How to Fight the Funk: 9 Ways to Get Rid of Odors in Your Home Naturally

How many times have you walked into a home and got knocked in the nose with an

offensive odors?

Recently, I entered the room of a teen-aged boy and I thought I would pass out.

The experience was akin to wading through a fog of funk.

Dirty socks, sneakers, underwear and jeans littered the floor emitting heavy, musty smells

that made it hard to breathe.

It’s no surprise that I ran out of that room as fast as my feet would carry me!

Have you experienced unpleasant smells in your own home?

A home that smells bad can be very frustrating and embarrassing.

Bad smells in the home can also indicate problems that could be causing allergies or

other respiratory symptoms.

Chemical-based, air freshener sprays and synthetic potpourris can actually make

allergies worse–in addition to being harmful to your health and the environment.

Let’s face it, there is nothing worse than walking into a room or home that smells bad.

So, here are nine ideas to help you rid your home of nasty odors using natural means:

1. Find the Source

It will help any smell-eliminating effort to find the source and clean it up.

Maybe one of your pets has started using the bathroom in a hidden corner, or perhaps

someone dropped some food behind the couch. It could even be your garbage.

2. Fresh Air

Perhaps it’s old-fashioned, but an open window or two can sweep out odors in a matter

of minutes.

Make a cross-breeze effect by opening windows that are across from each other, and put a

fan in the window to pull fresh air in and help circulate it.

If the weather will not permit this, just circulating the air with fans can help.

3. Houseplants

If you can’t let fresh air in due to weather (or worse odors outdoors from, say, car exhaust),

grow houseplants. Indoor plants can improve air quality significantly; NASA scientists

actually studied the effects of houseplants on indoor air and concluded that they do, in fact,

pull chemicals from the air.

Some plants to consider are:

*English ivy

*Spider plant

*Peace lily

*Bamboo palm or Reed palm

*Rubber plant and other figs (Ficus),

*Snake plant

4. DIY Essential Oil Spritzer

It’s easy to make a natural air freshening spray by mixing:

1 part rubbing alcohol with

2 parts water in a spritzer

Add a few drops of essential oil

Some good choices for essential oils are citrus, lavender, bergamot, and peppermint.

5. Baking Soda

Yes, baking soda is part of every natural cleaning suggestion list!

There is a reason for that.

Baking soda is very effective at absorbing odors.

Sprinkle it on your carpet, wait about 10 minutes, and then vacuum.

Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your kitchen garbage can, underneath the garbage bag.

Leave a pan of baking soda out to absorb airborne odors.

For sink odors, pour baking soda into your sink drain, followed by white vinegar.

Leave overnight, then flush with hot water the next morning.

6. Check the Vacuum

Because they suck up all manner of household debris, vacuum cleaners can get very smelly.

Emptying the canister or changing bags often is helpful, as is changing the filters if your

vacuum has them.

If the smell is stubborn despite these efforts, vacuum up some baking soda.

Or, put a few drops of an essential oil you like onto a cotton ball, then vacuum the ball.

7. Enzymes

Enzymatic cleaners are available to clean many odor-causing messes.

There are enzymes specifically for pet odors (you pour the liquid right on the area where

the pet has soiled–after cleaning it up, of course), and enzymes for combating mildew.

These are natural, non-toxic choices for getting rid of odors.

8. Dehumidifier

Sometimes, damp air can worsen odors.

A dehumidifier can get rid of the water in the air, making it smell much better.

A dehumidifier helps to remove excess humidity or moisture present in the surroundings in which it is placed.

These units come in various sizes in order to suit different areas of application.

9. Charcoal

Charcoal is used in filters to remove odors and impurities from water, and it can also serve

to remove odors from air.

Because it can be messy, put the charcoal in a container with holes in the top of it so air can

flow through.

Place these throughout your home.

Ahh, what a breath of fresh air!

So the next time you want to eliminate odors or freshen your home do it naturally by using some

of these safe, non-toxic, chemical-free solutions to fight the funk!

Now it’s your turn…

How do you eliminate odors and freshen your home naturally?

Share your thoughts and comments with us.

“Shared at LouLou Girls Linky Party”

“Shared on Mostly Homemade Mondays”

“Shared on Tuesdays with a Twist”

“Shared at Natural Living Monday”

“Shared on Motivation Monday”