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Post by mama2three on May 31, 2020 2:53:39 GMT
With the entire family and dogs here all day everyday now for months with no end in sight, the house smells rank to me no matter how much cleaning we do. Teen DS’s room is by far the worst. It doesn’t help that DH swears he doesn’t smell anything bad and jokes that it must be horrible to have my sense of smell (but as soon as I start a diffuser he complains - just peppermint or lavender).
I want the house to smell clean and fresh. What am I missing? Give me your tips please. (I’m heading off to sleep now but will be back tomorrow). TY
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caangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,675
Location: So Cal
Jun 26, 2014 16:42:12 GMT
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Post by caangel on May 31, 2020 2:59:45 GMT
Open windows, we don't do smells (air freshener, candles, oils, etc).
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Post by snugglebutter on May 31, 2020 3:00:02 GMT
Can you open the windows to air it out? Even just 30 minutes once or twice a day makes a big difference.
For your teen's room, have you washed all the bedding and pillows recently? (not just sheets) I have seen tips on Pinterest for freshening mattresses so that might be an option too.
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Post by papersilly on May 31, 2020 3:03:07 GMT
I have two older dogs that spend most of their time inside so I'm paranoid about having a house that smells like dogs or cooking that lingers. I always keep windows open to allow fresh air to circulate. I have plantation shutters so I don't have curtains that can trap smells. I try to keep upholstered surfaces clean, even the dog beds and blankets. I like to boil lemon slices and lavender seeds in water to freshen the air. Minimizing stagnant air is key.
ETA: we don't do candles, air fresheners or sprays either.
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Post by ~summer~ on May 31, 2020 3:14:14 GMT
Open windows. We have our windows and doors open 75% of the time and I sleep with our bedroom French doors open.
Don’t let dirty laundry pile up - it will smell super musty. Leave shoes off outside by front door or in closed closet. Take out trash and recycling frequently.
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Post by SockMonkey on May 31, 2020 3:33:49 GMT
Open the windows, wash/change bedding frequently, clean. Just lots of cleaning.
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Post by mom on May 31, 2020 3:39:22 GMT
I agree with the others - open a window and let your home breath.
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,456
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on May 31, 2020 3:43:47 GMT
Open windows, we don't do smells (air freshener, candles, oils, etc). This is what we do. Everyday we open the windows and doors, even if it's only for 30-45 minutes.
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,692
Location: Ohio
Jul 5, 2014 1:53:49 GMT
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Post by StephDRebel on May 31, 2020 3:50:50 GMT
Open all the windows as much as you can and air out the funk. I spritz white vinegar around before we go to bed every now and then. Wash the soft things often....dog beds, blankets, etc. I do laundry almost every day. I'm always washing things that they lay on.
I got an air purifier and I swear it helps SO much.
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Post by padresfan619 on May 31, 2020 3:54:38 GMT
For teenage boy stink you have to keep him on top of washing his sheets and socks. And making sure he keeps his shoes dry after wearing them, he needs to let them air out. Teenage boy funk is one that really needs to be worked out.
Also run a lemon wedge in the garbage disposal to make sure that’s clean and fresh. And a sprinkling of baking soda on carpet before vacuuming can do wonders
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Post by myshelly on May 31, 2020 3:59:05 GMT
I don’t have animals in the house, so that helps a lot.
Open windows, run fans all the time. Vacuum frequently. Wash all sheets and blankets at least once a week. Use vinegar in sink drains, bathtub drains, and around toilets. Take the trash outside daily. Keep up with laundry.
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Post by crazy4scraps on May 31, 2020 4:09:42 GMT
Try using vinegar in every load of the boy’s laundry, and you might go so far as to do a laundry stripping process on his sheets and towels to really get all the oils and funk out. Get one or more room sized air purifiers, put one in his room to freshen the air and one near the kitchen/family room where people and pets hang out. They really do work to pull dust and bad smells out of the air so position one where it can suck the pet smells and cooking smells out of the air. Take out trash before it has a chance to stink. Sprinkle baking soda on pet beds or carpets where ever the pets hang out, leave it there for a bit to soak up the smells and then vacuum it up.
