Spray an air freshener in the room, if needed, to make the attic a tolerable space to work in. Ammonia is commonly used in household cleaners, window cleaners, and laundry detergents and has a strong, onion-like odor. There are some inedible Alliums and lookalikes, howeversome that can even make you very sick or even kill you. Boil some cinnamon sticks to create a comforting aroma in the house. Additionally, mold can also have a similar smell to onions, particularly in areas with high humidity. When you've lived with musty basement smells for long enough, it's easy to start thinking that basements are supposed to be like this. Carpets: Old carpets can accumulate stains, dust, and sweat, thus creating a pungent onion odor. How to Use Onions to Help Household Odors | Tasted. You'll never walk into a garage or even a bathroom and mistake its smell for that of a basement. The most likely cause is a water trap under a floor drain, laundry tub or wash basin that has dried out from lack of use. In the refrigerator, if you forget to store sliced onions in a container, the smell may also spread throughout the house. If the musty smell is all there is, you wont need to learn how to remove mold, only how to get musty smell out of the basement. The bathroom is spotless and deep cleaned weekly. How to Get Rid of a Musty Smell in Your Basement This smell can make you and your family sick if it is left too long. Similar to the way that cat litter functions, it absorbs overpowering smells, pulling them out of the air. You dont have to use fresh coffee grounds, you can use used grounds, but make sure they are dried first before using them. Fill a couple of bowls with baking soda and place them at different ends of the room. Dead animals such as mice and other rodents let off a sulfur type smell as they go through the decomposition phase. Although mature or aged plants of wild onion/garlic will have much thicker leaves and be an overall fuller plant.as the picture shows. The easiest way to remove moisture is to use a dehumidifier. To get rid of the rotten onion smell that fills the apartment, one should begin by using baking soda. How to Get Rid of Musty Basement Smells - The Spruce What could cause this smell? Place a bowl of baking soda in the kitchen overnight. If you maintain this regimen, your basement should remain odor-free for years to come. Click below to answer. Could it be that I have to replace the carpets? This helps to get fresh air in, although it is not useful if it is very humid outside. Open the basement windows to increase air circulation by letting in the fresh air. A good choice an average-size basement is the Frigidaire 70-Pint Dehumidifier with Effortless Humidity Control (available at Amazon). Sprinkling baking soda on carpets and upholstery may also help with odor removal. You take a quick look around and discover a black, fuzzy substance growing on the wall, or A fishy odour smell that is coming from your electrical panel is one smell that you do not want to ignore. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Whether its a musty basement, a newly painted room, or just a smelly pair of shoes, you can use fresh onion to banish the odors. If you smell an onion aroma in your home, it could be due to mold growth, so its important to take the time to look around for any visible mold or discoloration. The smell can come from loose or frayed wires or cords, overloaded circuits, faulty outlets, incorrectly sized breakers or fuses, or overheated electrical shielding or insulation. Cooking with onions is one of the most common food-related smells that can cause a house to smell like onions. As more oxygen gets removed from the air, you could begin to damage organs in your body, including the heart and brain. Use white vinegar to soak up smells, acting as an odor eliminator. Create a drainage system that takes water far away from the house. Place a waterproof mattress encasement to keep the odors from entering. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. (Michael/AdobeStock) This unholy child of Chemdog and Super Skunk is a funky weed lover's dream. Its important to watch for leaks, ensure p-traps remain full and continue controlling the humidity levels with a dehumidifier. Washing dishes quickly with Dawn Dish Soap can help prevent smells from lingering, especially on your cutting boards. Activated charcoal is a great safe way to deodorize your basement and eliminate nasty smells. These devices pull moisture out of the air and condense it into a removable tank that you can remove and empty. Adding in certain tangy or sweet notes brings the odor closer to that of a truly musty basement. You have a couple of options if your crawl space is part of the problem leading to the musty smell. The onion smell could be coming from your stove, refrigerator, or garbage disposal. Bonus: We've rounded up the best basement odor eliminators for the job, too. Open the windows in the kitchen. Home Appliances 8. