Tricks And Tips To Eliminate Odors In Your New Apartment

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So you’ve found the greatest apartment ever – plenty of space, affordable rent, friendly neighbors. But there may be one thing you never counted on getting with your apartment – a smell. It might remind you of kitty litter box, an ash tray or the greasy spoon you used to frequent in college. Whatever it is – you can’t stand it, those regular air fresheners won’t cut it, and you want to get rid of it…now!

Simple Ways to Remove Those Smells

Fortunately, most of these odors can be reduced with some work. Here are a few pointers to try and remove odors in your new apartment.

1. Remove lingering smoke smell: One of the most effective methods is to leave small amount of Pine-Sol cleaner in small bowls throughout your apartment. If this doesn’t lessen the whiff of tobacco, you might have to call your apartment management on this one – sometimes the best way to remove cigarette odor is professionally. Smoke smells can hide out in wood furniture, carpet, walls and curtains so be diligent. This may be a rough one.

2. Foul smells in the dishwasher: These can be easily taken care of by squeezing a fresh lemon into the soap cup. Run through a complete cycle and your problem should be gone.

3. Combating nasty pet odors: These are particularly offensive smells that can take some work to eliminate. If the smell is in the carpet, enzymatic cleaners designed specifically for pet stains can help. After the cleaner has dried, sprinkle on some baking soda and vacuum the area. If you can’t find the source of the smell, you can borrow a blacklight that will illuminate the pet stain on carpet.

4. Deodorizing the fridge: Refrigerator odors can be particularly pungent and make you want to run for cover. Luckily, these smells are relatively easy to get rid of. If the fridge is not empty, the first thing you need to do is toss any items that you might suspect are causing the problem. Next, use a solution of water and bleach to wipe down the inside and clean trays and drawers. Wipe down the inside again with warm water and let dry. After it’s dry, leave an open box of baking soda in the fridge. Additionally, crumpled newspaper and even bread slices can be used inside an empty refrigerator to absorb bad smells. They both work wonders!

Combat troublesome odors with these everyday household can be hidden in a can, a basket, a plastic container, or pantyhose and used all year round to absorb unwanted smells. Make sure you do not use the brickettes that come with lighter fluid in them.

Place freshly ground coffee in little doilies or baskets throughout your space to absorb lingering smells. Great deodorizer especially if you love the aroma of coffee.

Your favorite tea bags can be used to combat bad smells. Just place the bag in a drawer or other confined space and let them get to work, releasing their fragrance and eliminating the bad one.

Lime peels can be ground down into your garbage disposal after cooking meals with offensive smells from frying with grease for example.

Soak a cotton ball in lemon extract, peppermint or vanilla extract; place it in a plastic bag or container with holes, and leave in the bad-smelling room

You can also put drops of your favorite essential oils on light bulbs. The scent will fill the room and eliminate unpleasant odors.

Boil cinnamon sticks, pumpkin spices or cloves in a pot of water on your stove and let stand.

If your new apartment has a general unpleasant smell that you can’t seem to identify, be sure to clean surfaces, floors, cabinets and counters with an antibacterial soap solution. Baking soda sprinkled in carpets can work wonders, as can spray odor eliminator. Of course, if you apartment has an odor that you can’t stand, contact your management company. They will likely send in a professional to investigate, and hopefully your apartment will be smelling fresh in no time.