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Post by JustKim on May 31, 2020 5:20:05 GMT
Shoe dryer. My ds shoes were bad. Smelled a whole room. Once I used a shoe dryer things got a lot better
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Post by femalebusiness on May 31, 2020 6:43:15 GMT
I open every window and door in my house every day for most of the day and sometimes well into the night. I am lucky to live in a climate that allows me to do that almost every day of the year even in the dead of winter. However, I do have a dust issue from the breeze that blows through but it is worth it.
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Post by nlwilkins on May 31, 2020 7:33:43 GMT
Sunshine is my answer. Our screens are too dirty to want to breathe the air that would flow through them if we opened up the windows. Also it is already too hot to open up the windows. So I pull back the curtain and open the wooden door to let the sun shine in through the screen door and window screens. It helps quite a bit.
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Post by mama2three on May 31, 2020 13:24:18 GMT
Can you open the windows to air it out? Even just 30 minutes once or twice a day makes a big difference. For your teen's room, have you washed all the bedding and pillows recently? (not just sheets) I have seen tips on Pinterest for freshening mattresses so that might be an option too. Good idea. Will have to look up mattresses freshening tips and have DS try them.
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Post by mama2three on May 31, 2020 13:25:45 GMT
I open every window and door in my house every day for most of the day and sometimes well into the night. I am lucky to live in a climate that allows me to do that almost every day of the year even in the dead of winter. However, I do have a dust issue from the breeze that blows through but it is worth it. I would love that. We’ve had windows open daily for about a month but recently pollen has been so bad we’ve had to switch on the AC.
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Post by mama2three on May 31, 2020 13:29:10 GMT
Sunshine is my answer. Our screens are too dirty to want to breathe the air that would flow through them if we opened up the windows. Also it is already too hot to open up the windows. So I pull back the curtain and open the wooden door to let the sun shine in through the screen door and window screens. It helps quite a bit. Thanks Screens are cleanable. I do it about annually with a soft brushing and spray down in the shower, usually after trees finish dropping all their pollen. It’s amazing how much dirt washes out. Easier to see through them too.
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Post by mama2three on May 31, 2020 13:33:26 GMT
Try using vinegar in every load of the boy’s laundry, and you might go so far as to do a laundry stripping process on his sheets and towels to really get all the oils and funk out. Get one or more room sized air purifiers, put one in his room to freshen the air and one near the kitchen/family room where people and pets hang out. They really do work to pull dust and bad smells out of the air so position one where it can suck the pet smells and cooking smells out of the air. Take out trash before it has a chance to stink. Sprinkle baking soda on pet beds or carpets where ever the pets hang out, leave it there for a bit to soak up the smells and then vacuum it up. Thanks. Will try this. DS’s room is the worst. He’s been insisting on cleaning it himself 😀 but I may have to advise him on some heavy duty cleaning so it gets done thoroughly. I hadn’t thought of an air cleaner unit. I had one in my room as a kid and it helped. I’m sure technology has improved since then.
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Post by crazy4scraps on May 31, 2020 13:44:28 GMT
Try using vinegar in every load of the boy’s laundry, and you might go so far as to do a laundry stripping process on his sheets and towels to really get all the oils and funk out. Get one or more room sized air purifiers, put one in his room to freshen the air and one near the kitchen/family room where people and pets hang out. They really do work to pull dust and bad smells out of the air so position one where it can suck the pet smells and cooking smells out of the air. Take out trash before it has a chance to stink. Sprinkle baking soda on pet beds or carpets where ever the pets hang out, leave it there for a bit to soak up the smells and then vacuum it up. Thanks. Will try this. DS’s room is the worst. He’s been insisting on cleaning it himself 😀 but I may have to advise him on some heavy duty cleaning so it gets done thoroughly. I hadn’t thought of an air cleaner unit. I had one in my room as a kid and it helped. I’m sure technology has improved since then. I initially bought a Germ Guardian air purifier for my DD’s room to help battle dust mites because she’s allergic to them, but after running it in her room with the door closed for a half day, I already noticed a significant difference. The air definitely smelled fresher in there, and her room was actually clean before that. I never noticed any funk smell prior, but there was a definite difference in the air quality after I started running it. I liked the results so much that I bought a second one for the master bedroom, and last winter I bought a third one for our family room which is right off the kitchen. If something stinky is being cooked we can turn it on high and it will take the smells out of the air.
