Smells are an integral part of our lives. Pleasant aromas increase mood, improve well-being and appetite. And it’s good if your home always smells of freshness and flowers. But what about the unpleasant odors of urine, mustiness, tobacco, burning and sewage? What needs to be done to permanently eliminate them? In this article we will talk in detail about how to get rid of odors in a private house.
Seven Causes of Bad Smell
So, how to get rid of the bad smell in the house? First of all, you need to find the source of stench. Only in this case you can solve the problem and return to your home a feeling of complete purity and freshness.
There can be several reasons for the unpleasant smell in a residential building or apartment. We list the most common of them:
- Pets.
- Mold and fungus.
- Tobacco smoke.
- Poor ventilation.
- Sewer problems.
- Appliances.
- Furniture and old clothes.
It is extremely important to throw out unnecessary trash in a timely manner and empty the bin in time. You need to do the latter daily, regardless of the degree of its fullness. Food waste tends to deteriorate very quickly and fill the living space with a specific “sweetheart”. Remember: you can fight an unpleasant odor forever if you do not eliminate its source in time.
Let's consider in more detail how to get rid of the smell in the house, depending on the reason for its appearance.
Urine smell
Urine (or, scientifically, urine) is a vital product of humans and other mammals, characterized by a rather unpleasant odor. It can often be felt in those houses and apartments where there are pets. The dog, without waiting for a walk, can relieve the need right on your front carpet in the living room. Cats do love to purposefully mark their territory. At the same time, new curtains or your favorite shoes can easily fall under the distribution.
It is worth noting that the urine of infants is practically odorless, since the baby at this time eats exclusively the milk of its mother. But as he grows older, when the child’s diet expands, her aroma becomes more expressive. Urine of the elderly exudes an even more offensive smell. However, cat urine is considered the most “fragrant”. In addition, a special substance is present in its composition, which allows it to crystallize upon drying. This is why traces of your cat’s crime should be detected as early as possible.
How to get rid of the smell of cat urine
At home, many of us keep cats. After all, life with these fluffy angels becomes much brighter and more interesting. But here's the trouble: a cat, unlike a dog, is incredibly difficult to wean to relieve the need for a home. And to accustom her to the tray is not always possible. Therefore, a caring owner will have to somehow solve this problem.
How to get rid of the cat smell in the house? To do this, you can use one of the following tools:
- Vinegar.
- Chlorine containing water.
- Vodka.
- Soap solution.
- Baking soda.
If the cat made a toilet on the floor or other hard surface, then this is not so bad. It is enough just to wipe the puddle on time with a rag, and then wipe this section of the floor with a solution of vinegar with water (the optimal ratio is 1: 2). If the trouble happened on the carpet, walkway or upholstered furniture, then the owner will have to make some efforts to get rid of the smell of urine in the house. How to do it? Take the prepared vinegar solution and fill it with a stain, having previously blotted it with a paper towel. Do not rinse the vinegar, but leave it to dry like that.
Another effective way is the use of baking soda. This substance is known to be an excellent absorbent. Moisten a urine stain with warm water and pour plenty of soda on top of it. After some time, it will be necessary to vacuum the place where your cat naughty.
How to remove old urine stains
If the cat urine stain has already dried up, then it can be removed using ordinary household soap and the same vinegar. First, moisten the problem area well with water, and then thoroughly treat it with a bar of soap. Leave it all for 20-30 minutes. At this time, prepare the solution by stirring one tablespoon of 9% vinegar in a liter of water. This solution must be washed off the surface of the laundry soap. After this, you need to thoroughly rinse the place with clean water and dry.
Old urine stains in the house can also be disposed of with ammonia or a weak bleach solution. But do not forget that chlorine-based products are not suitable for the treatment of colored surfaces and fabrics. If the house has small children, then bleach is also better not to use.
Among other things, in stores you can buy special products that will save you from the terrible stench of urine. True, not all of them are equally effective.
The smell of sewers
Sewerage, without exaggeration, is one of the greatest inventions of mankind. But her condition must be constantly monitored. Especially in the old house. How to get rid of the smell of sewage? First of all, it is important to determine the cause of the stench. Most often this is a blockage or a mistake made during the installation of the sewer system. More details about the possible causes of odor are described in the following video:
As a rule, the smell from the sewer first appears in the toilet or bathroom, and only then spreads throughout the house. To solve this problem without calling the plumber is unlikely to succeed. However, it can be prevented in time. To do this, install iron grates on all drains in the house. They will trap hair and other debris. Once every two to three months, be sure to clean the pipes with one of the special chemicals.
