Odor eliminator request. How do you stop the stink? Whether your odor is a lingering cigarette smell, kitty litter or pet urine, you’ve got a stinky problem.
Today on Ask a House Cleaner we look at non-toxic, natural, chemical-free ways for odor removal in your home.
Angela Brown, The House Cleaning Guru talks allergens, bacteria, pollutants, and airborne contaminants. This goes beyond house cleaning training. Today’s advice includes tips every homeowner can use. End the nasty smell in your house and say no to the stench.
Today’s show sponsor is https://HouseCleaning360.com
HouseCleaning360 is a business referral network for house cleaners and maids and housekeepers.
Listen: Odor Eliminator – Stop the Stink!
Watch: Odor Eliminator – Stop the Stink!
Hey there, I’m Angela Brown, and this is Ask a House Cleaner. This is a show where you get to ask a house cleaning question, and I get to help you find an answer.
Question: Odor Eliminator – Stop the Stink!
Today’s question comes from a house cleaner who went to a customer’s house. When she got there, it reeked of pet urine and cigarette smoke.
And she wants to know “How do I get rid of all the odors?”
Answer: Odor Eliminator – Not Part of Your Job Description
Okay, so as a house cleaner your job is not to get rid of all the odors. Because you can’t change the lifestyle of the people who live in those homes.
All you can do is go in and clean up, clean what you’re paid to do and then leave.
The odors are the responsibility of the owner. Okay, now you have to understand that people will say “well, when I came home my house and didn’t smell clean.” But you have to explain to them that clean does not have a smell.
Clean Does Not Have a Smell
If the house smells clean it’s because there are some fragrances added into the air to make it smell fresh. But clean does not have a smell. It does not have a scent. It smells like nothing.
Stench does have a smell and needs odor removal. So, this is a conversation we need to have with the homeowners.
Okay, so as a homeowner how do you get rid of the odors in your house?
Odor Eliminator #1 – Please Stop Smoking Indoors
If you smoke inside your house please stop immediately.
The quickest way to ruin the resale value of your home is to smoke inside your house. Because when you smoke there is a tar that comes from the cigarettes, and it comes out in a fine smoke.
it settles in your carpets, and your draperies, and the walls, and on your blinds, and every flat surface.
So, it’s like a thick bacon grease after a while. And instead of just paying to have your walls dusted now you have to pay to have some kind of a team come in. And they’re going to scrub the walls with a degreaser to remove the tar off the sides of your walls.
Odor Eliminator for Cigarette Tar Needs Restoration Team
It’s going to take a trained team to remove the cigarette gunk from your carpet and from your blinds, walls, and furniture.
And it’s not going to be cheap.
It would make more sense for you to step outside if you’re going to have a smoke.
Now, as far as the pet urine goes, it might be time to invest in a dog trainer or a cat trainer. Time to train your animal how to use the litter box.
Because if they’re peeing all over your rugs and your carpet, and your furniture, that’s going to embed a smell that’s going to be hard to get rid of.
Okay, so if you’re talking about getting rid of the odors the first step to take is to end the cause of the odor.
End the Cause of the Odor 
So don’t smoke in your house. And don’t let your animals pee all over your house because that’s not healthy. And it becomes toxic.
So, don’t do that. Now if there are already odors in your house there are three different kinds of odor removers.
Odor Eliminator – Three Different Ways
- There is a neutralizer.
- There is a sanitizer.
- And there is a freshener.
Now, we’ll go over all three so that you can make a choice. Now, the neutralizer does exactly what the name suggests it neutralizes the odor.
And so this might be baking soda and might be charcoal and might be a charcoal plug-in. They have a little plug-in that you plug into an electrical outlet and it has a little charcoal filter in it. And as the odors come in it just zaps and neutralizes those.
Odor Eliminator with a Charcoal Pillow
Lots of people have, it’s like a little pillow.
Charcoal pillows are becoming more popular as a way to absorb odors. They’re chemical-free and non-toxic.
You can decorate with them, or you can put them in a drawer. This way you’re not spritzing chemicals into the air that you then have to breathe.
Absorb Stink with Baking Soda
Baking soda is another fantastic neutralizer. And like charcoal, its chemical-free, it’s non-toxic, its natural, and it’s affordable.
