We all have lingering odors roaming the house that even the strongest candle can’t cover. Whether your odors are from pets, kids, garbage, or overdo laundry, these simple home hacks will keep everything big and small in your home smelling fresh. (Hint: Baking soda is the key ingredient when it comes to limiting odors in your home.)

1. Smelly shoes – No problem! Deodorant sneaker balls and sprays work great, but who wants to spend the extra money? I take two items we have around the house – empty tea bags and Downy Unstoppables – to make simple shoe deodorizers for all of our shoes. How? Simply fill a tea bag halfway with the Unstoppables, tie shut and put inside your smelliest of shoes! Plus, if you haven’t tried adding the Unstoppables to your laundry, you’re missing out! They freshen your clothes and linens load after load!
2. Dishwasher need a refresh? Use baking soda and vinegar! Food easily gets trapped inside our dishwasher, causing smells that no one wants to experience in the kitchen. Add vinegar to a 1-cup measuring cup and place on the top shelf of your dishwasher. Next, sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher and run a full cycle.Just a few hours later and your dishwasher is clean and smelling fresh!
3. Speaking of smelly kitchens, let’s talk garbage cans. The simplest way to keep your trash can smelling fresh is adding baking soda to the bottom of the bag to neutralize any odors. Additional kitchen tip: Add a box of baking soda to your refrigerator to catch any strong smells before you dispose of food.
4. Tart candles keep drawers smelling sweet. Finally a purpose for those little tart candles! Keep the candles in the plastic wrapper and place them inside your dresser drawers to keep clothes smelling clean and fresh weeks after the wash.
5. Neutralize bathroom odors with lemons! Set in odors from your toilet can’t be removed with bowl cleaner alone. Create a paste with baking soda + lemon juice and scrub the inside of your toilet bowl and seat. After 10 minutes, spray with vinegar and wipe off. While the paste mixture is setting, clean the inside of your toilet tank with vinegar for extra freshness.
6. Keep your carpet and rugs looking and smelling like new with baking soda. Sprinkling a little baking soda before vacuuming helps remove odors that vacuuming alone can’t pick up. The longer the baking soda sits, the better the results.
7. Make an all-natural fabric freshener spray for your couch. Mix distilled water with (you named it) baking soda to create a natural odor removing spray. Add a few drops of essential oils for extra freshness that lasts.