|
|
Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 8, 2020 5:44:38 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. Can you tell me more about the laundry stripping process? I've got a house full of teens right now. Pee-yew! There are a few different ways to do it, if you Google or look on Pinterest several will come up. I don’t ever have to do the more extreme versions using borax or other stuff like that, plain old white vinegar and baking soda usually do the trick for me. What I have personally done is to wash the stinky article or load of laundry with about a cup of white vinegar poured into the drum (I have a front loader), add the laundry, NO detergent and run on the hottest cycle the fabric will stand. Once the washer stops, put in the recommended amount of detergent (which is usually a lot less than most people actually use) in the detergent area and about a half cup of baking soda in the drum (I usually move the clothes, put it in the drum, put the clothes or towels back in) and run it again. The towels come out fresh smelling and much more absorbent. A big thing for preventative measures is to not use fabric softener at all on anything. IMO it just gets gummed up in the fibers of the fabric and then the stink molecules cling to it making it harder to wash out, plus it makes towels and other similar things less absorbent. Another thing is to really read how much detergent you should be using. More detergent doesn’t equal cleaner clothes, especially in a front loader machine. I haven’t measured it out but I think I only use about 2-3 tablespoons of detergent at most when filling the cup to the correct line as directed. If you have ever spot cleaned a carpet only to notice fairly quickly that the places that were cleaned get dirty again much faster than the rest of it, it illustrates quite well what is happening when too much soap was used and the dirt is just attracted to those spots like a magnet because it wasn’t rinsed out well enough. Hope this helps! |
|
|
|
Post by whipea on Aug 8, 2020 12:56:07 GMT
Well, no children but two dogs and four smelly large birds. I have fought this battle and feel I finally won. Also, do not use any artificial scents like Fabreeze, scented candles, oil burners or plug-in things. Found all the did was add more smell to the existing smells.
What worked was minimal soft surfaces. No carpeting, drapes, or fabric upholstered furniture. All bedding (people and dog) is washed weekly. To some this may seem like cold decor. Never been a fan of drapes or carpet. Plus, there are so many nice choices for window treatments that are not drapes.
The bird cages are cleaned every other day. I have all tile floors,leather furniture and no large area rugs. Plus the AC filters are regularly changed and our AC guy told us to pour vinegar down the drain to keep crud from growing inside. I steam and wash the floors with vinegar and water.
In the old days when people would come over they would often comment that our house smelled fresh and would never know we had so many pets.
|
|
|
|
Post by Really Red on Aug 8, 2020 13:27:46 GMT
Well, no children but two dogs and four smelly large birds. I have fought this battle and feel I finally won. Also, do not use any artificial scents like Fabreeze, scented candles, oil burners or plug-in things. Found all the did was add more smell to the existing smells. What worked was minimal soft surfaces. No carpeting, drapes, or fabric upholstered furniture. All bedding (people and dog) is washed weekly. To some this may seem like cold decor. Never been a fan of drapes or carpet. Plus, there are so many nice choices for window treatments that are not drapes. The bird cages are cleaned every other day. I have all tile floors,leather furniture and no large area rugs. Plus the AC filters are regularly changed and our AC guy told us to pour vinegar down the drain to keep crud from growing inside. I steam and wash the floors with vinegar and water. In the old days when people would come over they would often comment that our house smelled fresh and would never know we had so many pets. It's funny that this thread popped up in my feed today. First of all, whipea, I do all of this and one week with a teenage boy and it all goes to pot. One thing I cannot do is open windows. In the spring and fall the pollen is too bad (I live 20 feet from woods). I walked upstairs yesterday and almost collapsed from the odor from my son's room. He's been here for one month and moved back into his his old room and it was AWFUL. I did make him light candles and it got much better. |
|
|
|
Post by whipea on Aug 8, 2020 17:54:32 GMT
Well, no children but two dogs and four smelly large birds. I have fought this battle and feel I finally won. Also, do not use any artificial scents like Fabreeze, scented candles, oil burners or plug-in things. Found all the did was add more smell to the existing smells. What worked was minimal soft surfaces. No carpeting, drapes, or fabric upholstered furniture. All bedding (people and dog) is washed weekly. To some this may seem like cold decor. Never been a fan of drapes or carpet. Plus, there are so many nice choices for window treatments that are not drapes. The bird cages are cleaned every other day. I have all tile floors,leather furniture and no large area rugs. Plus the AC filters are regularly changed and our AC guy told us to pour vinegar down the drain to keep crud from growing inside. I steam and wash the floors with vinegar and water. In the old days when people would come over they would often comment that our house smelled fresh and would never know we had so many pets. It's funny that this thread popped up in my feed today. First of all, whipea , I do all of this and one week with a teenage boy and it all goes to pot. One thing I cannot do is open windows. In the spring and fall the pollen is too bad (I live 20 feet from woods). I walked upstairs yesterday and almost collapsed from the odor from my son's room. He's been here for one month and moved back into his his old room and it was AWFUL. I did make him light candles and it got much better. This is why I prefer animals! |
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 3:27:38 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2020 18:12:46 GMT
Like others I open the windows every morning and run the ceiling fans.
Each room and downstairs area have air purifiers that run almost all the time.
We empty the trash every night before bed.
When I am cooking certain foods, I have the fan running on the hood and have a window cracked open (if it's not too hot).
On days we don't need the AC on, I have windows open.
When dd is on her cycle, her trash is emptied nightly.
We wash trashcans weekly.
I do like 2 scented candles by Glade but do not use them to mask smells.
And if ds has an accident or the dogs do it is taken care of right away
|
|
|
|
Post by kellapea on Aug 8, 2020 19:30:12 GMT
I live in a humid climate and can never open windows in the spring (yellow pollen) or summer (too humid).
Something that helps closets smell good is to buy boxes of fabric softener sheets at Dollar Tree. Leave the box unopened in the closet until the scent starts to fade. Then, open the box and put individual sheets on the shelves.
For stinky shoes, spraying spray deodorant in them helps.
For stovetop simmer potpourri, I buy cloves, cinnamon and vanilla at Dollar Tree. If I've had an orange or a clementine that day, I add the peel.
|
|
|
|
Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 8, 2020 19:52:38 GMT
Well, no children but two dogs and four smelly large birds. I have fought this battle and feel I finally won. Also, do not use any artificial scents like Fabreeze, scented candles, oil burners or plug-in things. Found all the did was add more smell to the existing smells. What worked was minimal soft surfaces. No carpeting, drapes, or fabric upholstered furniture. All bedding (people and dog) is washed weekly. To some this may seem like cold decor. Never been a fan of drapes or carpet. Plus, there are so many nice choices for window treatments that are not drapes. The bird cages are cleaned every other day. I have all tile floors,leather furniture and no large area rugs. Plus the AC filters are regularly changed and our AC guy told us to pour vinegar down the drain to keep crud from growing inside. I steam and wash the floors with vinegar and water. In the old days when people would come over they would often comment that our house smelled fresh and would never know we had so many pets. It's funny that this thread popped up in my feed today. First of all, whipea , I do all of this and one week with a teenage boy and it all goes to pot. One thing I cannot do is open windows. In the spring and fall the pollen is too bad (I live 20 feet from woods). I walked upstairs yesterday and almost collapsed from the odor from my son's room. He's been here for one month and moved back into his his old room and it was AWFUL. I did make him light candles and it got much better. I would put an air purifier in his room that has a HEPA filter. Run it all day, every day. And if his shoes are a big source of the stonk, make him leave them outside or in the garage (if you have an attached garage). I grew up with five brothers. I know of what you speak!  |
|