So, let’s say you have kids, that are in sports after school. And their closets and their dressers always smell stinky. If you want to get rid of that stench, you can take a sock, and fill it full of baking soda. Put a rubber band on the end of it to seal the sock.
And you can make your own little absorbent neutralizing pillow. Stick it in the drawer and that will sop up those odors. And so, it doesn’t put anything into the air it just absorbs them.
Sanitize the Air by Killing Airborne Bacteria 
Okay, so the next one is sanitizers. And there is an aerosol spray that you can spray into the air that will help kill the bacteria.
Now, the difference in the neutralizer and the sanitizer is the sanitizer actually kills the bacteria in the air. It’s the airborne contaminants that are causing the toxicity.
Beyond the spray, you can use HEPA filtration.
These are stand-alone units, that you can plug those into the wall and it has a filtration system inside it.
Keep the ceiling fans on to circulate air through the room. Turn your HEPA air filter on. And as the air circulates through the room it filters through the HEPA unit. Bad air goes in, clean air comes out. Bam!
Odor Masking Rather than Odor Eliminator
The next one is fresheners. And fresheners are not neutralizers and they are not sanitizers.
They are smelly’s that you put into the air to stop the stink.
Now, the most popular place for this is inside the bathroom next to your toilet. You go in there there’s some stink. And you want to hurry and get rid of it so the next person that comes in doesn’t have to deal with that.
So, you spray air freshener into the air.
They’re also gel and gel beads that sit on the back of the toilet and in other areas where stench happens. Some people put these next to their animal litter boxes.
Some people will put these in their kitchen. Others even have them inside their cars.
These are just air fresheners. They don’t neutralize, they don’t remove odors, they don’t kill bacteria. They just put nice scents into the air so that it smells fresh and clean. Yay!
So How Do You Get Rid of Odors?
- Stop the cause of the odors.
- Neutralize the odor.
- Sanitize the Air.
- Freshen the Air.
Alrighty, so I hope that helps a little bit and until we meet again leave the world a cleaner place than when you found it.
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Resources For This Episode:
Odor Neutralizers ____________________
Bamboo Activated Charcoal Air Freshener, Deodorizer, and Purifier Bags – 100% Natural & Chemical Free – http://amzn.to/2vhZVwO
Hamilton Beach True Air Plug-Mount Odor Eliminator – http://amzn.to/2ulxJw4
DampRid FG69LV Odor Genie, Lavender Vanilla – http://amzn.to/2vfrYi3
SMELLS BEGONE Odor Eliminator Gel Beads – Eliminates Odor in Bathrooms, Cars, Boats, RVs and Pet Areas – Air Freshener Made with Natural Essential Oils – http://amzn.to/2ulPxHn
Odor Sanitizers ________________________
Ozium Air Sanitizer Reduces Airborne Bacteria Eliminates Smoke & Malodors 8oz Spray Air Freshener, Original – http://amzn.to/2vAEnOE
GermGuardian AC4825 3-in-1 Air Cleaning System with True HEPA Filter, UV-C Sanitizer, Allergen and Odor Reduction, 22-Inch Air Purifier – http://amzn.to/2vfxTDY
Air Fresheners
________________________
Citrus Magic 3-Pack Pet Odor Absorbing Solid Air Freshener – http://amzn.to/2vi23Vk
Glade Solid Air Freshener, Honeysuckle Nectar – http://amzn.to/2vj2Kh7
Febreze Crisp Clean Air Freshener Heavy Duty – http://amzn.to/2vgPjjk
Air Wick Life Scented Oil Plug In Air Freshener Refills, Hawaii Essential Oils – http://amzn.to/2vMC5fI
Essential Oil Wooden Box – Storage Case With Handle. Holds 68 Bottles & Roller Balls. Natural Plant Based Wax Finish. Large Organizer Best For Keeping Your Oils Safe. – http://amzn.to/2vBXTdD
Aromatherapy Car Air Freshener Faith Hope Love, Perfect for Auto With Vent Clip Premium Stainless Steel with 10 Multi-Colored Oil Pads Hypo-Allergenic – http://amzn.to/2hGWY5X
Aroma Outfitters Car Fragrance Diffuser Vent Clip with 12 Felt Pads – Improve Air Quality, Motion Sickness & Promote Calm Driving. Tree of Life Stainless Steel Magnetic Locket – http://amzn.to/2vBZBvz
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