Category Archive

odors

reader-tested laundry tips

Reader-tested laundry tips for sparkling clean and not-stanky clothes

Back in the day we put out the call to help us with some laundry tips to make our lives and clothes better (and specifically for those discolored pit stains!). Y’all delivered as you always do. I pulled out some of the best laundry advice that you gave us to see if we could crowdsource the best methods to keep our clothing sparkling and less stanky.

How do you combat pervasive cooking smells?

Cooking odors seem to permeate the place, whether or not I close the bedroom doors while cooking. It gets into our bedding, and clothes. We’re pretty diligent about doing the dishes, washing bedding, and cleaning the floor. Aside from opening the windows (impossible this time of year) and turning on fans, do you have any tips or tricks to offer us to keep our home smelling fresh and inviting?

How do you get cigarette smoke smell out of clothes?

Other than forcing my roommates to quit or go outside to smoke, what are some good ways to get the smoke smell out of clothes without re-washing them? Bonus points for the solution being scent free as I work in healthcare and powerful scents (including smoke) can trigger allergies, asthma etc.

How can you cope with the smell of smoking housemates?

I am a non-smoker who is stuck living in a smoky rental house. Sinus problems and health risks aside, I have a sensitive nose and would just like to smell something else for a change. Does anyone have tips to minimize the smell other than Febrezing the crap out of everything?

How do you dry out a damp apartment?

My husband and I have just bought a lovely flat. Our ground floor unit is rather cool and definitely a bit soggy in the bathroom. Any advice for drying out a place (apart from heaters), or keeping mould away?

Biking to work: How to avoid being stinky when you don’t have a shower

I live about six miles from work and I really really want to bike. I mean, it wouldn’t take much longer to bike than it would to drive that distance. The trouble is that there is no shower at my office — so I would have to work stinky all day… and that’s not really going to fly. Does anybody have no-shower solutions, post-biking to work?

What are you favorite offbeat or non-aluminum-based deodorants?

I sweat a lot, but I try to avoid aluminum-based deodorants/antiperspirants. But I’m a teacher and I usually resort to Secret or something else standard on the days that I’m teaching (teacher pit stains are the worst!). Sometimes even that doesn’t cut it. I would love to hear about other Homies’ antiperspirant solutions — particularly of the offbeat or non-aluminum based variety.

How yogurt saved me from my dog’s farts

We have reached a point in our home where “blaming it on the dog” has become a regular activity. Harley is an eight-year-old shepherd mix that, up until a few months ago, was super-active. After injury and rehab, he’s doing great, but the months of inactivity have not gotten along with his digestive tract. For the past few weeks my partner and I have been keeping magazines close at hand to fan noxious odors in the other direction, keeping oil burners going almost 24/7, and banish our loving friend to other parts of the house. We’ve had to even go as far as to sleep with the window open (in March!) to avoid finding ourselves being woken up in a gas chamber. I know Harley’s food had a major role in his digestive distress but unfortunately due to a special diet and picky eating on his part, changing his food was not an option. So what to do… Thank gawd for Google!