Exhaust fans and open windows only go so far toward eliminating foul odors. Making your sniffer happy oftentimes requires something extra, like baking powder, vinegar or special charcoal. For smells that make you run out of the room holding your nose, try these tricks: "The key to odor removal is removing the source of the odor," says Bob Smolka, restoration manager for ACR, Inc., a specialized cleaning services company in Wheeling, Ill. If mold, mildew, faulty plumbing or an animal carcass in your chimney is causing the smell, then spraying air fresheners and burning candles will only temporarily overpower the stench. You need to eliminate the source of the problem for a true fix.Fill a dishwasher-safe cup with white vinegar, place it on the top rack, and run it through a cycle without any dishes. If you don't have a safe cup, pour two cups of vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher. Be prepared for the vinegar to smell for an hour or so, but then all smells will be gone.Activated charcoal, which is a form of carbon that has been "activated" to make it extremely porous, is great for absorbing a range of odors, especially those caused by pets.

You can buy activated charcoal specifically designed for pet odors for $7. Put them in or near your litter box to help mitigate the stink. The door on front-load washing machines seals so tight that air never circulates inside, allowing mold and mildew to grow-and stink up the laundry room. Wash away the mold and the smell by running a cycle with only two cups of bleach and warm or hot water. Or buy tablets like Affresh (three for $8) that you stick in the washer to clean it. Whichever method you choose, leave your door open between washings.Just because you stick waste in your disposal doesn't give it permission to foul up your kitchen. Cut a lemon, lime or orange into chunks and drop them into the running disposal. The citrus will get rid of most odors. If not, follow up with half a cup of white vinegar with cold water-if you can put up with a brief round of vinegar smell.The age-old solution to tame fridge odors is to open a box of baking soda and stick it on a shelf or along the back.

Change it annually and keep it away from vegetables since the sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda can cause leafy veggies to wilt quickly. Sodium bicarbonate has a unique chemical property that attracts and absorbs odors.Vinegar is highly acidic, which enables it to kill bacteria and also remove urine smells. Mix one part vinegar with three parts water and rub it on the carpet with a cloth. Then rinse the carpet with water and let it air dry. Then train your pet to stop peeing on your carpet.If you do a lot of spicy or fried cooking, the smells can become ingrained in your cabinets, which you'll need to wash with warm water and soap. But for immediate relief after cooking, boil a cup of vinegar on the stove. The vapors that release into the air cut the other smells, although the vinegar will cause the kitchen to smell bad for a bit.For an occasional infraction of someone lighting up in the house, an air freshener and open windows will eliminate the smell. But heavy smoking over a long period requires washing, sealing and painting the walls, Smolka says.

It may also require cleaning the duct system. "There's no magic solution," he says, but there is a misconception that clean air machines—also known as air purifiers and ozone machines—are a good solution for getting rid of these types of heavy, ingrained smells. But Smolka recommends against those units; they can produce dangerous levels of ozone that can kill plants, deteriorate rubber and cause eye irritation and other health problems at high concentrations.sharp air purifier ozoneYour fan can only do so much. air purifier at rite aidFor goodness sake, light a candle. s&s air cleaner instructionsOr better yet, use a long-term odor remover, like a Glade PlugIn.To keep odors at bay, regularly use an air freshener like Febreze not only in the air, but also by lightly spraying, or misting, curtains or couches in a room.

Be sure to read the label first—some products will stain cotton.Austin Air Pet Machine HEPA Air Purifier For Pet Odor Get Rid of It Forever! I’ve always had cats and have struggled with cat odor for years.  Finally the smell is gone thanks to the Pet Machine.  I’m so glad I finally found something that ‘s safe and that works!  The Austin Air Pet Machine HEPA Air Purifier for Pet Odor Removes pet odor with carbon zeolite and ammonasorb filter Removes cat urine smell, dog and puppy urine smell, ferrets, birds & any other pet’s urine smell Provides relief from allergies to dogs, cats, birds, and other pet allergens Removes cat dander, dog dander, pet dander, ferret dander, hair, fur, bird dust, bird feathers down to .3 microns with HEPA technology Emits zero ozone making it safe for pets and humans Baked on powder coat finish(lead free) Cleans 1500 square feet Produces 250 cubic feet of clean air per minute Filter life of 5 years

Tip:  Just need to remove airborne pet dander?  We recommend the for removal of pet dander. Canine Country Club, Wags and Wiggles Dog Day Care, Friends of Indianapolis Animal Care & Control, Friends of Pep Dog Shelter, Insightout Studio & Kennel, Marquis Pet Resort & Spa, Marquis Profesional GroomingMutt MadnessPaws, Smawl Pet Odor Air Purifier– 8 Reasons to Choose the Austin Air Pet Machine Air Purifier As Your Pet Odor Air Purifier 1.  Removes Odor from All Pets Just a note to let you know we are happy with our Pet Machine. The house is fresher already. The sales experience with your company was very positive. Its nice to talk to a real person from the start instead of having to press buttons!   2.  Effective Filter Make-up I run a puppy kennel in a space that is connected to my living area.  I needed something to help with the odor, and frankly I had my doubts about the Pet Machine.  I turned it on and in about 20 minutes it was already making a difference. 

When my sister came  to visit, she thought I had gotten rid of the puppies because the smell was gone!  Purer Air said it would work, and it does!   4.  Provides Relief from Pet Allergies I just received my Pet Machine and have run it for just one day…the difference it makes is awesome!  6. 5 Year Purifier Warranty 7.  5 Year Filter Life My wife and I ordered 2 Pet Machines for our 3 story townhouse.  We have 2 cats and a dog.  We  see another Pet Machine for our 3rd floor in our future!  They do an amazing job!  8.  Made in America by Americans Other Coporate Clients include All God’s Creatures, NovAsia Bengals, Japa Kennel, R B Cat House, Sandra’s Cat Sanctuary, Tailwagrrrs K9 Wellness Center, The Dog Wizard Austin Air Pet Machine Hepa Air Purifierfor Pet Odor Filter Assembly – HEPA and military carbon cloth unit Already Own the Austin Air Pet Machine HEPA Air Purifier?  Choose an optionLight-coloredDark-coloredClear selection