It is also extremely important to monitor the cleanliness of the kitchen sink. Large food waste should be thrown into the bin. From time to time, a solution of vinegar and soda in hot water should be poured into the kitchen drain. This mixture will help to clean pipes from possible blockages.
Tobacco smoke
If at least one member of your family smokes, then you will certainly encounter this problem. Sooner or later. The smoke from cigarettes is perfectly absorbed into the curtains, carpeting and upholstery of upholstered furniture in the house. How to get rid of the smell of tobacco? After all, airing here is not enough.
You can try one of the time-tested folk recipes:
- During wet cleaning, add a couple drops of ammonia to the water.
- Hang bags of black tea in the apartment: in the doorway, by the windows and under the chandeliers. Then open all the windows and doors in the rooms and arrange a “draft” - the air in the house will instantly clean and become more fresh.
- Light a bay leaf in a ceramic container and treat all rooms in the house with this smoke. The smell of tobacco will not leave a trace.
- To remove the cigarette smell from clothes and linen, put bags of coffee beans, dried zest and vanilla pods inside in cabinets and chests of drawers.
If you are waiting for smokers, put wet towels in advance in different parts of the house. They perfectly absorb tobacco smoke. In addition, a scented candle can be lit near the ashtray, which will spread pleasant incense throughout the house.
The smell of dampness and mustiness
Excessive dampness in the room can provoke the development of mold. This fungus is extremely insidious and dangerous. He can “hide” under the baseboard, behind furniture or decorative wall cladding. Especially carefully monitor the level of humidity you need to monitor in a wooden house.
How to get rid of the smell of dampness in a living room? In most cases, you can cope with mold on your own. And ordinary soda will help you with this. Dilute one teaspoon of the substance in a glass of water. Moisten the sponge with the resulting solution and carefully treat with it all the moldy areas in the house. Another effective weapon against domestic fungus is white vinegar. Dilute one tablespoon of vinegar in one liter of water and, using a spray bottle, spray the solution over the mold. After 10-20 minutes, wipe the affected surface with soapy water.
How to get rid of the smell of old age in the house? The main reason for the feeling of mustiness is stale linen or long-unused interior items. To get rid of the aroma of old age, it is enough to wipe all surfaces, furniture and shelves in the house with a solution of potassium permanganate. If the smell comes from the closet with the clothes, then you will have to carefully sort it out and sort out the stale things. The cabinet itself will need to be thoroughly washed and ventilated.
How to get rid of odors in the kitchen
All unpleasant aromas will disappear if water and vinegar are boiled on a stove in an open container. For the same purpose, you can put a peel from an orange or grapefruit on a well-heated hotplate. Another option is coffee beans. Frying them in a pan, you can kill all those stench that formed during cooking.
Often an unpleasant odor comes directly from the refrigerator. You can get rid of it by spreading on the shelves a few pieces of fresh black bread. So that kitchen cabinets and bedside tables do not absorb the smells of food and products, containers filled with ground coffee or charcoal can be placed there.
A bit about the importance of cleaning
So, we have already figured out how to get rid of odors in the house. However, the best prevention of stench in all corners of the apartment is regular and proper cleaning. After all, it does not just remove dust and dirt from all home surfaces. Cleaning involves the use of special cleaners that fill all rooms with aromas of freshness and cleanliness. Of course, detergents must be of high quality and not contain compounds harmful to humans.
A good tool to eliminate unpleasant odors in the house is a solution of potassium permanganate. During the general cleaning, wipe them with all the furniture and all surfaces in the rooms. All old and ingrained odors will be easily eliminated.
There is a huge amount of incense, both natural and artificial. However, they will be effective only if the air in the rooms is initially clean. And without regular cleaning it is simply impossible to achieve this.
Aromatization of residential premises
So that the air in the house always remains pleasant and fresh, it can be additionally aromatized. To do this, use a variety of means. For instance:
- Scented candles (it’s enough to light them for only 3-5 minutes).
- Essential oils (they are heated using special ceramic lamps).
- Leaf tea.
The air in the room perfectly aromatizes black tea, hung in linen cases by the open window. In closets with clothes and dressers with linen, it is recommended to lay out aromatic bags filled with dried and chopped lemon or orange zest. If desired, it can be mixed with dried mint leaves, coffee beans or cinnamon.
Finally
Now you know how to get rid of the smell in the house. We hope that the methods described in our article will help you deal with this problem. But do not forget that regular cleaning and systematic ventilation of the premises is an excellent prevention of unpleasant stench in your home.