Even the cleanest homes can smell a little funky at times, especially during the summer when your regular routine is a distant memory. If you’re ready for a refresh now that kids will soon be heading back to school, take note of these five surprising ways to deodorize your home, the natural way.
- Let Mother Nature help. Closed-in spaces have a rough time getting and feeling refreshed, so do what you can to let Mother Nature help. Keep windows open as much as possible when the air feels stale or musty. And pack plants into your space, especially the kind that help naturally remove odors and toxins from the air. Some powerful pollution-killing picks are bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, English ivy and Gerbera daisies.
- Deodorize overnight. If the air in your home feels odorous or flat, place a shallow bowl of vinegar out while you sleep. When you wake, the air should feel refreshed. For a citrus refresher, cut a lemon in half and place the halves, cut side up, in a bowl overnight.
- Dispose of smells. If your garbage disposal is in need of deodorizer, turn to citrus fruits for help. Next time you peel an orange or slice lemons, save some of the rind, cut it into strips and run it through your disposal. This natural deodorizer will eliminate bad smells and replace them with a great citrus scent. Make this trick part of your monthly cleaning routine to keep your disposal in top shape.
- DIY air-freshening spray. There are many concoctions for green, deodorizing air freshener recipes online; find one that appeals to you. Some use citrus, others essential oils. A favorite of ours is a simple mixture of water, a few drops of rosemary essential oil and a splash of vodka, which thins out the oil. A mist or two freshens up upholstered furniture, curtains, carpet and the air.
- Get help. This may come as less of a surprise, but there’s no quicker route to clean, green air than regular visits from an environmentally friendly cleaning service, like GreenHouse Eco-Cleaning. A quick phone call and visit to your home will have you set and ready to keep all kinds of funky smells at bay.
Talk to us: Have you tried any natural remedies for odors in your home that aren’t listed here? Comment below to let us know what works for you!
image courtesy of flickr/BY CC 2.0