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), 4 Innovative Camping Lanterns and Emergency Lights, Family Handyman Reader Projects: Indoor Spaces, Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A dehumidifier is also a great way to get rid of spider crickets and other bugs that tend to like dark, damp spaces. For an added fresh smell, put a bowl of baking soda and lemon rinds into the fridge. This type of mold is typically caused by the species Moraxella osloensis, which thrives in warm and moist conditions. My house is above an unfinished crawl space and Im wondering if its that. If left on the walls or floors, the mold build-up stains, discoloring the surface beneath and causing rot or degradation. How can you use an air freshener to get rid of the onion smell in your house? No one wants to have a musty basement. Get free, no-commitment estimates from licensed service providers near you. When they spread, they release a musty or earthy odor. Try and locate smaller areas to replace instead of all of it, if possible. If you notice foul sewer smells in your house or basement, here are the five possible causes in order of probability. Yes, it is possible to get rid of the smell of onions and garlic in the house as there are several ways to do it. After all, not only does fungi need moisture but it needs food, and dirt and dust are often its food. This Is Why Your Armpits Smell Like Onions | Livestrong.com Additionally, the potent smell can be further intensified in areas with high humidity, such as bathrooms. It's a guest bathroom so never gets super dirty. Body Odor: Causes, Changes, Underlying Diseases & Treatment Baking soda and vinegar can be used to get rid of the onion smell in the house by following these steps: Setting up an air purifier can help get rid of the onion smell in the house by trapping dander, dust, and smell from passing through the central HVAC unit. Common examples of household cleaners that may cause this smell include: Common causes of onion-scented pet odors in homes can include walking on the carpet with shoes, socks, or barefoot, sweat and body odors from sleeping in the bed, and third-hand smoke. Protect basement windows with window well covers. Pour baking soda into a colander and sprinkle it over the affected areas. Here are some areas to check for cracks or leaks that could be causing the smell: Its also possible that the cause of the issue is groundwater. For this, you will need to use your nose and sniff around until you find where the smell is the strongest. Sweep it off the ground, but leave it on the walls if it doesnt bother you. Heres How to Fix It, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Basement windows (Do the wells improperly direct water toward the house, instead of away from it? Floating (unattached to the subfloor) hard floorings such as laminate and vinyl can be pulled up and dried. All of these provide an indication of why it is important to ventilate your house when trying to remove the onion smell. Refrigerators: Spoiled food, such as vegetables left for too long, can create a strong onion smell if not checked regularly. It's true that basements' qualities factor into the musty smellsbeing fully or partially below-grade, less light, less fresh air. Plus, weve included some tips to eliminate sewer smells and unpleasant odors. The foundation walls of a basement should be checked out first when attempting to discover the source of the basement odors. Once these odors have infiltrated the fabric . "Sweat feeds the bacteria present on the skin, and that bacteria produces an odor," Deirdre Hooper, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Audubon Dermatology in New Orleans, Louisiana, tells LIVESTRONG.com. The preferred level of indoor humidity for most people is between 30 and 50 percent, while mold thrives with humidity of 60 percent or higher. Shoot for a humidity level of roughly 50 percent so the space stays comfortable without encouraging mold growth (which occurs at over 60 percent). "Another reason you could smell like onions is that you have been eating onions - or other foods like garlic, shallots, etc., - that contain volatile sulfurous substances. We've tried snaking and pouring down some drain liquid. Doing this will also help remove dust, mold, and other pollutants that could be contributing to the smell. Baking soda is helpful in many other ways due to its absorbent properties. The smell of animal waste in a house can be caused by the presence of rodents, such as rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons, and other wild animals. White vinegar is another great way to help deodorize the air in the basement. Musty smells in the basement air are caused by mold growth, water damage, or high humidity levels. Some of the most common unpleasant odors in the basement are caused by mold, mildew, sewer gases, or a dead decaying animal such as a mouse. But not all basements need to become musty. Using air fresheners or DIY aromatherapy sprays can also help eliminate the onion smell from the house. Your nose is generally the first line of defense when it comes to mold since your nose can pick up on the microbial volatile organic compounds that mold releases as it grows. Use baking soda to absorb odors. A mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar is inexpensive, and you can use it to spray surfaces or mop the floor. How to Get Rid of Onion Smells in Your House - Angi As chlorine's atomic number makes it considerably heavier than atoms such as nitrogen and oxygen in the air, you are most likely to experience this odor collecting in low-lying areas. Solve that problem just by dumping a pitcherful of water into the drain to restore the trap water. To make matters worse, the smell can even spread to other areas of the house, such as the living room, if the garbage is improperly disposed of. The coffee grounds will absorb odors, and leave your basement smelling like coffee. Replace old weather stripping and caulk, as well, to seal any small leaks around the window frames. Is it OK to eat wild onions that grow in our yards? | Hometalk Turn on a fan or a heating fixture to help the area dry quickly. If you spot. If thats the case, youll have to remove the toilet and replace the wax ring. My neighbour on the other side of the aparment building has said he has the exact same smell. The smell can linger in enclosed areas such as crawlspaces, basements, and attics. 