Entries Tagged as 'Odor'

How to Remove the Stink from Plastic Storage Containers

October 28th, 2009 5 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

My spouse, it’s not me, no never me, has a bad habit of leaving his dirty plastic containers in the back of his car. I have to tell you, they are FUNKY. How do I remove the bad odor?

Signed,

Smelly in Smyrna

Heather says:

I feel your pain.

First let’s talk prevention. What I have done is convinced my husband that the first rinse out is HIS problem. I was pretty sensitive to smells during all three of my pregnancies; after losing my lunch a couple of times I flat out refused to be the one to crack the seal. Once he was hit with the funk a few times he began rinsing out the containers at work. With few exceptions -road crews being one I can think of- most people have access to running water on the job. Ask your spouse to rinse out the container before packing it to take home.

Once a plastic container has a bad smell, the cure is simple and Tupperware fans swear by it. First, wash it thoroughly in the hottest soapy water you can stand this will help get rid of any oils that may be part of the problem. Dry the container well, then crumple some newspaper, place it inside and close the lid tightly. Let the sealed container sit for a day or two, then discard the newspaper and give it a sniff. If the odor is gone, wonderful just wash it before reusing it. Otherwise, wash it with a diluted bleach solution and repeat the newspaper trick.

If you have it on hand, activated charcoal may work better than plain old newspaper. I never have it on hand, so I don’t really see it as an option.

Good luck!

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Removing Cigarette Smoke Odor From Couches

December 9th, 2008 8 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

I recently purchased a sofa and loveseat from a lovely couple who listed the furniture on a popular online auction site.  The set appeared to be in great shape, and I got the furniture for what appeared to be a bargain.  When I got them in place in my basement rec room, I noticed a horrible odor of cigarette smoke emanating from both pieces of furniture.  They are upholstered pieces with foam cushions.  Do you have any idea how I can get rid of the cigarette smell?

Fondly and Fetidly,

Smokey Lonesome in Couchville

Ivy says:

Cigarette smoke is one of the most devilish odors ever. I remember when I bought my new house and issued the edict that there would be no smoking in the new house for any reason, my grandmother (who wasn’t even a smoker) thought I was being snotty. “I’m not being snotty,” I told her, “I’m protecting my investment.”

The funny thing is, cigarette smoke is about a million times easier to get out of walls, than it is to get out of couches. You can pile Kilz on the walls, but you can’t Kilz a couch, sadly. With a couch, it’s going to take some work.

If you have a carpet and upholstery cleaner, good deal. Use it to clean the couch with a mixture of about half vinegar and half water. You may have to do this several times to get the full effect. Using a nice smelling cleaner (preferably one that’s meant for kid and pet odors, which seems to work fairly well) between each vinegar cleaning will keep your couch from smelling like “feminine cleansing products.”

If you don’t have one, my suggestion is to have it professionally cleaned. Normally, I’d have you rent a Rug Doctor to clean something, but cigarette smoke is so hard to remove, you’d have to rent it so many times, it would be cheaper to get it done professionally. Make sure you get a company that has “satisfaction guaranteed” so if it’s not completely clean, you can call them and have them come back out to do the job again. But make sure you let the company know when you first have them out that you are trying to remove cigarette smoke smell so they can use the best products for the job.

Happy couch surfing!

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De-Stinking The Unwashable

November 24th, 2008 6 Comments

Howdy, ladies!

I checked the archives and found the cure for musty towels and musty jeans, but have you got any advice on de-musting things that can’t be washed?

We’ve inherited some German Christmas decorations from my husband’s family, some of which are handmade dolls constructed of fabric and other textily goodness. I adore them, but after years of being in basements and garages, they smell incredibly musty.

Any ideas on how to de-stink without hurting them? I’ve managed to not dip them in Febreze, but the urge is strong.

Signed,

Musty in Mustyboro

Ivy says:

Good choice, on not dousing them in Febreze. Items like these you don’t want to get wet, as the wetness could damage them. In this case, you are going to want to clean them in a dry fashion.

Find the smallest plastic bag that will hold your items (if they’re really large, a garbage bag will work). Put them in the bag with a mixture of half baking soda and half cornstarch. Close the bag tightly and give it a good shake. Let it sit for a couple of days and take them out and brush off or gently vacuum off all the cornstarch and baking soda. The mixture should have absorbed the smell. If the item has a lot of nooks and crannies canned air may be quite handy.

