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Re-nest (a.k.a. Apartment Therapy: Green) had a post on an all natural odor eliminating product last week called MultiFresh and it sparked me thinking about other eco options. I normally don't like air fresheners and instead I prefer to try opening the windows, cleaning or lighting a candle to banish stuffy smells.Sadly, that doesn't work for things like gym bags or closets, or the fridge. 
MultiFresh, which is made from a mineral called Ignimbrite and removes odors because it is negatively charged, can take the place of baking soda in your refrigerator or freezer, since part of the box peels away to allow the mineral to "breathe" and absorb the smells. I haven't tried this product, so if anyone has, let me know if it works. I'm eager to hear if you like it.  One product I have tried for my gym bag that I've found to work well is Fresh Wave's Pearl Sachets. They are packets of recyclable plastic pearls that are soaked or infused with natural oils and also absorb any lingering smells. I haven't tried their other products, but would recommend trying the pearl packs. The last thing I've also found to work is plain old charcol briquets (the kind you use in the grill). The previous owner of my car, was a smoker, which meant the car had definite stink. So, based on a family member's recommendation, I used four pieces of charcol in my car. It was a definite DIY project, I took a couple of old worn out dishcloths and sewed the charcol inside. It took a little while, but after a couple of months the smoke smell was out of my car. Have you tried any products or DIY remedies to get rid of odors in your home or car? (images from MultiFresh and FreshWave)
Posted by: wendyloohoo| November 17, 2008 at 04:34 PM Does anyone know of any good natural pet oder elimators? My room mate just got a puppy and isn't quite housebroken. Her room where the dog is when we aren't home is getting quite a smell of dog. I don't want to use any chemical stuff cause I am worried about the dog but eveything I have tried isn't quite working. Thanks in advance for the tips. Nice suggestions!! I am beyond sensitive to smell and will be definitely be checking all of these products (including the labor-intensive charcoal solution) out A.S.A.P! *Kaitlin, sadly, since I can't have pets in my apartment I haven't tried any pet odor products, but I do like the Ecos or Earth Friendly product line. They have a Pet Stain & Odor remover that you can check out here http://www.ecos.com/pages/natumate/petnatumate.html Let me know if you try it and like it. Anyone else have suggestions? *Lisa, I'm glad you're going to try some of these out. I will let you know that the fresh wave does have a fragrance to it because of the natural oils, but it doesn't linger. And I promise the charcoal solution is not at all labor intensive. All I did was take an old wash cloth, put two pieces of charcol in the middle, fold the washcloth in half and sew up the three sides. You can use a sewing machine or just do a simple hand stitch. Probably won't take more than 30 minutes including the time to gather supplies. Kaitlin – you should look into some of Fresh Wave’s other products to get rid of your roommate’s dog smell. They are natural, with no chemicals/fragrances and safe to use around pets. The carpet shake will get rid of smells from your carpet (ie: accidents) and they have a pet shampoo that will de-stink the puppy during and following a bath. Also, they have a gel neutralizer that lasts about a month, and works for any room in your place. I use one near my cat box, it’s amazing! Believe me, I’ve tried everything, and nothing works like Fresh wave. |
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I am a baking soda girl all the way for odor removal. I will go brand name (AKA Arm & Hammer) for the fridge and freezer because they have the removable card board parts that revel fabric to let it breath better. I also find it to be a bit less messy than charcoal. But I will buy store brand baking soda for other things like putting in the cat's litter box, pouring a bit in the trash can if it gets stinky and tomorrow is trash day and I don't want to waste a bag. I also use it on carpets and then vacuum it up, sure A&H has branded carpet stuff but I find that the regular 79¢ box works just as well and I don't have to have a perfume left in the room. The worst smell is left over Chinese take out in your car, so I placed some baking soda in a shallow plastic container and put it on the floor in the back seat, two days later the smell was gone.