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Eliminate Odors In Your Home For Less

by Nicole Humphrey | More from this Blogger

17 Dec 2006 10:06 AM

Everyone has odors and strange smells floating around their homes from time to time. Everything from diaper pails, to smelly shoes, and bathroom odors to pet odors, they all cause smells that aren't so pleasant. With all the air fresheners, scented candles, sprays and other products available, a person could go broke trying to reduce or eliminate odors throughout the home.

However there are some ways you can use everyday household items and other inexpensive products to reduce or eliminate those odors. It does not have to break the bank.

Baking Soda

This is the number one product for odor elimination. Baking soda reduces and eliminates all sorts of smells anywhere in your home, and it is a very inexpensive product to purchase. In fact, we always have it on hand. Pour some in a bowl, cup or other container and place it near where the odors linger. Such as closets, refrigerators, bathrooms, etc. You can also sprinkle it in the bottom of litter boxes, in diaper pails, inside smelly shoes, and other locations where the odor is contained to a small area. The powder absorbs the odor and you can dump the powder and do it again. For more great uses for Baking Soda, check out More Amazing Uses for Baking Soda or Still More Amazing Uses For Baking Soda.

Fabric Softener Sheets

These can be purchased very inexpensively at a discount chain, or even at the dollar store. You do not have to have a name brand to have nice smelling fabric softener sheets. You can purchase the generic ones, and use them just as well. Place fabric softener sheets around just as you would with the baking soda. In shoes, drawers, closets, bathrooms, backpacks, suitcases, or anywhere else that you need a fresh scent. Looking for more great uses for fabric softener sheets? Check out Five Uses For Dryer Sheets, plus one.

Spice Sachet

One of my favorite ideas, because you can create your own scent, is to use household spices to create a sachet. Take a pair of nylon such as an old pair of panty hose and cut off the feet (or you can use a coffee filter which is my preferred method and tie a string around it). Using the feet of the nylon hose, fill with cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, ginger and other spices that you find pleasant. You can also take a piece of bread, cut it into small squares (you can get about nine squares from one piece of bread). Allow the bread squares to dry completely. After they have dried (a day or two sitting out) - add some drops of almond extract, vanilla extract, peppermint extract or whatever delicious scent you love and have on hand and place the bread into a nylon stocking. Tie the top and place in a drawer, hang from a hanger in the closet, or even place non conspicuously on your kitchen table in a centerpiece. The smell will last for about a week, depending on the temperature. You can either add more drops at the end of the time, or you can start all over again. You can also do this the same way you would if you were making your own pot-pourri.

Related Articles

Scents For Your Home for Cents

Five Uses For Dryer Sheets, plus one.

More Amazing Uses for Baking Soda

Still More Amazing Uses For Baking Soda.

 
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Learn more about Nicole Humphrey
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Nicole Humphrey is a freelance writer, consultant for CTMH and a Sr. Blogger for families.com. She resides in St. Charles, Missouri with Mike and their five children and two furbabies.

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User Comments

QueenAngie Central Illinois, USA Online! (60086) 17 Dec 2006 06:04 PM

Nicole, thank you for sharing those tips.

Another easy idea is to simply light a match and that hides many odors.

I prefer a clean scented candle like Clean Linen to keep the house smelling fresh and clean.

If your home has a bad odor as you walk in the frontdoor, it gives a guest the sense that the house is not clean or tidy. First impressions are lasting impressions.

Nicole Humphrey (15757) 17 Dec 2006 08:17 PM

I absolutely love the smell of "white linen" or "clean linen" depending on what brand you buy! Angie - GMTA! Great advice about the match, I've actually done that before LOL

fbender (6) 09 Sep 2008 06:21 PM

If you like the smell of clean I want to share a new product with you. It's really designed to eliminate heavy duty odors like pet odors,smoke and even mold and mildew. But what is actually does is a completely disinfects and it destroys any bacteria mold or mildew that's causing the odor. So in essence, the place is actually disinfected and left smelling crisp and clean like no other product I've ever used. It also worked wonders for my husband's allergies. The product is called Room Shocker and you can find a website called BiocideSystems.com.

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