Whether it’s a wisp of last night’s cigarette smoke, mold smell in your refrigerator, or the lingering odor of your furry friend’s accident, unpleasant smells in your home can quickly become overpowering. This article is all about making your living room and other rooms in your house smell good again and finding an effective treatment for the pet and smoke odor you’re facing .

How to Get Rid of Smoke Smell

The smell of smoke can linger in your home, especially if it’s a place where you light up frequently. This is because the odors linger in textiles and fabrics, so they need to be washed frequently or replaced.

To get rid of smoke smells, open all the windows and doors and let in some fresh air. This helps kill germs and bacteria. You may also want to vacuum carpets and furniture thoroughly before washing them to remove as many particles as possible. Placing bowls of activated charcoal or kitty litter throughout your house can help absorb remaining odors of fire and smoke. If you don’t have these items, placing bowls of baking soda or coffee grinds can also help reduce lingering smells.

If you have hardwood floors, mop the floor with a mixture of water and vinegar. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant that can help remove smoke smells from your home. If you have carpeting, sprinkle baking soda over the carpet, let it sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum up the powder. Baking soda absorbs odors very well.

Smoke odor often settles in the walls. Vinegar solution can also be used to clean wall surfaces affected by smoke. Simply mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then spray the solution onto any areas that have been affected by smoke. Repeat the same process with the carpet, let it sit for 10 minutes before wiping away with a sponge or cloth.

How to Get Rid of Pet Smells

Pet odors are another common problem in homes. Cats have a tendency to urinate on rugs or carpeting, while dogs tend to mark their territory by leaving puddles behind after going outside. Both pets can leave behind strong scents that are hard to get out of textiles like carpeting or rugs.

The best way to get rid of pet smells is by cleaning your home regularly. If your pet has an accident on the carpet or throws up, you should immediately clean the mess with a solution of two parts water and one part vinegar. The vinegar will help neutralize any odors while also disinfecting the area.

To get rid of pet smells thoroughly , vacuum carpets and furniture before washing them with hot water mixed with baking soda or vinegar — just add a cupful of each per full load of laundry (if using vinegar). If you’re dealing with urine stains specifically, try spraying vinegar directly onto the area before blotting it up with paper towels.

Another way to eliminate pet smells is by using an enzyme-based cleaner. These cleaners are designed specifically to remove pet-related odors from fabrics and hard surfaces by breaking down proteins found in urine and feces. The enzymes then bind with these proteins so they can be washed away during your next load of laundry.

Find a Odor Removal Professional

After trying the methods above, if you still find lingering bad odors in your home, perhaps consider contacting a odor removal professional for help. It could be that the bad odor is from long-term build up of materials, which regular cleaning methods are not strong enough to remove. Professionals have the better equipment and knowledge in odor removal, and they can save you time and provide better results.

When looking for a professional to remove bad odors, look for ones that are certified for the Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) treatment. When it comes to odors, chlorine dioxide is a powerful weapon. It’s a non-toxic gas with oxidizing properties that can be used as an alternative to chlorine and other chemicals. Chlorine dioxide is produced by combining chlorine and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst. The resulting chemical reaction produces a strong odor-eliminating gas with oxidizing properties. By removing electrons from reactive molecules, ClO2 uses oxygen to quickly neutralize odors. This treatment is very effective against nicotine and pet smells.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.