It happens to everyone: sometimes there's an unfortunate odor in your house - maybe it's coming from your garbage can, something that burnt in the kitchen, the bathroom or the litter box. Our first suggestion would be to entirely eliminate it, but if that's not possible our next suggestion would be to ditch the synthetic fragrances and opt for something non-toxic and natural. Maybe even something you already own!
Don't forget an open window and a little bit of cleaning goes a long way - but if that doesn't work, try one of these:
1. Volcanic Rocks: We got a couple bags of these lava rocks to put at the bottom of the trashcan and behind the kitty litter box. They're inexpensive, effective and can be recharged by placing them outside in sunlight.
2. Coffee Grounds: Make a sachet filled with coffee grounds to reduce odors in any dry spot.
3. Baking Soda: An old refrigerator standby - you know what to do.
4. Charcoal: Wood or bamboo burned at high temperatures is very effective at absorbing and filtering odors. Reuse your own charcoal or buy one of the many types of charcoal products on the market.
5. Vinegar Spray: Instead of an aerosol air freshner, combine vinegar and water in a spray bottle and mist into the air. If you want it lightly scentend use rosewater or a couple of drops of an essential oil.
(Image: Fred Beck | Unplggd. Originally published 2009-10-09)
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Onions are another odour neutraliser - I know it sounds crazy, but if you put a cut onion in the corner of your room, it won't stink of onions, the smell will simply go!
And essential oils are great for an initial burst of something more fragrant than the smell you don't want.
Where can I find charcoal? I keep reading about it as an air purifier and I would like to try it.
Burn charcoal-based incense. As it burns the charcoal eats up odors in the air. I discovered a couple years ago that not all incense is patchouli and sandalwood. I buy a lovely Japanese fig incense. It kills odors in the room and adds the nice fig scent.
Anybody have any experience with a product called the Bad Air Sponge?
We just change the litter box each time the cat uses it while we're home. I feel a bit bad for cats who have to climb inside a box - wouldn't that injure their lungs from the wood oil and perfumes in the cat litter?
Not if you use a natural, perfume-free cat litter. At our house, the only litter box fumes come from the actual cats. We happen to store our charcoal in the same room as the litter boxes, and I can testify that it's not doing any good. I might try the onion thing, because it can't make it any worse!
@Julsie sorry, but I don't think the dust from any cat litter is good for their lungs. Cats have more lung problems than other animals and no substance is meant to enter the lungs except oxygen. But it is good you're using a perfume free litter. I just would not enclose the litter box. LOL I know what you mean though, it's a hard problem to tackle.
I read the baking-soda-in-the-fridge thing was an old wives tale. From personal experience, I've definitely never noticed a change. I believe the misconception arose because it does help remove odors when sprinkled on things or when it's used as a cleaning paste or detergent.
The volcanic rock thing I think is only useful for ammonia smells. One seller claimed it worked "just like super baking soda"... except that's not really true. Apparently, it's the clinoptilolite in the volcanic rock- it "absorbs" ammonia. So this would be most effective for litter boxes but not sure where else; we don't really have an ammonia problem :-P