5 Alternative Ways To Spot A Gas Leak | PEMCO Here are some areas to check for cracks or leaks that could be causing the smell: Check for signs of water damage on the ceiling or floor of the basement for indicators. Wild onion/garlic doesn't seem to fall over like that and tends to be thinner. As you take a shower, dead skin cells, hair, dirt, and soap wash should go down the drainpipe. Air purifiers are designed to filter out particles in the air, so they can prevent the onion smell from lingering in the house once the AC turns on. Useful Tips To Make Your Everyday Life Just A Bit Better. Change the litter out at least once a week, or a couple of times if the smell is potent, to successfully get rid of remaining odors. Reddit, Inc. 2023. The smell of onions in a home can be caused by several different gas appliances. Having mold or mildew problems demands to be dealt with quickly to save the space you have, especially if someone lives down there. Neutralize the musty smell in the basement. Washing cooking clothes can also leave an onion smell in the room. Additionally, cut an onion in half and leave it in a musty closet or basement overnight to absorb musty smells. While the deodorizers are absorbing the smells, clean the entire basement as well as possible. If the plug is missing, theres a direct path for sewer gas to bypass the water trap. Bathroom. Speanut also participates in affiliate programs with Clickbank, CJ, and other sites. The first step to getting rid of musty smells in your basement is identifying where theyre coming from. This will help pull smells out of the kitchen and send them outside and airborne. Set a fan up at the top of the stairs, as well as several around the basement, if there are outlets available. After an initial treatment, pest control technicians return on a regular basis. its hard to tell without a closer look. We recommend our users to update the browser. It is always wise to periodically clean the refrigerator in order to prevent the smell of onions. If you smell onions in your house, it could be due to a gas leak, so you should check your gas pipelines and try to smell them. Let it sit for at least one day, then rinse it out thoroughly. All rights reserved. Borax is a powder, much like baking soda. Create berms, barriers, or French drains in the yard to divert water. Among the several types of dehumidifiers available, a compressor dehumidifier is best suited to basements. It's often worthwhile to hire a plumber to also check for pipe leaks. Required fields are marked *. Cat urine is another odor that homeowners have noticed coming out of the basement. Check to see if you have any dry sink or bath tub drains. Gas usually smells like rotten eggs due to the sulfur content in its makeup, and if you notice a fishy or wet dog smell, it is a sign of a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. If your basement smells musty, no amount of baking soda or air freshener will make it smell better for the long term. I bought a house about 6 months ago. This is an especially useful routine if there has been flooding recently. Mold and Mildew If you're dealing with a distinctly musty basement odor, it's more than likely you're dealing with a mold or mildew issue. Additionally, if food is allowed to rot and decompose inside the home, it can also create an unpleasant onion-smelling odor. Get A Quote from Local Plumbing Pros See how much your project will cost: Get Free Estimates Plumbing Repairs On average, plumbing repair jobs usually total between $150 and $500. Use it to kill black mold in the shower or the bathtub. Vacuum the entire house: Vacuuming the entire house will get rid of the dust and dirt that can contribute to odors. This will ensure that a rocking toilet doesnt ruin the new wax ring. Find the Source The first step to getting rid of musty smells in your basement is identifying where they're coming from. Mildew is usually brown or gray, eventually turning to a white powder. Scan this QR code to download the app now. It is important to ventilate your house when trying to remove the onion smell. Cooking: Onions can smell up the whole house, especially if you cook with your windows and doors closed, without an outlet for the aroma to escape. Your email address will not be published. Baking soda has a natural neutralizing property and can easily handle that pesky onion smell. If you experience a smoke smell, this could be a sign of a fire hazard or a former smoker. How Do I Get Rid of My Neighbor's Cooking Odors? | The Kitchn The spores of these ubiquitous fungi drift through the air until they find the damp, dark, and warm environment that allow them to multiply and thriveconditions common to basements. Finally, cleaning products that contain ammonia, a pungent gas, may also be to blame. Gas and natural gas leaks are caused when there is a break in a gas pipe or appliance, allowing gas to escape from where it is supposed to be confined. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom! A funky weed lover's dream. Put a box of baking soda into your fridge to help keep the entire fridge neutral. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. One of the most common household odors that can be caused by a cleaning product is the smell of onions. To get rid of the smell of skunk spray, airing out the house, using vinegar to neutralize odors, and calling in a professional pest control service may be necessary. We may earn a commission from your purchases. There, we discovered a hissing gas line behind the dryer. What's That Smell?! (Basement Edition) - GreenBuildingAdvisor Instead of stinking up the kitchen, youll perfume the block. The next day, there will be dried Borax on the walls and floor. This gives mold and mildew spores new, comfortable places to grow. Musty or mildew smell in RV. The good thing is that there are many different ways to remove the mold smell in basement. An animal in your case might even be a snake, since they may deposit odors. Leave the vinegar to dry if the smell doesnt bother you.