If you don’t have basement windows to open up, consider installing a basement exhaust fan. That will help remove any excess humidity.