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Post by hop2 on May 31, 2020 13:52:00 GMT
Open all the windows as much as you can and air out the funk. I spritz white vinegar around before we go to bed every now and then. Wash the soft things often....dog beds, blankets, etc. I do laundry almost every day. I'm always washing things that they lay on. I got an air purifier and I swear it helps SO much. which one did you get?
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on May 31, 2020 13:57:48 GMT
Open windows helps for a fresh burst of “clean”
For the teens room—what kind of funk? I had our nephew here for a few days and OMG the bo smell made your eyes burn! Unfortunately the poor kid just starting his teen years has the worst odor, even when showered (he has since been seen by doctor and gotten an effective treatment) but I digress...
Shoes are a big culprit if smelliest if smelly things. Sprinkle baking soda in them or keep them in one spot like outside the entry way if possible (kinda no shoes in house).
We don’t use chemical sprays (no Febreeze) or plug ins, we use essential oils (cotton ball in a small ceramic dish) no fancy diffusers.
We do occasionally use candles mostly in the autumn and winter months.
I like to sprinkle baking soda with rosemary oils (in a big zip bag) then I fill a mason jar with it, poke holes in the metal lid, and sprinkle all over our carpets and let sit for a bit before I vacuum. Really freshens up carpets (and we have a dog).
Obviously, Pin pointing and eradicating the culprit is much better than masking it.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,276
Jun 25, 2014 22:52:46 GMT
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Post by iowgirl on May 31, 2020 13:58:24 GMT
Teen DS’s room is by far the worst. Teenage boys stink. There is a certain funk that emanates from them. My DH could never smell it either. I thought it was just my kid, until I went to visit my oldest daughter at her college dorm. Walked through the boys floor on the way to hers .. and OMG - THAT'S the smell! I think men just can't smell themselves! LOL When I got to the girls floor it smelled like Bath & Body Works - lol I found that I had to do some special work on DS laundry. I started using an enzyme detergent on his stuff (pretty much everyone got included, since I don't sort laundry by person). It make a HUGE difference. I also use double mattress pads. I wash sheets once a week. The pads every other week or so. I also use a good zippered pillow cover in addition to the pillow cases. I wash those once a week too. When I wash sheets I wash them in HOT water. As hot as I can get it. I also let his soak longer in the enzyme powder, then drain that and wash with normal* detergent. Normal* detergent... I have found that Persil works best for us. I also have used Tide. But any thing else just doesn't seem to cut the funk. I tried Method for quite a while, and if you don't really have dirty laundry, or funky boys - it is OK. But it just not do a great job if you need something stronger. I actually LOVE the Persil pods- and they smell nice, without an overwhelming perfume. You can get some things to place into shoes to help remove the funk and freshen them up. This is the enzyme detergent I use. Sometimes I use 3 scoops of it and let the laundry soak in it and hot water for at least an hour - this is for sheets, sports and work clothes that really stink. Sometimes I just add a scoop or two right to the load. Open windows, we don't do smells (air freshener, candles, oils, etc). I can't open my windows here. It smells worse outside, plus the humidity! Once I turn my A/C on - the windows never open again the rest of the summer. It takes at least 2 days to remove the humidity from the house. The neighbors (I live in the country, so this isn't right next door - it's just the closest in my area) feed the nastiest smelling burnt corn that they got for free. If the wind is from that direction, I would much rather smell teenage boy funk than that.
