Between full garbage cans, pets, and cooking odors, it can be hard to keep your home smelling fresh. Try the tricks below to combat common odors and improve the overall scent and atmosphere of the places you use most in your home.

Kitchen

It’s important to keep your kitchen clean, but even the cleanest kitchens are susceptible to occasional odors.

Fridge

Fridge odors are notoriously difficult to tackle because they can linger even after you’ve thrown away the expired or spoiled food causing the smell. Soak a cotton ball in vanilla extract, and leave it on a small dish near the back of a shelf. The vanilla scent won’t be obvious, and it will absorb any unwanted smells. Be sure to replace the cotton ball at least once a week.

Garbage

There’s no changing the simple fact that garbage cans will always smell bad. There are scented trash bags you can purchase, but they don’t always cut it. Add a dryer sheet or two to the can before placing a new bag in. When you put a new bag into the can, place a few pieces of newspaper in the bag to absorb leaks. The newspaper will slow the drips and leaks from collecting at the bottom and the dryer sheets will neutralize some of the odors. 

Dishwasher

Dishwashers are one of the handiest kitchen appliances. While they help the post-meal cleanup process tremendously, they can collect odd scents from washing the grease and food residue from your dishes. To combat this, add a cup of vinegar to the bottom of the machine, and run it on empty once a week.

Garbage disposal

Like the garbage can, garbage disposals can quickly become smelly depending on what you put down the drain. An easy and eco-friendly way to clean, deodorize, and add a fresh scent is to put citrus peels down the garbage disposal—you’ll quickly smell the difference! Do this as often as you’d like, but be sure to run water through the disposal before, during, and after so that the pipes wash away the peels.

Living room and bedroom

Your bedroom and living room are prime spaces for relaxation, but they can also attract unwanted scents from day-to-day use. Here are the hacks you need to reduce odors and feel at peace in the places you need it the most.

Upholstery

You can’t wash your upholstery, but you can spray it. Add a diluted mixture of water and vodka to a fine-mist spray bottle, and spray a generous amount to cover your upholstery. The vodka acts as an odor neutralizer and a disinfectant, so you can rest assured that odors and bacteria stay away from the places you sit and lie on.

Closets

If you’ve ever walked into your closet and experienced a musty scent, it’s because your clothing and dirty laundry can trap moisture in your closet. Baking soda can absorb this moisture, reducing the mildew-like smell. Add 2–3 tablespoons of baking soda to a breathable container, and place it in a corner of the closet. Now you can pick out your clothing without needing to pinch your nose!

Pets

You love your pets, but their odors can be pungent. Once a week, spray their bed and the surrounding carpet with a vinegar and baking soda solution to neutralize the smell. Additionally, you can use activated charcoal in cat litter to absorb odors from urine. Pour activated charcoal powder into the litter box until is covers a fourth of the box, and then mix with your regular cat litter. Just be sure to consult your vet before cleaning with any new ingredients.