Your bathroom is likely the one room in your house that tends to smell pretty rough. Cleaning the bathroom every day isn’t usually a possibility with busy schedules, so there has to be some way that you can keep the odors at bay, right?
Smells in the bathroom come for a good reason. I mean, just think about what you do in the bathroom. It is not really something that we like to talk much about, but the bodily functions that we use the bathroom for are pretty disgusting and smelly. The problem is that you can’t just stop going to the bathroom – everyone has to go!
Then, there is also the unavoidable issues of little boy’s bathrooms! The truth is, they have a difficult time when it comes to their aim starting out (and some grown men even still have a hard time). This can lead to urine on the floor, and that tends to really be smelly.
So, how do you keep your bathroom smelling fresh naturally? Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
Keep Bathroom Smelling Fresh Naturally
Use Automatic Bathroom Air Fresheners
Freshening up the air in the bathroom can be difficult at best, but with an automatic air freshener, you can just leave it be and enjoy a fresh scent from the bathroom regularly. Just remember, if you are using this to freshen the air without really cleaning the bathroom regularly, you are just covering up the smells. Nothing is worse than floral scented pee! An automatic bathroom air freshener alone will not do the job but it can definitely add a pleasant scent to a bathroom that is already clean. We’ve reviewed automatic bathroom air fresheners here, but if you are really looking for a “natural” way to keep your bathroom smelling fresh these might not be the best option.
While some of them do contain essential oils and natural ingredients, many have other not so natural ingredients, they also come in an aerosol can that is not always easy to recycle and require batteries to run. One of our readers introduced us to these Natural Air Purifying Bags by Moso and since we’ve tried them out we also recommend them. We’ve also compared Moso Bags vs Gonzo Rocks here, both are decent options.
The bags are chemical free and use natural bamboo charcoal to absorb odors, allergens and harmful pollutants. The cool thing about these bags is that you just put them in direct sunlight once a month for about an hour to re-activate them. They are an eco-friendly and cost-effective way to keep your bathroom smelling fresh. They are also fragrance-free- so no flowery smell- they absorb unwanted moisture and odors.
Use “Before You Go” Poo Spray
While these bottled sprays are a relatively new concept, they are catching on. You simply spray inside the toilet bowl before you go #2, the film that covers the surface of the water in the bowl creates a layer of odor barrier that prevents the whole room from getting stinky. Squatty Potty‘s sales of it’s Unicorn Gold Toilet Spray took off after it’s hit Superbowl commercial featuring a unicorn with rainbow-colored turds but there are several other options on the market. We reviewed three of the top poo spray here.
Consider a Small Dehumidifier for Your Bathroom
Moisture in the air in your bathroom can also keep your bathroom from smelling fresh. Unless you have very good ventilation in your bathroom, it may be damp. When towels and bath mats don’t totally dry out it can also cause musty smells. If you store laundry hampers in your bathroom this will make the problem worse with the smell of dirty towels and other dirty laundry filling the room. One easy solution is to get a small bathroom dehumidifier and really help to alleviate the staleness and stench.
These are made with a smaller, compact shape that will fit well in most bathrooms and also have smaller motors since less power is needed to dry out smaller spaces (compared to larger, more expensive machines designed to dry out a whole basement or an entire home). Apart from the unpleasant odor, a very damp environment will allow harmful mildew and mold to grow which can be a health hazard in your home.
Use an Odor Neutralizing Toilet Drop-In
Toilet smells are really one of the biggest bathroom stench culprits, and you can avoid this by using a toilet drop-in tablet that helps to keep the toilet cleaned, disinfected and deodorized. They usually go in the back of the tank and work continuously for weeks at a time. They even have some that go into the bowl directly and hang from the side of the toilet bowl, freshening with each flush. This is a really cost-effective way to keep your toilet from having a bad smell.
Upgrade Your Soaps
Keeping quality soaps with pleasant fragrances in your bathroom can make a huge difference compared to cheap commercial soap bars. While luxury soap brands like these do cost more, there really is no comparison. Traditionally made soaps from around the world use natural oils, essential oils and fragrances. Apart from the benefits for your hair and skin, these natural bath and body products smell great.
The pleasant odor of the Spanish soap I use lingers long after I get out of the shower and the smell drifts into the hallway. Friends have often asked what I use to make my house smell so nice…it’s actually the soap!
Make Sure There is Proper Ventilation
A poorly ventilated bathroom is never a good thing. It keeps moisture trapped in the bathroom, and really lets smells fester and get worse. Consider opening up your bathroom windows when you have the opportunity or leaving the bathroom vent running from time to time. Many newer bath exhaust fans come with a timer which helps after a bath or shower but will shut off after a specified amount of time since leaving the bathroom vent running all the time, the motor may burn up and it may stop properly ventilating.
Turn it on for short periods at a time, and then turn it off again. Proper ventilation helps to release the steam from your shower, airs out the bathroom, and can help to bring in some fresh air from outside.
Keep Your Drains Cleaned Out and Deodorized
Bathroom drains are another common culprit when it comes to bad smells in the bathroom. Cleaning your drain regularly is a good idea. Use a good quality hair catcher to keep hair and other particles from building up in your drain pipes.
This build-up can cause potent smelly gasses to emit from the drain, causing your bathroom to smell like sewer backup or rotten eggs.
To deodorize the drains, use a combination of baking soda and water to keep them flushed. This helps to cut back on odors, but it also cuts through anything that may be building up within the pipes. If you have a clog, however, you may need something a little stronger.
Dry Up Moisture as it Happens
Letting moisture sit in the bathroom can lead to bacteria growth, which can smell pretty pungent. When you get out of the shower, chances are the things on your bathroom counter will be covered in condensation from the steam of your shower. Dry them regularly to keep the moisture from collecting. Also, dry the floors and use bath mats to step out onto when you get out of the shower. Just remember to wash those rugs regularly, because they can harbor smells too! Using a very absorbent bath mat can help prevent water from building up on your bathroom floors.
Consider Using Essential Oils in the Bathroom
Essential oils are a great natural way to keep your bathroom smelling great. They are actually good for the whole house as well. You can use just a few drops and keep the bathroom smelling great for weeks at a time. Essential oils also have other great benefits, not just the fact that they smell good. A little bit also goes a really long way! We like these natural oils by “Healing Solutions” Lemon or lavender work well for cleaning and leaving a fresh smell.
Routinely Clean Your Bathroom
Finally, the one that no one wants to hear but makes a huge difference- cleaning your bathroom on a regular basis. This means cleaning the shower floor and walls, shower door and frame, sinks, toilet, tubs, floors, and emptying your wastebaskets. This should be done at least once a week, and possibly even more often than that if it gets especially dirty. Keeping the bathroom clean not only helps to keep smells at bay but also helps to ensure that your bathroom is sanitary. No one likes to clean bathrooms but doing it every week, rather than leaving it is probably the biggest key to keeping it smelling fresh.
As you can see, there are some great ways that you can keep your bathroom smelling fresh naturally. If you are tired of the smells that come from the bathroom and spread to the rest of your house, use these tips to help keep the bathroom smelling great without using a lot of harsh chemicals. Chances are you will notice a huge difference.
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