How To Get Rid Of Bedroom Odor

How to get rid of bedroom odor? If you have been asking yourself this question for days, you will be glad to know that this post has all the answers you need. Surely, there’s no thrill when you wake up in the morning only to be welcomed with a stinky smell.

Indeed, a good smell does not just go easy on your nose. Much research has proven that it’s also capable of evoking positive vibes and good memories. Are you intrigued yet? Let’s dive into the world of fragrance right now!

What’s That Smell?

It’s been a long day, and you are finally back to the most comfortable place on Earth: your bedroom. It’s where you spend a third of your life sleeping and doing whatever you feel like without being bothered.

Suddenly, you come home one day and notice a funny smell. Where does it come from? Is it the leftover slice of pizza from last night’s dinner? Or is it the smelly socks under the bed that God knows how long it has been there?

Nothing is as frustrating as a smelly bedroom, and you know that. You can no longer sleep in peace when the odor is wafting in the air, causing your nose to feel itchy. And, imagine if you have your friends coming over: they won’t stick around for long to tell you the truth.

Tricks To Refresh The Scent Of Your Bedroom

That said, it’s time to tidy up your room and eliminate the horrendous odor. Below are fifteen ways for you to consider, but don’t stop at just one – there’s no limit when it comes to making your bedroom smell refreshing!

1. Improve Air Circulation

Perhaps the most straightforward thing you can do to banish stuffy air is to open the window. You will not only catch some rays, but the fresh morning air will break up the odor wafting in your bedroom.

Of course, you will only do so only when it’s not pouring rain or your apartment is not near a highway (where the traffic problems are usually a nightmare). As an alternative, you can run a fan or a dehumidifier. An air purifier can also be taken advantage of, should you have one.

2. Do The Laundry

If you have the habit of keeping dirty clothes or smelly socks under your bed, it’s about time to kick that. When the bacteria break down the sweat on your clothes, an unpleasant odor will give off. If you share the room with someone, they will complain about that for sure.

Your bed sheets and pillowcases will want to join your clothes on a trip to the laundry, too. It is recommended that you wash them once a week, even when they are not yet dirty.

In fact, they have always been dirty, but it’s difficult to tell with the naked eye. Every day, the sheets are exposed to dust, dead skin cells, body fluids, and other bacteria. If you are highly sensitive, you will likely suffer from adverse reactions like irritations or acne.

3. Deodorize The Furniture

Wooden furniture adds great character to your bedroom, whether light or dark. However, it’s also the reason behind musty odors that ruin your good night’s sleep. Since wood is organic, it can be a breeding ground for mold and mildew when moisture is involved.

To tackle the smell, place a box of baking soda in the corner of your drawers or bookshelf. For a more fragrant result, dry coffee grounds or charcoal briquettes are some excellent choices.

If mold spores have attacked your furniture, wipe the surface with diluted dish soap or mist it with vinegar. You should always keep the furniture dry, or the problem will occur again in the future.

4. Sanitize The Interior Surfaces

If you fail to locate the source of the musty smell in your bedroom, there’s a high chance that it comes from the walls, floor, or ceiling. This often results from water damage, such as when your upstairs neighbor forgets to shut the tap or the pipes underneath your wall are leaky.

First and foremost, you will need to identify the source and put a stop to it right away. After that, check whether mold spores have emerged from the surface. If you act in time, you can kill them with no fuss using a mixture made of bleach and water (ratio 1:3).

If mold has not yet appeared, wipe the interior surface using hot water with mild dish soap or vinegar. Alcohol should not be used since it can break down the paint. With persistent odors like smoke, use homemade remedies to remove the wallpapers.

Watch this video to know more:

5. Dust The Room

Astonishingly, apart from its gross appearance, dust does carry a bad smell. It’s the result of dead skin cells, pet hair, pollen, insects, and many more. Given that, dusting your bedroom every month is a must.

Before starting the work, it’s essential to don protective gear. As dust accumulates, you may encounter more intrusive elements, which can be hazardous to your health. You can also remove the items in advance to save time from picking each one up while dusting.

