How To Get Rid Of Bedroom Odor

In this article, we’ll be talking about how to get rid of bedroom odor.

We all love our bedrooms. It is a haven of comfort that waits patiently for you to come back home. Waiting for you to come to lay your head and rest. Then one day, it develops an annoying smell that seeks to put you in a bad mood as though the hectic outside world isn’t making you crazy already.

Bedroom odors are literally the worst, at least for us. And believe us, no one wants to visit someone whose room smells like something unpleasant died in there. However, fret not, we are here to help you avenge this odor that seeks to ruffle your peace of mind, health and possibly, your social life.

So, the question here is, “how do you get rid of bedroom odor?” There are several ways to go about this. However, before we do this, we will walk you through the causes of the bedroom then proffer possible solutions.

Causes Of Bedroom Odors

Dirty laundry
Pets
Keeping a dustbin in the room
Wet or dirty carpets and rugs
Mold and mildew
Inadequate ventilation
Dusty room
New household furniture

Dirty Laundry

As expected, personal hygiene comes into play here. If you consistently leave dirty clothes lying around in your bedroom, it will definitely smell. Imagine leaving sweaty gym clothes, day to day dirty attires, already worn socks, lying on the floor in your bedroom. It will definitely start smelling.

Let’s not forget the bedsheets that have soaked up body oils which you have not changed in days and towel you keep forgetting to dry out after wiping your body with it. These things come together to whip up a really stinky smell in your room.

Pets

Yes, we love these adorable creatures, these furry or non-furry bundles of joy that tend to keep our company. While they are good to have around, they are capable of giving up pungent irritable smells if they are not taken care of properly.

Apart from straight-up poo and pee, things like fur droppings, spoiled pet food, and bodies and teeth that aren’t washed regularly that also contribute to the stench.

Keeping A Dustbin In The Room

There are some people that prefer to keep little trash cans in their bedrooms. No one likes to have to leave the comfort of the bedroom to dispose of those food wraps, pizza cartons or that empty beer or soda cans. You’d rather have a bin in the room to put these things in, yes, we understand the struggle.

But the truth is, garbage stinks. It stinks really badly. It takes only a little spill here and an itty bitty crumb there, to build up and create an unpleasant smell in the bedroom. So, even if you must keep a dustbin in your room, then make sure you dispose of it regularly.

Carpets/Rugs

Carpets can start emitting offensive odors if they have been in use for a long period of time. Food or drink spills, dirty piles of clothes, and such, can leave varying scents on the carpets in your bedroom which will foul up your room.

Mold And Mildew

Mold in the whole house is very bad not to mention an enclosed place like the bedroom. Mold growth and mildew can be anywhere in your bedroom- in your carpets, wet clothes, in your room’s walls, damp and dark places or on your window sills.

When it comes to mold growth in your bedroom, you shouldn’t be concerned by the musty smell only, you should also worry about how it can affect your health. Mold emits mVOCs (microbial volatile organic compounds) which has been linked to headaches, nausea, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.

Inadequate Ventilation

A bedroom that is not well-ventilated results in having a stagnant air situation. This stagnant air traps airborne particles like dust or tobacco smoke from your clothes or air. And when you have a humid and equally hot day, these pollutants in the stagnant air come out to play. This can result in having a bad smell in your room.

Dusty Room

Apart from the fact that dust might be a risk to your health if you are asthmatic or have nasal allergies, they can be a cause of bad odor in your bedroom. Dust is made up of dirt, dead skin, hairs from pets, insect dropping and eww, you get the point.

New Household Furniture

You just splurge on that new chair, sofa or dresser to “bougie” up your bedroom and you just can’t wait to put it to good use. And now you are probably wondering how this made its way to the list of causes of odor in your bedroom.

We are sorry but we have to tell you the truth. That “new smell” oozing off your new furniture is a result of VCOs (volatile organic compounds) and trust us, you do not want to go inhaling that every time you step into your bedroom. Apart from the fact that VCOs cause your new furniture to give off a stronger smell indoors, it can also be dangerous to your health. It is said that it may lead to liver and kidney damage.

How To Get Rid Of Bedroom Odors

You can’t just get a scented candle and hope the odor pervading your bedroom would disappear. It does not work that way. Odors are persistent, and trying to cover them up might make things worse in the long run. To get rid of odors effectively, you have to be intentional about the cleansing process. Here some ways to get rid of odors in your bedroom.

