No matter how much of a clean freak you tend to be, the stenches and odors of everyday life are unavoidable. But don't let that get you down — there's often an easy, homemade way to dispel stink from every area in your home.1. Wash indoor and outdoor trash cans with hot soapy water to remove smelly bits and debris. Leave a couple of used fabric softener sheets in the bottom of your kitchen trash can and compactor to absorb odors.2. A burnt-on food spill If food from a casserole dish bubbles over onto the stovetop or oven floor, sprinkle salt on the drips to absorb the burned smell (this will also make it easier to clean up later).3. Place a clean sock filled with dry coffee grounds inside to deodorize this pesky spot in your kitchen.4. The awful stench of burnt popcorn seems to hang around forever, but it eventually disperses. To speed up the process, fill a large microwave-safe bowl with 1 1/2 cups water and three or four chopped lemons along with a fragrant spice, like cloves.
Bring to a boil in the microwave, and then leave it to steam inside for 15 minutes (until the water cools down and can be removed safely). Leave the door ajar for an hour or so to air the microwave out.5. Check that the drain hose isn't crimped, and look in the bottom of the machine for bits of food and gunk. Then, pour a gallon of household vinegar in the bottom, let it sit for an hour or so, and run the washer through a full cycle. If the odor is still strong, call a plumber. It could potentially be a hazardous problem that needs to be remedied by a pro.6. Rancid wooden cutting boards and counters Scub the wood with a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda or salt. Rinse well and season with mineral oil.7. While cooking sharp-smelling items, like fish or cabbage, place a small bowl of white vinegar on the stove to absorb the odor. To stop offensive fridge smells, pour baking soda into a plastic margarine tub and poke holes in the lid; change as often as needed. Wipe down fridge walls with white vinegar to get rid of any lingering odors.8.
A sour-smelling garbage disposal Freshen it by throwing in lemon or lime rinds while it's running, followed by lots of cold water.9. When this frequently used bathroom fixture needs deodorizing, pour 1 cup of household vinegar into the bowl and let it stand for at least 5 minutes. Scrub briskly and flush.10. Dab essential oil (cinnamon or orange) onto cotton balls, and place them in a small bowl on a shelf. Put matches in a pretty basket near the toilet for handy use.11. To quickly deodorize a smelly rug, sprinkle a box of baking soda over it, and let settle into the fibers for 30 minutes. Then, vacuum it up.12. Spray with a disinfectant like Lysol to kill the bacteria that causes odors. In between cleanings, sprinkle some baking soda onto the mattress, wait 15 minutes, and vacuum.13. Open containers of activated charcoal (look for it at pet stores) absorb moisture, so they help fight mildew smells. If you find mold and mildew is a major problem, look into getting a dehumidifier.14.
Hanging clean socks filled with dry coffee grounds works here, too.15. Guests are about to arrive and you suddenly realize your pooch or kitty doesn't smell so pleasant. For a quick fix (until bath time), lightly sprinkle their fur with baking soda, rub it in, and then brush out.TELL US: What's your trick for getting rid of stinky household odors? • 7 Clever Uses for Dryer Sheets • 3 Proven Tools to Pick Up Pet Hair • 7 Tricks That Make Laundry Day Way Easier Nothing feels better than slipping into a clean bed with freshly-changed sheets. Want to take that feeling to the next level? Make sure that your MATTRESS is as clean as possible! Clean My Space is here to show us all the cleaning and maintenance tips to make sure our sleeping spaces are as clean as possible in the video below. The nasty truth is, the average human sweats about a 1/2 pint of perspiration a night. That’s the full eight ounce cup full of sweat. That’s a plesant picture, isn’t it?
When that perspiration is excreted onto our sheets, it also soaks through and gets absorbed by our mattress. And if you haven’t cleaned your mattress since, say, you purchased it five years ago…well, let’s just say that’s a WHOLE lot of sweat trapped under your sheets. Not to mention dust, dust mites, spills, dead skin cells, and so much worse. While it helps to clean your sheets as often as possible (once a week or once every other week is usually best), the germs don’t stop there. To really get the place where you spend 1/3 of your life clean, you have to take care of your mattress, too. But how do you clean your mattress? It’s not something you can easily throw in the washing machine. Try these simple tricks to get your mattress as clean as possible. How To Clean Your Mattress Step 1: Vacuum your mattress once a season or every time you rotate your mattress. This will help to suck up the dirt and dust that settle on top. Just do yourself a favor and make sure your vacuum attachment is clean before getting it anywhere near your bed.
Step 2: Deodorize your mattress by sifting some baking soda over the mattress. Let it sit for 30 minutes before vacuuming up. Step 3 Get stains out of your mattress by first dabbing at the mattress with a cold, damp cloth. Then add on a mixture of equal parts baking soda, salt, and water. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes before cleaning it off with cold water. Baking soda is a crucial step in this process to take the stink out of your mattress. We’re assuming said stink comes from all that sweat. But while baking soda is a natural deodorizer and will take away bad smells, it also doesn’t bring any good smells with it. If you want an extra special smell in your mattress, add a few drops of essential oil (like lavender or eucalyptus) to the baking soda before you sift it on to your mattress top. This will leave a lingering smell that you can enjoy for days after cleaning. For stain removal, the mixture listed above may not be enough for tougher stains. If so, create a mixture of two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap.