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Post by clutterpunk on May 27, 2021 17:38:14 GMT -5
Hey there guys. While I absolutely hate to be back here asking for advice, I sadly find myself in another stinky situation.
So even after all my battles (ironically exactly 12 years ago) to get out of the mess, I have found myself in a situation I have unfortunately little control over (and am once again actively trying to get out of) which, while nowhere NEAR my original plight, is distressing none the less. I had several years of lovely, clean homes and control over my space, but an abusive living situation a few years back forced my best friend and I to move in with his sister and her best friend. We're all adults in our late 30's and the house is a four bedroom single floor house.
Now, the house isn't really 'squalor'-y, or it's a low grade if it is (mostly surface clutter but clear floors in all rooms), but I live with three roommates, two of which, the homeowners, are messy AF and one of whom is a hoarder. We also have a fairly insane amount of pets, though with our living arrangements most pets stay in the bedrooms of their respective owners, save for a gaggle of felines who have free reign of the living room/kitchen areas.
One of the roommates, the one in charge of the cat boxes, is about the *** and most complacent person I have ever known. Her room and the laundry room are across the hall from eachother and about six feet from the catbox area. And as a result, a bad smell, which tends to come from the hoard in her room and her own catbox in there, has permeated...well, our entire lives, really. Doing laundry right by that tends to have repercussions, and as a result, because of the overall 'dirty' smell of the house (a smell which persists no matter how 'clean' the place gets, its like its literally in the walls now) has caused my friend to be pulled aside at work and told he 'smells weird'.
So I'm looking for suggestions on good detergents, fabric softeners, clothing/carpet sprays, etc that can really combat odors, as well as any tips or tricks any of you use, to basically 'stealth' your squalor to the outside world. Nothing has ever been more embarrassing to me then knowing I smell and knowing there's little I can do about it, so I'm really hoping some of you have some advice.
We have a really nice HE washing machine and nice dryer, so any detergents/etc need to be High Efficiency compatible, and preferably not super expensive, though thats not a deal breaker if its something truly magnificent at getting out smells.
So throw them at me, but please be aware that I'm looking for advice on combatting odors, and not advice on the house itself. The homeowner roomies are completely oblivious of how their house smells and if confronted get pretty rude about it, and I have recently been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and am fully disabled so even if I wanted to go full ham on cleaning their mess for them, I don't have the ability to.
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Post by NewLifeToday on May 28, 2021 7:01:00 GMT -5
Some things I have used to reduce or eliminate smells in fabrics: sunshine soaking in water with Borax and Washing Soda hanging things outside when the air is not too contaminated
I know people who have boiled their clothes in tubs outside to get rid of smells. Using minerals such as Borax and Washing Soda, with various fragrance-free detergents.
I have also made my own soap and soaked clothes in that.
Using a UV light aimed at the clothes/fabrics/shoes Using UV-C lights in the house and hanging the clothes near the light. Using ionizers in house, and hanging the clothes near the ionizers. Only opening windows and doors when the outside air smells as free of contaminants as possible. Keeping hanging clothes slightly separate from each other. Keep clothes, shoes, anything fabric or leather, away from kitchen and bathroom.
When I lived where it was humid, I also used the small containers of calcium chloride which collect moisture out of the air. Expensive brand is "Damp Rid". Dollar Store brand works just fine. Getting excess moisture out of the air reduces mold, which stinks, among other things. Here are directions on a DIY version: Having pans of Zeolite around to soak up smells. Using true HEPA filter air purifiers. I use Seventh Generation fragrance-free laundry detergent. No fabric softener, no dryer sheets, nothing else added. I hang my laundry on racks. I use no fragrances of any kind for anything. Bon Ami (original formula has the least smell) or baking soda to clean with. Rubbing alchohol or hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting. Reducing inside odors helps keep smells out of clothes, handbags, books, papers, furniture.... All soft surfaces soak up smells. Artificial fibers attract positive ions which make smells stay in artifical fibers. "All matter outgasses." -- Albert Donnay, toxicologist. I wish you success. |
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Post by charis on May 28, 2021 7:37:21 GMT -5
Perhaps your friend could do his laundry at a laundromat and keep his work clothes in a big, sealed rubbermaid tub--in the trunk of his car if he has one.
If you are in the U.S and have use of a car or are on a good bus line, you could look into joining a cheap gym with showers, like Planet Fitness. Your roommate could shower and change before going to work (they do not provide free towels, so he would have to bring a freshly laundered one or purchase one of theirs). Their base price membership is about 10 dollars a month.
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Post by desposito on May 28, 2021 13:44:50 GMT -5
I agree with Charis about sealing clothes in an airtight container. It won't help to get the smell out in the laundry if the clean clothes then sit in the same place to pick up the smell again. Maybe wash the items at home (but THOROUGHLY dry to avoid mold) and then seal in air-tight container, get dressed right before leaving the house for work.
Diane
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Post by Jannie on May 29, 2021 9:35:11 GMT -5
According to my third grade teacher, Mrs. Hall, fresh air and sunshine are the best cleaners. So open windows, even if it's cold, put clothing, furniture and other belongings outside in the sun when possible.
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Post by joyinvirginia on Jun 5, 2021 17:10:16 GMT -5
Hi clutterpunk! I agree that borax is TERRIFIC at getting out smells, I would add about a third cup or half a cup to laundry detergent. I have a HE washer and use unscented liquid detergent plus I would add the borax powder in the soap dispenser. When we had a cat who would pee on the bathmats sometimes, this got the smell out completely. Sometimes I did have to wash the item twice.
BAKING SODA is the BEST at neutralizing cat litter box odors. If litter box lady would let you, putting a good amount, maybe eighth of a cup or quarter cup of baking soda in each box, every time the litter is changed, will help with the smell.
Keeping the clean clothes in a sealed tub is good idea, you can add a dessicant packet like you find in a shoebox, and some cedar chips or, once again, a box of baking soda with the top pulled off, and fixed so the baking soda to won't get all over the clothes. Maybe a piece of fabric tied to make a sachet of baking soda!
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Post by def6 on Jun 7, 2021 14:57:29 GMT -5
Soaking in Vinegar water removes the "pong" from clothing and then just add the detergent of your choosing.  |
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Post by Serendipity on Jun 15, 2021 4:20:50 GMT -5
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Post by momof3boys on Jun 16, 2021 11:14:56 GMT -5
I have a liquid I ad in with my laundry soap I think it's put out by oxi clean? It helps with odors and stains.
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