Odor Control At Home

Hi there! Today's post is about odors.

Some odors are great - like a fresh bouquet of flowers. But some aren't so great, such as skunk or pet odors or even cigarette smoke.

There are a couple of options if you have unwanted odors in your house. You can try to cover them up, with air fresheners or deodorizers, for instance. This may work well for light or temporary odors (like a guest's cigar.) But for heavier or more permanent odors, you'll need to remove the source.

Skunk - This is one we see a few times each year, often after the family dog gets into a little wilderness fun in your neighborhood! Any affected carpets, upholstery or drapes should be professionally cleaned and deodorized with a specialized product to neutralize the skunk odor molecules. The pet(s), if applicable, should be washed thoroughly before being allowed back into the house, and yes, tomato juice works (though it may require repeated uses, depending on the strength of the attack) and there are also anti-skunk washes available at your local pet store. Ozone treatments may be used on the house in severe cases (see smoke, below)

Pet Urine - This will often require professional cleaning also. Light odor, just in the face fibers of the carpet, may be treated with enzyme products from your local pet store, or with a white vinegar and water (1part vinegar/4parts water) mixture to neutralize the urine salts. Blot out thoroughly, then apply plain water to rinse and re-blot.

Heavier odor will usually be in the pad below the carpet, and often in the subfloor as well. This may require replacement of carpet or pad, as well as cleaning and sealing of the subfloor. Ozone also works well in severe cases.

Cigarette/cigar smoke - This is a pernicious odor since it is literally from a pollutant that wafts about in the air! Cleaning of soft lines (carpet, upholstery, drapes) is recommended, followed by an ozone soak of the premises for at least 24 hours (48 if severe). Ozone is 3 oxygen molecules joined together. The 3rd molecule is unstable, and breaks off when a malodor is encountered, joining with that malodor and chemically changing it so that it no longer smells! (It also destroys bacteria and microorganisms.) Ask your cleaner for a machine with Corona Discharge, to avoid damaging rubber materials in the house. (If they don't know what you're talking about, find another cleaner!)

NOTE: It is required that you leave the house during the ozone treatment - high concentrations are an upper respiratory irritant. Plan to stay away overnight while the house is being treated.

UltraSteam (ultrasteamcleaning.com) can provide these services and more, if you live in the Durango Colorado area. In other parts of the country, check ethicalservices.com or angieslist for local cleaners with good references.