Have you ever walked into your home after a day out and noticed your home has a smell about it ? It makes you wonder if visitors can smell something too. As a cleaner of well over 20 years, I've developed a very sensitive nose when it comes cleanliness. Here is a list of guilty culprits and ways to eliminate the odours -
* Rubbish bin. If you've put raw meat scraps or fruit in your bin, this could be the reason for the smell. Perhaps empty your bin more often or reduce the bin size. Start a compost bucket for fruit and veggie scraps and empty every day or so.
* Towels. Odours can build up for various reasons. Not washing yourself thoroughly, not hanging the towel up, folding the towel over, old towels, towels not drying completely, or not washing the towel often enough can contribute to the smell. Generally it's good to wash your towel every 3 or 4 days to reduce the chance of smells. A good airing on the clothesline can greatly help too. So does spraying your towels with vinegar before placing in the washing machine.
* Toilet. Urine splashes around the toilet is the most common cause of toilet smells. Wiping the toilet, floor and walls on a very regular basis will help with the smell. I spray vinegar on the floor once a week and leave it for a few minutes before wiping away. Keeping your toilet lid closed when flushing will keep the germs in the bowl.
* Exhaust Fan in kitchen. Odours from frying food are in the grease trapped in the filters. If the filters are small enough, clean them in the dishwasher. Otherwise, get out your pressure washer to clean the filters outside. Even a kettle of boiling water will help.
* Fridge. Spills left in the fridge, rotten food and dairy are usually the guilty culprits. Clean out your fridge once a week even if it's just a few shelves at a time. Maybe you are buying too much food and don't use it quick enough. I use kitchen detergent and water to clean my fridge but I've heard a little bit of vanilla essence on a cloth helps with odours. So too does bi carb in a bowl.
* Wet washing in the washing machine, dryer or basket. If your washing has accidently been left in the washing machine etc and it smells, don't dry the washing as it is. It will need to be rewashed with a bit of disinfectant to kill the germs and odours. I had a cleaning client who insisted on leaving wet washing in her dryer for days. Eventually she'd turn the dryer on but it never got rid of the smell. I know because I made their beds with smelly linens.
Oof, I can't imagine sleeping on sheets that have gotten "washer smelly" and then been dried. That scent would keep me awake all night.
ReplyDeleteAs far as getting rid of those kinds of odors, I don't know if you have the product called "Nature's Miracle" in Australia. It is meant to remove cat urine odors, but boy does it work well on stinky washables. My son put some dreadful stink in an expensive pair of washable trainers (sneakers). I soaked them in Nature's Miracle for 24 hours, then washed in the machine and dried on top of a heating pad (which works super well to gently and thoroughly dry ANY wet footgear!). Zero stink left. They smelled SO fresh and clean you would never have known that they harbored long-dead rats--LOL!!
And while I'm at it, do you know that a little spritz of aerosol antiperspirant underneath your toes each morning will keep them from getting sweaty and stinking up your shoes? YES. Try it!
I'm not sure if that product is available in Australia. Then again, I don't often go down the cleaning aisle. Vinegar is also good for eliminating odours.
DeleteYou can buy it online in Australia from PetBarn, it’s expensive though
DeleteWhile I love and use vinegar to clean many things, cat urine and my son's sneakers staunchly defy it. In my experience, the only thing that has ever truly eliminated those odors is an enzymatic cleaner.
DeleteI need to learn how to get that musty smell out of my washer! It's a high-end top loader with a stainless steel drum, and I take the clean wet laundry out of it immediately. I've tried leaving the lid open for a couple of days after doing a load of wash. I've tried running a hot water cycle with just vinegar. Any help would be MUCH appreciated! I live in Massachusetts, and the muggy season is just beginning.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm embarrassed that I asked that question because I just found your post about using epsom salts to clean a washer, and I am going to try that right away! Thank you!
ReplyDelete