And now, dust like there’s no tomorrow! To catch dust more effortlessly, a microfiber cloth is your best bet. Start with the furniture and make sure that the cloth goes through every small corner. Then, pick up the small items and give them a good wiping.

Finally, run the vacuum to pick up the excess dirt falling to the floor. Don’t forget to clean the vacuum to maintain its performance in future uses!

6. Freshen Up The Carpet

A faux fur carpet gives your room a luxurious touch – but not so much when your pets like to roll over again and again. Apart from pet hair, the carpet can attract dirt, dust, and pollen, in addition to the crumbs of your midnight snack.

Deodorizing your carpet is not a daunting task. However, certain measures must be taken to prevent unwanted damage, particularly when your carpet is made of silk or wool. Given that, chemicals should be avoided at all costs.

Instead, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on your carpet, let it sit for an hour, and vacuum it later. Alternatively, combine one cup of white vinegar with two cups of warm water in a spray bottle, then saturate the carpet. This method works with upholstered furniture, too.

Watch this video to know more:

7. Bathe Your Pets

Sure enough, your pets have every right to enter your room without permission. Still, there’s a requirement: they should be house-trained to avert indoor accidents. Bathing them is also an excellent way to maintain their good smell and hygiene.

The bathing frequency will depend on various factors, such as the coat and skin condition of your pets or how often you take them outside to play.

If your pets are of long-haired breeds, it’s recommended that you take them to the groomers. Like human hair, pet hair and dander produce natural oils. When reached to a certain extent, it can result in something smelly. The odor in dogs is even more pronounced. ⁽¹⁾

8. Make Your Own Reed Diffusers

Diffusers are up for purchase at most furniture and home decor stores. However, feel free to make your own if the stores don’t carry your favorite scent or the prices don’t fit your budget. What’s more, this can be a fun and therapeutic activity to do in your free time.

To start with, you will need a small glass or ceramic jar that has a narrow neck. Then, fill the jar with 1/4 cup of carrier oil (almond or safflower oil) and 15 drops of essential oil. Jasmine, peppermint, lavender, and ylang-ylang are some top-notch choices.

Next, place 5-10 reeds (also called bamboo skewers) into the jar. The reeds will soak up the liquid and gradually fill your room with an exquisite fragrance. To maintain their performance, flip and replace the reeds every 2-3 weeks and 6 months, respectively.

Note: You can use essential oils to clean your home as well!

9. Light The Candles

However, the downside of reed diffusers is the scent’s inconsistency. It stings your nostrils at times but goes completely unnoticed when saturated. If you feel the same, another workable option to remove odors from your bedroom is lighting some candles.

Candles are available in a wide range of scents and can even be reused when the wax does not melt completely. Just pour the unburned wax into another votive and insert a new wick. It can be repurposed for how many times you want so long as not too much soot is released.

Lighting candles does not just improve your bedroom’s air quality. It can also melt away your stress and radiate positive energy, which is something you definitely need after hours of hard work.

10. Create Your Signature Room Spray

If you live in a rental house where burning candles is not allowed, a spray freshener will be a great alternative. And, of course, I’m not talking about store-bought options – they often carry synthetic smells, which are not too pleasant on the nose when you go overboard.

The good news is, you can make your own room spray, and it’s pretty straightforward. Firstly, choose your preferred essential oils. If you are spoilt for choice, feel free to mix the options for a more surprising result.

Add about 20 drops of essential oil(s) into a spray bottle. Next, bring in three tablespoons of rubbing alcohol or unflavored vodka and a cup of distilled water. Shake to combine. Now, it’s time to test and enjoy the result of your DIY work!

11. Make Potpourri

Potpourri deserves the massive hype it gets lately. It was invented in the 12th century as an air freshener for castle rooms, mostly consisting of fresh herbs or dried flowers. To maintain the fragrance, a fixative such as orris root must be included. ⁽²⁾

Nowadays, a potpourri can be purchased at most home decor stores. Nonetheless, you can make one at home using just a few ingredients. The instructions below will show you how to get started.