Identify the source
Dust your bedroom
Clean your carpets
Do your laundry
Do a mattress/headboard clean up
Take care of your pets
Proper ventilation
Empty the trash can
Clean your upholstery

Identify The Source

You can’t proffer the best solution to a problem if you do not trace it back to the cause or catalyst. The first step in getting rid of an unpleasant odor in your bedroom is to track down where it is coming from.

We’ve already highlighted a number of causes of bedroom odor. So, check them out and figure out which is the cause for your bedroom. Check the walls or dark places in the case of mold growth. You can also check laundry baskets, your heating vents, potted plants, carpets, your bed, windowsills, dressers, and air conditioners.

These places are the best places to search for mildew and mold growth. If you happen to have a bathroom right in your bedroom, you should pay attention to your bathtub/shower, toilet, sink, and the walls. Once you notice mold growth, proceed to clean it immediately. If you happen to notice a water leak during your investigation, you should have it fixed.

Dust Your Bedroom

This tops the list. Always dust your bedroom as this will allow you to breathe easier. If you are allergic, make sure to invest in face masks. When dealing with hard surfaces like tables, dressers, light fixtures, or ceiling fans, get a damp cloth as this prevents dust from getting stirred up in the air.

Clean Your Carpets

As mentioned earlier, carpets can be a pathway for odors in your bedroom, no thanks to stinky feet, muddy shoes, and spills from several midnight snacks. So, clean up the carpets.

We are not talking about restricting the cleanup process to the regular vacuuming that you do. You should make use of baking soda. Baking soda is very effective at absorbing odors and be easily vacuumed off.

Sprinkle the baking soda on the affected spot and let it sit overnight or for two days. However, if after you have tried this and the odor persists, then, it is time to get rid of the carpet and go shopping for a new one. Better still, discard the whole idea of using a rug or carpet in your bedroom and settle for hardwood or a tiled floor.

To clean a hardwood floor, dip your mop in soapy water and clean. It is pretty easy.

Do Your Laundry

Sweaty and musty clothes do nothing to help odor situations in a bedroom. To get rid of dirty laundry induced odor, you can put charcoals in socks and hang them in strategic places in your room.

It is said that charcoal, an active one, can absorb odors. And like they say, prevention is better than cure. Instead of waiting until you have an odor situation in your hands, take preventive measures. Clean out your clothes hamper, wash them when appropriate. Take out your bed sheets and dirty towels scrub them clean air them out. Thankfully, the invention of the washing machine has made things easier, you don’t have to wear yourself out in the process of trying to get them clean.

Mattress/ Headboard Clean Up

Sometimes, you come home all sweaty and tired and go straight to bed. Yes, you may drum up the energy to take a shower but this does not stop your body from producing oils that seep through your bed sheets straight into your mattress.

And if it is an exceptionally hot and humid night, nothing can stop your body from sweating through its pores into your mattress. To get rid of odors that result from this, you have to air out your mattress. Haul it out and let the good old sun take care of it. Your pillowcases are not left out. Hair products and sweat from your face create a stench that can be removed by washing your pillowcases frequently.

If the odor persists, you probably should change the pillows and get replacements. Also, don’t forget to clean your heads using warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Do this two or three times every week for maximum results.

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Take Care Of Your Pets

This is a very important step in if you are a pet owner with an odor problem in your bedroom. Bathe your pets and dry them off properly. Always clean their sleeping area if you allow them into your bedroom, don’t forget your bed.

Also, your furry pets always shed, so make sure to use the vacuum cleaner regularly. Lastly, make sure to tackle any mess they create before foul smells start to emanate from it.

Ventilation

A fresh air movement will always help to clear out stagnant air that hosts pollutants. So, open up the windows to get rid of them.

If you are allergic to outdoor pollutants like pollen, you should probably check the daily air quality report before you let that fresh air into your bedroom. You can also consider getting an air freshner.

Empty The Trash Can

This goes without saying. You should always empty that little bin in your bedroom every day. Postponing will only invite unnecessary odors and in some cases, insects. Trust us, you do not want to add that to your odor situation.

Clean Your Upholstery

That picture frame, the dresser, the chair in your bedroom, they are dust magnets, just like a moth drawn to a flame. You should always clean your upholstery. Arm yourself with a spray bottle containing a mix of white vinegar and water.

