My spare room smells like a Texas w-house

bubby

Sun, May 01 2011, 7:37 pm

I can't get rid of the smell. The windows have been opened for days, I tried Febrezing everything, inc mattresses & carpet, I threw out the linens & pillows, I cleaned everything & the stench is making me sick. The previous incumbents (not my family Rolling Eyes

) had these disgusting raspberry-flavored twist air fresheners & mixed with the smell of the ex-residents, it's lethal. I'm very sensitive to smell & I am at a loss to get rid of it. Puke

Any ideas?

Mimisinger

Sun, May 01 2011, 7:41 pm

vinegar everything. It will smell like vinegar for a little while and then disappate if you leave the windows open. Maybe somehow bring in a boiling pot of cinnamon, apples, etc...

mummiedearest

Sun, May 01 2011, 7:41 pm

I find febreze does nothing but aggravate things. I have a bissel steamer that I use occasionally on my couch (not as often as I used to, the kids used to get all kinds of things on it. think toilet training disasters...). it completely removes the odors. it should work well on carpet too, and I wouldn't hesitate to try it on a mattress.

http://www.amazon.com/Bissell-.....YHAGS

you can sometimes get them for around $20. totally worth it in my book. I also use it to clean my stovetop. it's wonderful. it definitely does better than febreze.

bubby

Sun, May 01 2011, 8:01 pm

mimi, do you mean wash everything down with a solution of vinegar? Including the carpet? I could get Roza to do that on Tuesday...if she does nothing else but clean that & the bathrooms I'll be happy. I'll be ecstatic if it gets rid of this smell.

bubby

Sun, May 01 2011, 8:01 pm

aidelmaidel wrote:

Try putting out bowls of baking soda around the room, and changing every few days.

Good idea too.

Mimisinger

Sun, May 01 2011, 8:19 pm

bubby wrote:

Yes, vinegar is an amazing cleaner. I would wipe everything down, walls, floors (just put vinegar in the water and wipe the floors), Add vinegar to the linens when washing them (the smell goes away with the detergent).

As for the rug, buy baking soda, sprinkle the entire carpet with a lot of it all over, wait a while so that it can absorb the smell - 30 min and then vaccuum it up. All the smell will be gone.

I HATE artificial smells, they make me ill.

Mimisinger

Sun, May 01 2011, 8:22 pm

However, I will say - that the carpet is prob. the thing that has all the smell. The walls don't really absorb the odor that much and it would be gone from just opening the windows.

First try the baking soda on the carpet trick. That should really take care of it all (as well as washing all the linens)

Also febreeze, just masks smells. It's like putting perfume on to cover up your stinky body odor. You still smell, but now you smell stinky-sweet.

bubby

Sun, May 01 2011, 8:28 pm

I'll buy the baking soda tomorrow, sprinkle & leave overnight for Roza to vacuum. Does it make sense to close the windows or doesn't it matter?

mummiedearest

Sun, May 01 2011, 8:31 pm

bubby wrote:

I'll buy the baking soda tomorrow, sprinkle & leave overnight for Roza to vacuum. Does it make sense to close the windows or doesn't it matter?

whatever you do, at least leave the shades open. sunlight will kill some odor too.

amother

Sun, May 01 2011, 8:32 pm

bubby wrote:

) had these disgusting raspberry-flavored twist air fresheners & mixed with the smell of the ex-residents, it's lethal. I'm very sensitive to smell & I am at a loss to get rid of it. Puke

Any ideas?

And how would you know what a Texas warehouse smells like LOL

aidelmaidel

Sun, May 01 2011, 9:36 pm

bubby wrote:

I'll buy the baking soda tomorrow, sprinkle & leave overnight for Roza to vacuum. Does it make sense to close the windows or doesn't it matter?

I would definitely leave the windows open as much as possible. Don't be afraid to use the baking soda either. Buy the big boxes at costco and you should be fine.

bubby

Sun, May 01 2011, 10:54 pm

amother wrote:

bubby wrote:

) had these disgusting raspberry-flavored twist air fresheners & mixed with the smell of the ex-residents, it's lethal. I'm very sensitive to smell & I am at a loss to get rid of it. Puke

Any ideas?

And how would you know what a Texas warehouse smells like LOL

I read. And some novels are VERY descriptive!!! Wink

Tamiri

Mon, May 02 2011, 12:35 am

You probably need something that will cut body oils, which is probably the pleasant musk your guests left behind. Vinegar sounds good. I feel for you. Just reading this is making me gag.

yaakovsmom

Mon, May 02 2011, 9:22 am

We had a similar issue and ultimately had to get rid of the carpet. The floor underneath isn't pretty, but the smell is gone.

basoye

Mon, May 02 2011, 9:37 am

after the cleaning with vinegar and baking soda try burning good quality citrus essential oil. tangerine is perfect. but yeah, sometimes carpet just has to go.

bubby

Mon, May 02 2011, 4:24 pm

yaakovsmom wrote:

We had a similar issue and ultimately had to get rid of the carpet. The floor underneath isn't pretty, but the smell is gone.

yaakovsmom

Mon, May 02 2011, 9:09 pm

Bubby, you need to choose your battles! Smelly carpet vs. ugly floor? I'm happy with my decision!

bubby

Mon, May 02 2011, 9:39 pm

I don't want to pay for a new carpet. But I think I may have found the culprit...the mattresses. If I'm right (my carpet is covered in baking soda) , then what??? Especially as I put on the nice new linen, like an idiot, without thinking.

Mimisinger

Mon, May 02 2011, 9:42 pm

You can put baking soda on bare mattresses, let it absorb the smell and then vacuum the mattress.

Who did you invite????

And, I would definitely NOT add essential oils or any other smells to the room. You want to remove smells not mask the ones already there or add new ones.