Step 1: Line a parchment paper on a sheet tray.

Step 2: Cut the flowers of your choice and place them on the tray.

Step 3: Add fresh herbs, citrus rinds, and other spices. You can skip whatever you don’t like in your potpourri. Once you have assembled everything, spritz the ingredients with essential oil.

Step 4: Slide the tray into the oven, allowing the ingredients to dry for two hours.

Step 5: Take them out and trim any burned bits if you care about the aesthetics. As they cool down, arrange them in a jar or plate and let them perform the magic on your room odors!

Watch this video to know more:

12. Grow House Plants

Growing indoor plants does not just keep you connected with nature. It can clean and purify the air with minimal effort, plus enhance the overall appearance of your bedroom. Research also proves that plants can boost your productivity significantly. ⁽³⁾

Below are some common house plants for your consideration:

• Snake plants: This is one of the most popular choices and requires little sunlight.
• Anthurium: The plant is beloved for its tropical-ish flowers, which come in shades of red, white, or purple (with new hybrids).
• Peace lily: Your mind is at peace thanks to peace lily, which can combat the acetone smell released by electronic appliances.
• Jasmine: Jasmine flowers carry a rich and sweet smell that can boost your mood.
• Golden pothos: Also known as Devil’s Ivy, the plant can filter out toxins in the air like toluene or benzene.
• Bamboo: Native to China, bamboo is well-known for its odor-absorbent quality.

13. Keep The Bathroom Spotless

It’s convenient to have an attached bathroom. You don’t have to walk downstairs late at night to answer the call of nature or share the space with someone in the morning. However, it can sometimes be the source of the foul stench that’s keeping you up at night.

Normally, the offensive odor in your bathroom derives from the bacteria growing inside the drains. To resolve the issue, you will also increase ventilation and make use of fresheners or candles. Remember to shut the door to prevent the odor from invading your sleeping zone.

If the odor does not seem to disperse, contact your landlord or a professional plumber to find out the root. The chances are that your piping system has broken or been damaged, which causes the sewage to leak and create the smell.

14. Empty The Trash

Not many people keep a trash can in the bedroom, but if you do, remember to empty it once full. To prevent the odor from emanating, purchase a trash can that has a lid. Avoid throwing food scraps in the can since they will decompose and release all sorts of horrendous odors.

Besides controlling what goes in your bedroom’s trash can, you should clean and deodorize it twice per year using either of the methods below.

• Sprinkle a layer of baking soda or dry coffee grounds at the bottom of the trash can.
• Moisten a few cotton balls with essential oil and dump them to the bottom. Replace every two weeks.

If your budget allows, you can choose scented or deodorizing trash bags to keep the smell fresher. These bags are also resistant to rips and tears.

Watch this video to know more:

15. Change Your Habits

While this can be somewhat difficult and take a long time, you are well-advised to quit habits that can cause your bedroom to stink up, such as smoking. The smoke odor tends to cling to your bedroom’s walls, floor, and furniture for a long time.

Moreover, while there are no rules against eating or drinking in bed, you’d better resist the urge and take your food or drinks somewhere else. Food with strong odors like cheese, fermented vegetables, or alliums can cause your room to stink to high heaven!

Lastly, learn from the Japanese: no footwear indoors. Your shoes can act as a carrier for dirt, dust, and other harmful microbes that are not welcome in your space. Regardless of their tiny size, they are the major culprit behind many household odors.

Don’t Mask The Odor

After this post, I hope that you know how to get rid of bedroom odor. Whatever option you go for, I am positive that the result will be up to par. There’s no need to mask the odor with your cologne or body spray anymore – it’s a waste, and sometimes the smell is too overpowering.

So, what method did you choose to deodorize your bedroom? Do you enjoy the result? Don’t be afraid to share it with other readers and me in the comments. Thanks a lot!

References

1. En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Dog odor – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_odor.
2. En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Potpourri – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potpourri.
3. Healthline. 2021. 7 Science-Backed Benefits of Indoor Plants. [online] Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-home-guide/benefits-of-indoor-plants#safe-plants.