How to get rid of smells for good
A smell is molecules in the air, released by something that's still there: urine salts in a carpet pad, tar from smoke on every surface, mildew in a damp towel. Covering it fails because the source keeps releasing more. Each guide below explains what causes the smell and how to remove, neutralize and dry it out.
Smells and where they linger
Burnt smell
To get rid of a burnt smell, remove the charred food and residue, then ventilate: vent the kitchen to the outdoors, wipe the microwave or stovetop and nearby surfaces, steam the microwave with lemon water, and set out baking soda or activated charcoal.
Chemical smell
To get rid of a chemical smell, wash it out or air it out: wash new clothes and jeans before wearing them, and ventilate rooms and cars where paint, carpet, furniture or plastics are off-gassing.
Cooking smells
To get rid of cooking smells, vent while you cook and clean off the grease film afterward: run a range hood vented outdoors during cooking and for 10 to 20 minutes after, then wash the stovetop, nearby surfaces and the hood's grease filter.
Fish smell
To get rid of fish smell, vent while you cook, wash off the residue and use a mild acid: run a range hood vented outdoors, wash pans and wipe counters, and wipe or steam with lemon juice or diluted vinegar.
Fuel smell
To get rid of a diesel, gasoline or kerosene smell, remove the oily residue that holds it: air items out outdoors, absorb spills with cat litter or sawdust, wash hard surfaces with soap and hot water several times, and pretreat clothes with a petroleum-solvent prewash or have them dry-cleaned.
Mildew
To get rid of mildew smell, remove the growth and the moisture feeding it: wash fabrics in the hottest water they allow with detergent and a bleach that's safe for them, clean hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry everything within 24 to 48 hours.
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Mothball smell
To get rid of mothball smell, remove every mothball, then wash and air out what they touched: launder clothes and linens before using them, take dry-clean-only items to a cleaner, and ventilate the closet or room.
Perfume smell
To get rid of perfume smell, wash out the fragrance residue instead of covering it: launder in detergent with the hottest water the fabric allows, skip fabric softener and dryer sheets, and soak in baking soda and water if the scent lingers.
Pet odor
To get rid of pet odor, remove the places it builds up: wash pet bedding and throws weekly in hot water, HEPA-vacuum carpet and upholstery, keep the litter box clean, and find old urine spots and treat them with an enzyme cleaner.
Skunk
To get rid of skunk smell, neutralize the sulfur compounds with a fresh mix of 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, ΒΌ cup baking soda and 1 to 2 teaspoons of dish soap, then rinse.
Smoke
To get rid of smoke smell, clean the residue off every surface it touched: wash fabrics several times without the dryer, wash walls and hard surfaces (inside cabinets and closets too), change HVAC filters and ventilate.
Spoiled milk smell
To get rid of spoiled milk smell, get the milk out of the padding, not just off the surface: blot, flush with cool water and detergent, extract with a wet-vac, treat with an enzyme cleaner, and dry the area completely.
Sweat and body odor
To get rid of sweat smell, remove the body oil and residue the bacteria feed on: pretreat underarms and collars with liquid detergent or a 20 to 30 minute enzyme soak, then wash in the hottest water the fabric allows.