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This will do well in removing odors on your furniture. You can do this once or twice a month. Also, wash your curtains as often as you can. In battling moisture-related odor, you have to be extra and get the big guns. They include:

Exhaust Fans You have to get an exhaust fan, especially in cases where you have a bathroom connected to your bedroom. Exhaust fans are effective in getting rid of moisture and foul bathroom odors. It combats the humidity that comes from running showers in the bathroom.

Dehumidifier Moisture always poses a great problem in trying to make your bedroom smell nice as it is the perfect host for mold growth. To get rid of this, a dehumidifier is a good option to consider. It will help to pull out the moisture in your room on those especially hot humid days and reduces the stuffiness.

Invest In An Air Purifier Its function is in the name, they are perfect devices for purifying the air. This is a great option to consider if you want to get rid of those odor inducing pollutants in your bedroom. Air purifiers are lifesavers. By investing in an indoor air purifier, you will be able to get rid of air pollutants which happen to be the source of the unpleasant odors. Ensure that you get an air purifier that has an “activated carbon filter”. Don’t go for an air purifier that just traps the pollutants as it can release them right back into your bedroom.

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Clean Your Humidifiers If you have a humidifier in your bedroom, it is important to clean it regularly to prevent mold growth. To do this, turn it off and unplug it. Proceed to empty any stagnant water as it can leave an unpleasant odor. Clean the sides of the tank and pour white vinegar into the tank. You can leave in the vinegar for four hours to deodorize it. After this, empty the tank and rinse several times with clean water. Leave out the humidifier’s parts to dry before you put them back together.

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Conclusion

Odors are annoying, yes but there are ways to get rid of them. While it is advisable to take preventive measures to avoid such a situation, you can still eliminate them if it comes up anyway.

And as you can see in what we have discussed so far, the process is pretty easy. However, you have to be intentional. Also, once you are able to get rid of these odors successfully, resist the temptation to go back to the old ways. You must be proactive.

How To Get Rid Of Bedroom Odor – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best thing to absorb odors?

Baking soda is one of the most effective substances that can be used to neutralize odors. Baking soda removes odor from air and surfaces. You can sprinkle baking soda around trash and on surfaces to totally eliminate odors. It can also be added to your laundry to remove odors from clothes and even shoes. Baking soda neutralizes odors from the source of the odors through a chemical reaction. This neutralization is total and complete.

How does vinegar deodorize a room?

Vinegar is made up of acetic acid. It is very effective in neutralizing alkaline odors. It does this by undergoing a chemical reaction with the molecules responsible for the odor. Vinegar can be placed in a misting spray bottle or atomizer. Fine mists of vinegar will produce very tiny droplets, thereby increasing the surface area and removing odor-carrying molecules from the air by neutralizing them.

Does boiling vinegar clean the air?

Boiling vinegar can be an economical and eco-friendly way to remove odors. This is done by mixing a solution of 1 part vinegar and 1 part water. This mixture is boiled on a stove for 15 minutes. By doing so, any smell on the surroundings is dissipated. Some people have been known to use this method to disinfect the air. However, from a scientific point of view, vinegar is not considered to be a reliable disinfectant.

Why does my room smell after sleeping?

When you sleep your body sheds dead skin. This is a normal part of your physiology. Asides this, your body also secretes natural oils and sweat. There are also natural bacteria on the body that come in contact with this sweat. The activity of these bacteria leads to the breakdown of the sweat and oils secreted by your body. This in turn leads to the odor that you perceive in your room. The odor is even more pronounced in the presence of unchanged bed sheets.

Can bad breath stink up a room?

Typically speaking, bad breath should not stink up a room. However, a peculiar condition observed amongst middle-aged women, called atrophic rhinitis, could lead to bad breath that could cause an entire room to stink. This condition arises from the state of the nose and sinuses of the patient, as they would have become dry and thinned rather than moist and healthy. The condition arises due to a significant drop of cortisone that could be due to the loss of estrogen in the menopause stage.

Why does my house smell like fart?

If your house has that rotten egg smell, this could be due to the presence of sulfur in or around the house. A number of scenarios could lead to this. These include Chinese drywall outgassing, dangerous sewer gas leakages, plumbing defects, presence of sulfur in drinking water, or water heater bacteria. Calling an expert to take a look at your apartment could help to spot the source of sulfur within your apartment and then get rid of it so your home can smell like new once again.