How to make an apartment smell better without making it smell girly?

Blisterman · 13-10-2010 10:37pm #1

Question's in the title.

Just moved into a studio apartment. Great place, but with the heating on, and no natural ventilation, the smell of dirty laundry and cooking are beginning to mingle and build up.
Anyway, I hate the chemically smell of febreze, glade and the likes. Anyone know anything that'd make the place smell better, not girly, but female friendly (so don't just suggest smoking a cigar)?

amazingemmet · 13-10-2010 10:43pm

Is there any ventilation?

Darlughda · 13-10-2010 10:52pm

Well, any window open for a certain amount of the day is essential.

As for dirty laundry, jayzus, keep it sealed and hidden!

Get one of those oil burner things where you put in a tea light candle, with some water on the top and a couple of drops of something like rosemary or another of the essential oils that will absorb smells.

Otis Driftwood · 13-10-2010 11:48pm

There are some nice scented candles (manly,wood chopping,engine fixing candles that is) that arent too over powering.The Glade ones are pretty good.Candles in general are excellent for removing odours from the air.Plus the ladies do appreciate them,allegedly.;)

metrovelvet · 13-10-2010 11:52pm

Stick your laundry in a closed basket.
An open box of baking soda in the fridge
Get a neutralising air freshener after you cook and use the de whatever its called.
Use a non floral plug in. Or Yankee candle plug in - the least chemical smelling imo.

sam34 · 14-10-2010 10:50am

burn normal candles... even they will neutralise pongs

some of the scented oned can be very cloying and overpowering imo

--Kaiser-- · 14-10-2010 11:13am

I also hate chemical fragrances. How about some houseplants?

Another suggestion would be to get an empty spray bottle, fill with water and put in a few drops of neutral smelling essential oils - lemon, citronella, that sort of thing

sweetthing · 14-10-2010 1:03pm

Basil. Get it in plant form and stick it in a pot on the windowsill/countertop. Terrifically strong aroma and definitely female friendly!

Otis Driftwood · 14-10-2010 1:09pm

Not German friendly though.

:pac:

The Recliner · 14-10-2010 1:13pm

You can buy stuff in Supermarkets called Neutrodol, it is a little pot with gel inside it

Smells clean but not overpowering and will help get rid of whiffs in a room

Emme · 14-10-2010 1:35pm

Do you have an extractor fan attached to your cooker and is it working properly? Having that on when you're cooking won't eliminate all the cooking smells but it will help.

It's essential to have a window open for part of the day and make sure the place doesn't get damp from drying laundry and lack of proper ventilation.

Put your laundry in a covered basket.

Vacuum the apartment daily if possible and keep it clean and tidy.

I'm not a great fan of air fresheners but the pot of basil is a good idea and also burning candles. You can get some nice non-girly lightly scented ones in Dunnes.

hightower1 · 14-10-2010 2:40pm

Try the galde plug in things, they have a mulled wine one out at the moment and its pretty good. Not womanly and quite musky, plus it makes it feel like chrsitmas all the time... now if only the tele would get in the spirit I'd be beaming

FewFew · 14-10-2010 9:52pm

Candles and plants. Its been said before, but it's the way to go if you've poor ventilation and dislike chemicals.

BopNiblets · 16-10-2010 7:33pm

Stolen from lifehacker:
* Check your cupboard for clove oil, lemon extract, peppermint or vamilla extract. Soak a cotton ball with what you want to use and place it in a plastic bag or contacer with holes and place in the smelly room.
* Break open a teabag and pour the contents into the vacuum bag to make the house smell good.
* Boil your orange or lemon peels in water and let stand. Or bake some cookies or brownies.

The last one sounds easiest, and if you use those easy bake cookie dough things, you also end up with cookies! Bonus.

the_syco · 22-10-2010 3:34pm

Buy wide soda flour. The one where you add water to make bread.

Make bread. Ensure all doors are open inside the house, and all windows are closed.

When cooked, take bread out of oven (ie: don't let it burn).

Open windows, and let bread cool on the table.

Primary result - place smells like bread.

Secondary result - if the women smell the bread, they're usually amazed that you actually know how to cook... anything :P

Giselle · 22-10-2010 8:20pm

Open opposing windows to get a through-flow of air and do it daily.

Change your bedlinen and get the smelly laundry done. Put a few drops of lemon juice in a small bowl of water and microwave it til it boils and let the smell clean out the cooking smells in the kitchen.

Kaisers suggestion of the spray bottle of water and a few drops of essential oil is very good, it smells very fresh and not chemical at all. Try any citrus or lemon based oil for a non girly whiff and shake before each spray.

And vacuum or wash the floors.:)

Fallen Buckshot · 22-10-2010 8:29pm

If you have alot of carpet usualy a good shampoo/steam cleaning will remove old odours and usualy have goods smelling cleaners

SHH · 22-10-2010 10:00pm

Grow weed in your closet.

Blisterman · 22-10-2010 10:42pm

Thanks for the advice. I don't have any carpets, and candles aren't technically allowed.

It's not like I have dirty laundry all over the place, but even in the basket it gives off a smell. Have bought some potted herbs. Might need something a bit stronger though.

spider guardian · 22-10-2010 10:45pm

cut an onion in half and leave it in whatever room stinks, it absorbs the smell

SHH · 22-10-2010 10:49pm

spider guardian wrote: »

cut an onion in half and leave it in whatever room stinks, it absorbs the smell

And replaces it with rotting onion smell...

spider guardian · 22-10-2010 10:55pm

SHH wrote: »

And replaces it with rotting onion smell...

well the OP can try this at minimum cost and if it doesn't work out for him then he's only swapped one bad smell for another. a no-brainer TBF

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 26-10-2010 1:22pm

or he can throw out the onion when it starts to rot

cock robin · 26-10-2010 3:30pm

The problem with most of those plug in efforts IMO is you can find it difficult to get refills. I have a box with about 10 of them that I bought and cant get refills for. The oil burner is probably the best way forward, just be carefull with them and keep them topped up. I let one go so low the residue from the oil caught fire and it could have been dangerous.

Nevyn · 27-10-2010 2:46pm

Sandlewood is the smell to get, you can get wooden balls infused with it, or oils, the oils can be mixed with water and left in direct sunlight so that the water evaportes rather then
putting a flame under it.

Hazys · 27-10-2010 5:43pm

spider guardian wrote: »

well the OP can try this at minimum cost and if it doesn't work out for him then he's only swapped one bad smell for another. a no-brainer TBF

Why take a 50% chance?

Spray some of this around the apartment...

60% of the time, it works all the time

Maguined · 27-10-2010 11:08pm

Be wary with the sex panther, I have a bottle and it is basically like lathering yourself in marmite, people either hate it or love it, there is no middle ground.

senordingdong · 28-10-2010 12:19pm

There are plenty of air freshners and candles that have non girly smells in them.

Victor Meldrew · 28-10-2010 10:24pm

As before, clean your house, clean the bed linen and clean the oven, hob and fume hood (rancid fat - change filter)

open windows and damp dust everything. Hoover with a new bag.

How to make an apartment smell better without making it smell girly?

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