If you are running from room to room wondering what could be causing that oh, so awful smell, you are not alone. Often our houses get filled up with weird, pungent smells that have us running around in circles.
Usually, the answer is right under your nose; it’s the trash can!
Often trash can make the whole house smell like a garbage truck. The smell spreads all over, so it’s not easy to think of the place or exact point where it’s coming from.
But can we live without trash? Of course not! It’s a daily thing for a home being lived in. Every day, there’s food to be cooked; eggshells, vegetable peels, baby diapers, leftover food or milk, etc., are all the things you simply cannot avoid at home.
Now the best way to get rid of the smell and garbage, of course, is instant disposal. Of course, at times, especially in community living, it’s not an easy task. We have to wait till the garbage truck shows up to take it out.
So what about the time it is sitting by your door and spreading that pungent smell all over the house? Read on, and we’ll tell you how to keep your house clean and free of odors with ease.
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How to Get Rid of that Stench
First things first, before you put on your bunny suit and set out to buy all the cleaning materials and equipment off the shelves, take a look at your bin.
Often the smell comes from inside the bin. That is because it’s probably not washed well enough, and a lot of the trash we keep in it daily leaves out the stains and smells at the bottom of the bin.
So you can usually solve the problem with just a quick wash of the dustbin/trash can.
However, if that doesn’t help much, here are some tried and tested ways to get rid of the smell for good:
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is really great at absorbing smells. It doesn’t neutralize them but absorbs them and hence helps clean the air, place, and area.
Be it the foul smell of days-old milk, rotten eggs, mold or buildup, or even the poopy smell of diapers. All you need to do is sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda all over and let it sit.
The longer you let it sit, the better the results; you can even let it stay at the bottom or all over the garbage area for up to 24 hours before you hoover it clean.
If there are redundant smells or stains on the can - or be it any place in the house - you can even take a solution of water and baking soda (two quarts of water and half a cup of baking soda) and scrub clean the whole place.
2. Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets work great at absorbing odors and drying out the trash can.The best part is you don’t need fresh, new ones. You can even place used sheets at the bottom of the trash can and get a good enough cover against the garbage smell.
3. HOCl Fogger
Sometimes the smell may be due to the build-up of bacteria or mold inside the trash can. But, again, the main reason is lack of cleaning. So first, you must ensure the trash bin is regularly washed inside out to remove any remaining food particles or residues which could become the ground for bacterial growth.
Then, you can use a disinfectant spray. That way, if there is any bacterial growth, it can be taken care of before it gets out of control.
When spraying disinfectant, it is fine to do it manually with a spray bottle, but also consider a system that can achieve more effective fogging automatically.
Also, since household garbage is often located in manned spaces, it is recommended to spray HOCl (hypochlorous acid water, also known as ECA), which is safe for the humans and has sufficient sanitizing effect even at low concentration.
In a deodorization test of acetaldehyde, ammonia, trimethylamine, and acetic acid when HOCl was sprayed at 50 ppm with a special fogger, a remarkable effect was confirmed in about 10 minutes compared to the blank state.
Reference: HOCl (Hypochlorous Acid Water): All You Need to Know
Nowadays, you can also use a deodorizing pod or pack; just place it under the liner to eliminate smells and bacterial growth.
In the case of mold, here’s what will help better:
4. Bleach
Bleach is the arch-enemy of mold. Unfortunately, with all the leftover food, eggshells, and other crap we toss in our garbage bins, mold is not something unexpected.
The first step is to ensure a regular wash. But even then, if you find mold growth around the corners or below the base, you can just take a solution of bleach and water and spray it all over. Then let it air dry completely.
Nothing works faster than that against mold. However, sometimes the mold problem is deep-rooted; you may need to hire some professionals if you find it elsewhere around the house too.
5. Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is very effective against smells. Plus, it covers a much wider area than baking soda. So with just a teaspoon, you can get a whole football field smelling nice or, at least, better than before.
This is the very reason you’ll find brands today that sell charcoal undergarments, especially gym wear, as it works great at absorbing body odors as well.
So just sprinkle a bit of it at the base of your bin and let it work its magic.
6. Air Freshener
Lastly, you can always use air fresheners to mask any smell in the house. True, it’s not a permanent fix and hence not highly recommended. But it does give you peace for a while, at least until the garbage goes out the door.
You can find several fragrances and buy the one that you prefer most. Apart from masking the smell, it also leaves a pleasant odor, making the house fresh as lavender, roses, or sandalwood (whatever you prefer).
Other Suggestions
If you are looking for a more natural solution to house odors - not just the garbage smell - here’s what you can try along with the above:
- First, open up the windows; let that smell go out and effectively get dispersed.
- Use scented candles.
- Cut lemons and place them in the nooks and corners around the house. Make sure to throw them out after some time. Else you’d get stuck with rotten smell instead!
- Try this: Rub a bit of vanilla extract or any other scent over your light bulb. Once you turn it on, the warmth of the bulb will distribute the scent, making it pleasant throughout the house.
Conclusion
Smells and bad odors are like an unwelcome guest in the house. They come in of their own will and refuse to leave. If you don’t do anything about them, you get stuck with them for good.
While air fresheners, air wicks, and candles may temporarily neutralize the odor, they fail to do anything about the source.
So always ensure cleanliness; yes, even the trash can needs an occasional but regular clean-up. If it still smells bad, try any of the above - tried and tested - solutions, and your house will smell warm and pleasant just like the old times, again.
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Learn more: Simple Cleaning Tips for a Healthy Home and a Smooth Home Inspection
