7 Natural Ways to Eliminate Household Odors with Baking Soda, Vinegar, and Lemon

Let’s be honest, life tends to stink. It doesn’t take long for your home to go from starry-eyed with fresh paint and new carpet to not-so-fresh after cooking, messy pets, trash, and guess what mystery odors may lie hidden in the carpet. 

Performing a deep clean every single week is not practical and while you can go to the store and bring back some air fresheners to try to mask the stink, they very rarely solve the whole problem. In the worst cases, many store bought sprays also contain synthetic chemicals which can exacerbate certain allergies or diminish indoor air quality.

The good news is, you can deodorize your entire home with three mainstays in any kitchen: Baking soda, vinegar, and lemons. These are not trendy hacks; they are tried and true, inexpensive solutions that are also effective. Let’s discuss the top seven locations to get the funky stink out of, and how you can do it without reaching for a chemical cleaner.

1. Refrigerator

Even with food organized in tidy containers, a refrigerator can be prone to odors. Leftover meals, raw onions, and that old lidded Tupperware in the back can sometimes mix together into an aroma you would prefer to not inhale upon opening the door. 

Fortunately, there is a simple solution; let baking soda do the work. A bowl or a small container with an open top filled with baking soda can be placed on the middle shelf. Note that with larger fridges, a second bowl should be placed on the bottom shelf. The baking soda will assist with any unwanted smells in the fridge. 

To ensure the baking soda continues to absorb smell, do your best to replace it monthly. And if you want to deep clean your refrigerator, wipe all surfaces down with a mixture of white vinegar and warm water. It will kill bacteria and will smell clean and crisp.

2. Trash & Recycling Bins

You take the trash off regularly, and the bin still smells like last week’s leftover. Odors from bacteria and moisture that accumulate under the bin liner or around the bin from previous trash can stick around even after the trash is removed. To combat this, consider sprinkling a good amount of baking soda on the bottom of the bin before replacing your liner. A few drops of lemon essential oil will give a pleasant citrus scent to the garbage can that will lighten the feeling in the room. 

If your bin has bad odors that stick around regularly, we encourage giving your bin a rinse out with hot water and vinegar every week. White vinegar is a great natural disinfectant that eliminates buildup without the need for harsh chemicals. Some folks even put an old newspaper on the bottom of the bin sprinkled with baking soda to absorb any leaks and odors at the same time. 

3. Microwave & Small Appliances

Your microwave may be the easiest appliance in the kitchen, but it can also be the smelliest appliance, seemingly instantly. Perhaps you heated some leftover fish, overcooked your popcorn, or there are tomato sauce splatters that have developed a funk. Thankfully, there is a quick and easy way with no nasty chemicals. Use one cup of water, two tablespoons of vinegar, and a half lemon in rounds, put it in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave on high for three to five minutes. 

Once you hear the steam starting, leave the microwave closed for another five minutes to allow the steam to dislodge any stuck mess. Once you have let the steam do its work, just open your microwave and wipe down the inside with your cloth or sponge. The steam should soften up any goo, and the vinegar and lemon together should help neutralize any unwanted smell.

4. Mattress & Upholstery

It is simple to forget that the function of a mattress is not only to assist in sleep but to also absorb sweat, dust, allergen particles, and body oils. These materials can combine to produce odor that can flea from the least bit of stale mustiness. And no amount of linen changes will cover it up! Fortunately, you can remove this smell with little effect, such as by using baking soda to freshen up your bed. 

The process is more or less the same. First, completely remove all linens from your bed. Next, thoroughly sprinkle a good quantity of baking soda on top of the mattress, enough to create a dusting crust over the top. Allow the baking soda to stay for one to two hours, or longer if possible, as the baking soda absorbs odor and moisture that has been caught in the fabric of the mattress. 

After a few hours has passed, simply remove the baking soda with your vacuum cleaner using the upholstered attachment. If you would like, you can add a few drops of lemon, or lavender essential oil to the baking soda for a calming scent as you sprinkle it on your bed. You can also use this method for upholstery on furniture; you should test on a hidden spot, and not all fabrics may be compatible.

5. Carpets & Rugs

Carpets are odor sponge-like. Between food spills, pet accidents, and general crud from everyone’s foot traffic, carpets can hold odors for months. You don’t necessarily have to drag out the steam cleaner; many times all it takes is a good DIY-deodorizing spray. Create a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil. Lightly mist the carpet and allow it to air dry all the way before putting weight back on it again. 

Vinegar will neutralize the odor at the source, the essential oils will leave a faint scent behind. If you’re not into spray solutions, you could always do the dry method. Mix baking soda with a couple drops of an essential oil that you like, sprinkle on the carpet, let sit for 1 hour, then vacuum. Just be sure to test any method in a non-visible area of the rug, so if there is any discoloration it won’t be as noticeable.

6. Drains & Garbage Disposals

Can’t stand the smell of a blocked-up drain or a warming garbage disposal? These often missed places, sometimes smelly, have a concoction of grease, soap scum, bits of food and bacteria that stink! There’s a fizzy and natural way to clean these areas and avoid pouring harsh chemicals into your piping system. First, boil a kettle full of water and slowly pour it down the clogged sink. The hot water will break up some grime that may be causing the dirt or block. 

Next, pour in about ½ cup baking soda and give it time to settle deep down in the drain. After the soda has disappeared, pour in ½ cup of white vinegar. You’ll hear it bubbling and fizzing; it is breaking down the debris and neutralizing odor. Place a towel around the sink and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Finally, flush the drain out with another kettle of boiling water. If you also wanted to freshen up your duped sink food, toss in three to six lemon peels, run cold water, while you turn on the garbage disposal. The oils in the lemon will breakdown residue and clean.

7. Shoes & Sports Gear

There are not many items that absorb odors like shoes do, especially athletic sneakers as they absorb sweat and moisture every time they are worn. And that nasty, stale, locker-room smell can be apparent from your closet, mudroom, or somewhere else with stinky gear. Thankfully, you don’t have to throw out your favourites, or deal with the funk. An easy, overnight, baking soda treatment works wonders. 

I just dump a few tablespoons of baking soda into each shoe and make sure to dump it in the toe part of the shoe as that’s where most of the moisture is absorbed. Then I leave the shoes overnight and by the morning most of the stink is absorbed by the baking soda. This also works great for anything such as gym bags and lockers, fabric hats, or anywhere that gets random smells. If the shoes are machine washable, you can wash them and run a vinegar rinse to help neutralize odors, but don’t mix it with bleach.