Chances are, they’ll never smell like roses, but this will take the worst of the stink away.

Got a household question of your own? Email us at helpme@home-ec101.com

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Apartment Smells Like Cooking, And Not The Good Kind Of Cooking

August 14th, 2008 8 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

I live in an apartment, and my kitchen is open to the living room like in most apartments. The house always has a remnant cooking smell even when I keep all the doors and windows open. My carpet, couch and everything smell. It is a little embarassing when i have company. Air refresheners don’t seem to solve my problem either.
Please help!!!!

Signed,

Apartment Dweller

Ivy says:

I also live in a house where the kitchen is open to the living room, so I understand where you’re coming from. I have several suggestions, a combination of some or all of these might solve your problem. First, I’m sure you already are, but just in case- if you’re not using the range hood fan whenever you cook something on your stovetop, make sure you always use that. It makes a big difference.

What you want to do is try to neutralize the smell. I’d start with renting a floor/uphostery cleaner and giving the carpet and upholstery a good cleaning. I like to use Kids N Pets whenever I’m using one of those. It does a good job of neutralizing smells. Between cleanings, Febreze Fabric Refresher is good for keeping things smelling nice.

When cleaning, don’t forget to wipe down your walls, windows, and blinds. Walls especially can harbor smells. If you have flat paint, you will not be able to wash your walls, but if you have any other finish, you can actually wash them.

When you’re having company over, you can use a simple boiling pot with cinnamon in it to make the house smell fabulous. The cinnamon sticks work the best, but ground cinnamon works as well. Or, you can just use some awesomely smelly candles, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Well, Home Eccers, did I forget anything?

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Smelly Dish, Smelly Dish

July 16th, 2008 3 Comments

Dear Home Ec 101,

Hi. I have a dilemma with my dishes. Whenever I cook or use a strong smelling condiment, my dishes always pick up the smell I can never get the odor out.  A small dab of bleach in the water was suggested but after trying this my stepson told me the dishes just smell like bleach plus the food smell. I have heavy duty cleaning gloves so I tried washing in very hot water with soap but that didn’t work at all. I tried baking soda but with no luck. Please help! I am tired of smelling peanut butter, cooking oil, and dinner every time I get a glass of juice or water!

Signed,

What are they feeding you?

Heather says:

Oh smelly dish, it’s not your fault.

Well, it might actually have been the reader’s fault, but here are a few suggestions she can use to eliminate the odor on her dinnerware. I asked our reader what kind of dishes were causing the problem and called World Kitchen, LLC where I was assisted by the ever lovely Melissa who had several suggestions.  Funnily enough they were consistent with Ivy and I’s usual advice for dealing with many household odor problems: vinegar and water or Bar Keeper’s Friend.

Fill your sink with hot water and vinegar. Next allow your dishes to soak briefly, scrub well, rinse thoroughly, and dry immediately. If the food odors remain, try wetting the dishes and briefly scrubbing with Bar Keepers Friend, then rinsing thoroughly.

If you have stoneware, it is important to never allow the dishes to soak for long. There is a porous portion on the bottom of some pieces that can absorb water which may allow bacteria to grow.  While this is not our reader’s issue, it is an important one to note.  In these cases use a paste of Bar Keeper’s Friend or Zud on the porous ring, scrub, rinse well, and allow the dishes to dry thoroughly.

For those of you whose dishes aren’t stinky, here are a few tips to keep them food odor free.  Before hand washing, be sure as much food as possible has been scraped from the dishes.  The more food that comes in contact with the dishwater the faster the soap will break down.  Without soap, oils that carry odor can cling to the dishware.  Wash your dishes in this order: glasses, silverware, dishes, cookware. Experiment with the amount of soap used until you find the amount that is frugal yet effective.  Too little soap may cause dishes to need a second wash, eliminating any savings.

Finally, harsh detergents may etch glassware.  This can cause tiny scratches that may get filled with mineral deposits.  Etching can cause glassware and some dishware to retain an odor.  The folks at World Kitchen, LLC advise against using both gel and powder pack formulas.

Good luck!

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

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