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Post by maryland on May 31, 2020 14:01:54 GMT
I have three daughters, so something had to be done about teen odor, especially foot odor! Teen girls stink! We bought Fresh Wave gels at Bed Bath and Beyond and put one in each of their rooms, the kitchen, hall closet, bathrooms. They also sell them at Target. They are expensive, but worked better than other things I tried. I have them leave their shoes outside and wash their feet as soon as them come inside. I open their windows some every day. We make them take showers! I don't care that all the girls in their dance studio are having a contest who can go the longest without showering! Gross!
Laundry is done every day. Their dirty laundry really smells up the room. I use lysol laundry sanitizer with my daughters socks and gym clothes.
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Post by mama2three on May 31, 2020 14:05:58 GMT
Thanks iowagirl. Really appreciate your suggestions. I’ll look for those detergents and cleaners and will push DS to do more washing of bedding. (He already does his laundry and I’m not going to take on that chore! I’m sure when he was in the dorm he never washed his bedding, and that can’t be the case here)
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Post by maryland on May 31, 2020 14:08:22 GMT
Can you open the windows to air it out? Even just 30 minutes once or twice a day makes a big difference. For your teen's room, have you washed all the bedding and pillows recently? (not just sheets) I have seen tips on Pinterest for freshening mattresses so that might be an option too. We have vinyl mattress covers that are wonderful! We were given that tip when my daughters were toddlers and moved into a bed. I wipe the vinyl mattress cover every week when I wash the sheets.
I wash the mattress cover, sheets and bedspreads every week. We also change pillow cases every couple of days.
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Post by maryland on May 31, 2020 14:13:28 GMT
I am making a list of everyone's suggestions! Great ideas here. I can't wait to get started on my daughter's rooms and our house to make it smell better!
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Post by crazy4scraps on May 31, 2020 14:18:04 GMT
Can you open the windows to air it out? Even just 30 minutes once or twice a day makes a big difference. For your teen's room, have you washed all the bedding and pillows recently? (not just sheets) I have seen tips on Pinterest for freshening mattresses so that might be an option too. We have vinyl mattress covers that are wonderful! We were given that tip when my daughters were toddlers and moved into a bed. I wipe the vinyl mattress cover every week when I wash the sheets.
I wash the mattress cover, sheets and bedspreads every week. We also change pillow cases every couple of days.
Wouldn’t that make the bed hotter to sleep in, thus making the sleeper even sweatier and stinkier? I wouldn’t be able to tolerate sleeping on a vinyl pad even if it was underneath the sheets. 🥵🥵🥵 I would seriously die from the heat!
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Post by mama2three on May 31, 2020 14:24:30 GMT
We have vinyl mattress covers that are wonderful! We were given that tip when my daughters were toddlers and moved into a bed. I wipe the vinyl mattress cover every week when I wash the sheets.
I wash the mattress cover, sheets and bedspreads every week. We also change pillow cases every couple of days.
Wouldn’t that make the bed hotter to sleep in, thus making the sleeper even sweatier and stinkier? I wouldn’t be able to tolerate sleeping on a vinyl pad even if it was underneath the sheets. 🥵🥵🥵 I would seriously die from the heat! This is the same for me. I’ve slept on vinyl covered mattress pads at scout camp and it was miserable. I get way too hot sleeping with normal bedding.
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Post by maryland on May 31, 2020 14:26:10 GMT
We have vinyl mattress covers that are wonderful! We were given that tip when my daughters were toddlers and moved into a bed. I wipe the vinyl mattress cover every week when I wash the sheets.
I wash the mattress cover, sheets and bedspreads every week. We also change pillow cases every couple of days.
Wouldn’t that make the bed hotter to sleep in, thus making the sleeper even sweatier and stinkier? I wouldn’t be able to tolerate sleeping on a vinyl pad even if it was underneath the sheets. 🥵🥵🥵 I would seriously die from the heat! No, not a problem at all. It's a light vinyl cover, very thing, and it's zippered. Or maybe not vinyl? It's this plastic zippered mattress cover. So if they spilled water on their bed, it wouldn't go through to the mattress. I hope that makes sense. Then we put a cotton mattress pad on top, and the sheets on top of that. I just wanted the mattress very protected from sweat, dust mites, etc. I am a bit of a weirdo when it comes to stuff like that!
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