Smells are an integral part of our life. Pleasant aromas improve mood, improve well-being and appetite. And it’s good if your home always smells of freshness and flowers. But what about the unpleasant smells 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 home.
Seven Causes of Bad Smell
So, how to get rid of bad smell in the house? First of all, you need to find the source of the stench. Only in this case you will be able to solve the problem and return to your home a feeling of complete cleanliness and freshness.
There can be several reasons for an unpleasant smell in a residential building or apartment. We list the most common of them:
- Pets.
- Mold and fungus.
- Tobacco smoke.
- Poor ventilation.
- Problems with the sewer.
- Household appliances.
- Furniture and old clothes.
It is extremely important to dispose of unnecessary trash in a timely manner and empty the trash can in a timely manner. You need to do the latter daily, regardless of the degree of its fullness. Food waste tends to deteriorate very quickly and fill living quarters with a specific "odor". Remember: you can fight an unpleasant odor forever if you do not eliminate its source in time.
Let's take a closer look at how to get rid of the smell in the house, depending on the reason for its appearance.
Smell of urine
Urine (or, scientifically, urine) is a waste product of humans and other mammals, which has 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 defecate right on your front carpet in the living room. Cats love to purposefully mark their territory. At the same time, new curtains or your favorite shoes can easily get under the distribution.
It is worth noting that the urine of babies is practically odorless, since the baby at this time feeds exclusively on his mother's milk. But as he grows up, when the child's diet expands, her aroma becomes more and more expressive. The urine of older people exudes an even more fetid odor. However, cat urine is considered the most "fragrant". In addition, it contains a special substance that allows it to crystallize when dried. That's why your cat's signs of crime should be detected as soon 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 problem: a cat, unlike a dog, is incredibly difficult to wean to relieve himself in the house. Yes, and 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 cat smell in the house? You can use one of the following tools to do this:
- Vinegar.
- Chlorine containing water.
- Vodka.
- Soap solution.
- Baking soda.
If a cat has arranged a toilet for himself on a parquet or other hard surface, then this is not so scary. It is enough just to wipe the puddle with a rag in time, and then wipe this area of \u200b\u200bthe floor with a solution of vinegar and water (the optimal ratio is 1: 2). If the trouble occurred on the carpet, path 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 pour it over the stain, after blotting it with a paper towel. Do not rinse off the vinegar, but leave it to dry.
Another effective way involves the use of baking soda. This substance is known to be an excellent absorbent. Wet the urine stain with warm water and sprinkle plenty of baking soda on top of it. After some time you needwill vacuum the place where your cat messed up.
How to remove old urine stains
If the stain of cat urine has already dried, then it can be removed with ordinary laundry soap and the same vinegar. First, moisten the problem area well with water, and then carefully treat it with a bar of soap. Leave it all for 20-30 minutes. At this time, prepare a solution by stirring one tablespoon of 9% vinegar in a liter of water. This solution must be washed off the laundry soap from the surface. After that, you need to thoroughly rinse the place with clean water and dry.
You can also get rid of old urine stains in your home with ammonia or a weak bleach solution. But do not forget that chlorine-containing products are not suitable for the treatment of colored surfaces and fabrics. If there are small children in the house, then it is also better not to use bleach.
Among other things, you can buy special products in stores that will save you from the terrible stench of urine. True, not all of them are equally effective.
Smell of sewerage
Sewerage is, without exaggeration, one of the greatest inventions of mankind. But her condition must be constantly monitored. Especially in an old house. How to get rid of sewer smell? First of all, it is important to determine the cause of the stench. Most often, this is a blockage or an error made during the installation of the sewer system. For more information about the possible causes of the smell, see the following video:
Usually, the smell from the sewer first appears in the toilet or bathroomroom and then spread throughout the house. It is unlikely that this problem can be solved without calling a plumber. 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 or three months, be sure to clean the pipes with one of the special chemicals.
It is also extremely important to keep the kitchen sink clean. Large food waste is best thrown into the trash. Periodically, it is necessary to pour a solution of vinegar and soda in hot water into the kitchen drain. This mixture will help clear the pipes of possible blockages.
Tobacco smoke
If at least one member of your family smokes, then you will definitely encounter this problem. Sooner or later. The smoke from cigarettes is perfectly absorbed into the curtains, carpets and upholstery of upholstered furniture in the house. How to get rid of the smell of tobacco? After all, one airing is not enough here.
You can try one of the time-tested folk recipes:
- During wet cleaning, add a couple of drops of ammonia to the water.
- Hang black tea bags around 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 be cleared and become fresher.
- Light a bay leaf in a ceramic container and use this smoke to treat all the rooms in the house. There will be no trace of the smell of tobacco.
- To remove cigarette smell from clothes and linen, place incupboards and chests of drawers, bags of coffee beans, dried zest and vanilla beans inside.
If you are expecting guests who smoke, lay out wet towels in different parts of the house in advance. They perfectly absorb tobacco smoke. In addition, you can light a scented candle near the ashtray, which will spread pleasant incense around the house.
Smell of dampness and mustiness
Excessive dampness in the room can provoke the development of mold. This fungus is extremely insidious and dangerous. It can "hide" under the plinth, behind furniture or decorative wall cladding. Especially carefully you need to monitor the level of humidity in a wooden house.
How to get rid of the smell of dampness in a living space? In most cases, you can deal with mold on your own. And ordinary soda will help you with this. Dilute one teaspoon of the substance in a glass of water. Wet a sponge with the resulting solution and carefully treat all mold-affected areas in the house with it. Another effective weapon against house 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 area 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 interior items that have not been used for a long time. To get rid of the smell 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 clothes, then it will have to be carefully sorted out and washed over stale things. The closet itself will need to be thoroughly washed and ventilated.
How to get rid of odors in the kitchen
All unpleasant odors will disappear if you boil water with vinegar on the stove in an open container. For the same purpose, you can put the peel of an orange or grapefruit on a well-heated burner. Another option is coffee beans. By frying them in a pan, you can kill all those stench that formed during cooking.
Often an unpleasant smell comes directly from the refrigerator. You can get rid of it by spreading a few pieces of fresh black bread on the shelves. So that kitchen cabinets and bedside tables do not absorb the smells of food and products, you can put containers filled with ground coffee or charcoal there.
A little 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 thorough cleaning. After all, it does more than just remove dust and dirt from all home surfaces. Cleaning involves the use of special cleaning products 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 remedy for eliminating unpleasant odors in the house is a solution of potassium permanganate. During general cleaning, wipe all furniture and all surfaces with it.rooms. All old and stubborn 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 premises is initially clean. And without regular cleaning, this is simply impossible to achieve.
Fragrance living spaces
To keep the air in the house always pleasant and fresh, it can be additionally flavored. To do this, use a variety of means. For example:
- Scented candles (you only need to light them for 3-5 minutes).
- Essential oils (heated with special ceramic lamps).
- Leaf tea.
The air in the room is perfectly flavored with black tea hung in linen cases by the open window. In wardrobes with clothes and chests of drawers with linen, it is recommended to decompose 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.
In conclusion
Now you know how to get rid of the smell in the house. We hope that the methods given 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.
