Tips for Removing Home Odors

We all try to be aware of the odors in our homes, especially when we know we are having company over or are trying to sell a home. The most common odors in homes are things like smoke, mold, mildew, pets, foods, and spices. These odors can be a tough task to tackle. Luckily, there are a few home remedies you can try before having to call the professionals.

 

If you already read the previous blog post, you may remember the first step in removing smoke odor from a car. As with any odor, we want to remove as much of the source as we can. This includes ashtrays, pipes, cigarette butts, pet urine, foods, etc. After that, we always want to open windows and doors and air out the odor. This allows some of the molecules that are causing the odor to escape, making the job of removing it just a little easier.

 

Both smoke odors and cooking odors like curry, oil, and fish have a tendency to stick to surfaces. Once the area being treated has aired out, the surfaces need to be treated. There are a few different methods and household supplies we can use to try to break down the odor.

 

Vinegar is a great household product for odor removal and disinfecting surfaces. It works for a variety of odors but works well on pet urine. If pet urine is somewhere stubborn like carpet, you can try rubbing the vinegar in with a cloth and letting it set for a few minutes. Then, use water and a clean cloth to rinse it out. Keep in mind that vinegar not only helps with pet odors but can assist with cooking odors, especially oil and spices. Wiping down surfaces in the kitchen will break down the oil that is causing the odors. A quick remedy for spices is to boil some vinegar on the stove, allowing it to permeate throughout the area to neutralize the odor.

 

Smoke odors, such as tobacco or marijuana, can sometimes be difficult to remove. Washing is essential after airing out the home. Simply using soap and warm water will get much of the odor-causing tar to be removed from surfaces like blinds, walls, and screens. Another common household item that can be used for smoke is bleach. This may seem alarming, which it should be. Bleach is very powerful! Be sure to dilute bleach by putting a capful for each gallon of water used. Apply to all surfaces that it can be safely applied to. These two methods for smoke odor removal should get the smell of the home in the right direction.

 

As mentioned earlier, odors can be very difficult to remove. Depending on the severity of the odors and how long the odor-causing activity occurred, normal home remedies may not be sufficient. If the odor is extreme, it should be left to the trained experts. Visit us at  odorzX.com , and we will be happy to assist you!

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Car Smells Like Smoke? Try This!

Many of us have seen the remedies for odor removal circulating the internet that involve coffee grounds, Febreze, and other items that either mask or do nothing to alleviate the odor. Let’s talk about some real options for removing this nasty odor from your vehicle.

The first step to removing any odor is to get rid of the source. In this case, we want to make sure that all cigarette butts and ashes are thrown out. Vacuum any residue that accumulates from smoking in the vehicle. Now that we have the source removed, it’s time to move on to the next step.

We want to minimize the amount of odor that needs to be eliminated before we start our remedies. A great method is to air out the vehicle. You can either open the windows and allow it to air out, or you can open the windows and turn the heat on to make the odor volatile, allowing it to be reduced more sufficiently. Either way, this is going to get you going in the right direction.

There are a few home remedies that can help get rid of the smell of smoke in the vehicle. Try wiping the vehicle interior down with vinegar. Be sure to get the areas where the smoke traveled frequently, like the headliner above the driver’s head. Vinegar works by breaking down the tar and removes it from the fabric. Keep in mind that vinegar is natural, so no nasty chemicals are being used in your home remedy.

Some materials might be more difficult for vinegar to cut the smell. Places like the carpet, rugs, and seats may need something like baking soda. Baking soda works by absorbing and neutralizing odors. Apply a generous amount on the carpet and other materials. Let it set for as long as possible. It’s critical that it set at least a few hours, but one to two days is ideal. Once the baking soda has set, simply vacuum it. If the odor has diminished but has not completely gone away, try the process again.

Depending on the odor and intensity, sometimes household remedies may not be enough to tackle the job. Odors like heavy tobacco smoke, pet smells like urine, mold and mildew, and food are sometimes too tough to handle on your own. We at odorzX want your car to smell fresh and clean, and we can tackle virtually any odor. Simply visit us at odorzX.com.

Welcome to the odorzX Blog!

We’re glad you’re here! Periodically, we will be posting updates to this blog about removing odors with household remedies, as well as our professional odor removal services. The company, odorzX, is based out of Southern California, servicing the surrounding areas of Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. You can always take a look at our website by clicking here. Thanks for stopping by, and we hope you find our home remedies and professional services to be of assistance to your odor problems!