Today I am sharing my favorite odor eliminating tools to get the funk out of your house.
My husband says I can smell everything. He’s not wrong. I’m the first to smell fire (hello, Southern California problems), or stinky soccer cleats, or worse. And there is always worse.
Ways to Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh
I am always worried our home smells like dogs. We have three of them and they can often stink. Plus their funk gets into the carpet and rugs in which they lay upon so I can’t help but become wide-eyed when walking into certain rooms of my house.
Related: 10 Cleaning Tools You Aren’t Currently Using
Air Purifiers
Don’t you all think the pandemic helped the explosion of air purifiers on the market today? I have no concrete data to back that up but I think we all desperately wanted optimal air quality so an air purifier we invested.
We have two air purifiers in my home. One I keep in our bedroom and a smaller one downstairs that I move around as needed.
My husband has terrible allergies and our home is constantly hammered with dust particles because of its proximity to a busy street. I feel like the Dyson Pure Cool Link Air Purifier ($399) I bought over five years ago has done a good job at filtering that space. Do I think that it fully eliminates all funky odors and removes all allergens? No. But it’s a solid appliance that has served us well.
But, the air purifier I’m most hyped about is the smaller, more affordable one I bought during the last Amazon Prime Day. It’s the Bissell Myair Blue Air Purifier (less than $100) and it’s a rock star. Does all the air purifying stuff but it’s whisper quiet, has two speed settings, and a sleep setting.
Bamboo Charcoal Bags Odor Absorbers
I ordered these Nature Fresh Charcoal Bags ($18.97) at Megan’s suggestion and I’m so impressed. First, they are bigger than I had imagined and they can be rejuvenated up to two years (you do this by setting them in sunlight a couple hours every month).
I stash these in blanket baskets, our cars, closets, gym bags, anywhere they gets a little funky over time.
Related: The Best Spring Scents from Mrs. Meyer’s
Best Pet Urine Spray
Lots of dogs, remember? Puppies and geriatric dogs sometimes have accidents. A carpet cleaning company told me about MisterMax Anti Icky Poo Odor Remover ($18). This spray is legit. Better than any other animal urine specific spray on the market. Beyond pee, it will eliminate odors from vomit, sweat, smoke, and more. Plus it can be used on carpet, hardwoods, fabrics, and more.
Kitchen Sink Stink
I was shook to the core one time when I pulled out the rubber garbage disposal stopper in my sink to find it corroded with old food. It still makes my stomach turn when I think of it. Gah, gross.
Now I pull it out a few times a month and douse it will baking soda and vinegar. Sometimes you just gotta get in there with a scrub brush and wash all that gunk out of there. Like, regularly.
How to Keep the Dishwasher Smelling Clean
Did you know you can use Tang Orange Drink Mix ($4) to clean the inside of your dishwasher? Yes, the “juice” we drank as children!
I keep a canister under my kitchen sink and will pour in about 1/2 cup once a week or two. The citric acid helps remove calcium-like scale deposits and gives it a nice hit of orange zest.
Laundry Odors
Stinky gym clothes and sweaty sports wear won’t really get clean when you have a filthy washing machine. So, let’s start there.
How to Clean Your Washing Machine
- Run a hot water cycle (empty, without clothes) with two cups of white vinegar.
- Scrub inside the machine using 1/4 cup vinegar and warm water. Pay attention to any detergent cups, rubber moldings, etc.
- Run a second hot water cycle (also empty) with or without vinegar. You can also add 1/2 cup baking soda to help break up build up.
Of course there are products made for this project too, like Tide Washing Machine Cleaner ($12.99) or Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner ($11.98). I’ve used both and they are fine products. But you gotta put the elbow grease in to really get it clean.
Cleaning Sweaty Gym Clothes
We often have a lot of sweaty gym clothes and sports wear in our laundry. I don’t let any touch our regular dirty clothes because that funk just permeates everything.
I have two go-to laundry detergents for sweaty clothes. Tide Plus Febreze Fresh Sport Odor Defense ($10.99) and Oxi Clean Odor Blaster ($9).
Megan says the Oxi Clean Odor Blaster works great on clothes and towels that still smell musty (or that might have sat in the washer too long before hitting the dryer).
These are my best suggestions on keeping your house funk free. If you have any favorite odor eliminating tools in your tool belt, please leave a comment.
Live Your Best Life at Home
We love to talk about how to make our homes into a sanctuary. Check out these popular posts for some of our best ideas!
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