Fresh Ideas to Deodorize Your Laundry Room

One of the best natural ways to deodorize your laundry room is with a citrus spray. Orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit peels are packed with odor-fighting agents. Place peels in a pot of boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour, adding water as needed. Strain liquid into bowl and once cool, pour into a clean spray bottle. Spritz this around your laundry room for a sunny scent.

Nothing beats a burst of fresh air. Open the windows and doors once in a while. It’s important to periodically air out the machines too, to prevent mildew and mold. Leave the lids open so odors don’t collect inside. For safety’s sake, be mindful that young children not be allowed to play around any open machines.

Coffee beans do more than power your afternoon café con leche. Keep a batch in a bowl near your laundry piles and the beans will absorb stubborn smells. They'll keep for about a month before you need to replace them.

The laundry room stays fresher when your clean laundry is removed promptly. Avoid keeping wet laundry inside your machines for long periods of time—it can lead to a moldy smell. If that happens, combine warm water and bleach and wipe down the inside of the machine with a damp cloth. Then wipe dry. To prevent this, enlist the help of the whole family to transfer laundry to and from the dryer.

Our grandmothers knew what they were doing. Baking soda keeps your laundry room smelling clean in a number of ways. Mix it with water to wipe the surfaces on your washer and dryer. Keep an unopened box in the room to fight smells. Sprinkle some in your hampers. Add a quarter cup to the rinse cycle for an added boost of freshness.

Nearly everyone has that extra basket of laundry they’ve been meaning to tackle. Remember, odors grow in stagnant piles. When you’re feeling behind, designate a catch up day to get back to your normal laundry schedule. Whether you do it on an early weekend morning or after your children’s bedtime, you’ll be glad to check this off your to-do list.

The residue from washing can cause a funky buildup in your washing machine. Keep it fresh by running regular hot cycles boosted with bleach. Add a cup of bleach (and nothing else) and run your machine on the hottest setting. Select its large capacity so that the whole inside gets cleaned. This can be done once a month.

Once you’ve completed a bleach cycle, you may want to further deodorize your washing machine with a vinegar wash. You should never combine bleach and vinegar together due to its toxic chemical reaction. Run a separate vinegar cycle using one cup of white or apple vinegar. Optional: Add a bit of lemon juice too. Set your machine to hot and choose its largest capacity.

We don’t always remember to clean the things that clean for us, but this is an essential part of keeping a fresh laundry room. Wipe down all surfaces, sweep, mop, and reorganize on a regular basis. It will make your work easier and keep your laundry smelling bright and fresh.

If you want something beyond that “clean” smell, you have plenty of options! Odds are that your favorite laundry products come in at least a few scent varieties. Pick your favorite and it will gently scent the whole laundry room.