How to Get Bleach Smell Out of Your House after Cleaning
Your house smells like bleach after cleaning? Here are simple tips on how to get rid of bleach smell after cleaning your home.
Bleach is a powerful cleaning agent that can get to work on the toughest of spots. The downside is the harsh smell that often accompanies bleach. And the odor can stick around for days, making the room and even the entire living space uncomfortable to stay in.
Your home may be free of grime, but can you stomach the stench left by the bleach you used?
If you are wondering how to remove bleach smell from your house after cleaning, you don’t have to wonder anymore. We have a few of our favorite tips to help you get rid of the unwanted bleach smell.
To get rid of the bleach smell after cleaning, ventilation is the best option. Open windows and doors and use fans. Spray air freshener if needed. Leave a bowl of lemon juice, baking soda, activated charcoal, cat litter, or vinegar in the room overnight to soak up the bleach odor.
Related Cleaning Article:
What Causes the Lingering Overwhelming Bleach Smell?
Did you know that the odor you smell when cleaning with bleach is not the bleach itself? It is actually a chemical reaction caused by the bleach breaking down proteins found on the surfaces you are cleaning.
For this reason, if you clean with bleach often, the smell becomes less potent. This is because the protein build-up on the surfaces is less than when you first began cleaning.
Still, even if you clean often, the smell of bleach can be a little overwhelming for some. Let us look at a few ways you can reduce the lingering smell to make your home a safer, more enjoyable space for you and your family.
How to Get Rid of Bleach Smells after Cleaning – 6 Simple Tips
#1. Ventilate the Area
Ventilation is the simplest method you can utilize to get rid of bleach smells after cleaning. The best way to ventilate is to open at least one window. If possible, open more than one on opposite sides of the room to allow air to flow freely through the space.
If you do not have windows on more than one side of the room, consider opening a door for a short while to allow more air to flow through the space for a time.
An addition you can make to open doors and windows is fans. Pedestal fans work better than ceiling fans in this case, but use what you have. If you have pedestal fans, position them strategically to get the air flowing optimally and the bleach odor out of your home.
Consider mixing a few drops of citrus essential oil in a spray bottle of water and spraying the mixture into the flow of the fan to add a fresh deodorizing effect to the ventilation.
Ventilating the area can take a few hours. If it is not safe to leave the space open for an extended period, leave it open for as long as you can, and repeat the process when next you can.
#2. Use an Air Purifier
Air purifiers come in various styles and are available online and in many stores. If you are considering purchasing one to rid your home of the smell of bleach, ensure it does the minimum air exchange.
It is best to purchase one that has at least five air exchanges per 200 square feet, considered the standard room size.
Apart from eliminating the smell of bleach, air purifiers also can also help to eradicate allergens from the air.
#3. Use Vinegar
We do not typically recommend mixing vinegar and bleach as cleaning agents. The two can become dangerous combined and cause respiratory issues because of the fumes they release.
What we do recommend is safely using vinegar to help get rid of the odor of bleach that is left after cleaning.
Use vinegar safely by doing one of the following:
- Place a medium-sized bowl of vinegar in the room that has been cleaned with bleach. Close the door and leave overnight.
- Boil a pot of vinegar in the home that smells badly of bleach. Watch the pot to avoid having the vinegar burn. Leave it on the stove for as long as possible.
The vinegar will absorb much or all of the bleach smell. The only downside to this easy method is that you may be left with a home or room that smells of vinegar. Still, once you arrive at this vinegar-infused point, you may wish to jump to our first point and ventilate.
#4. Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of those ingredients that you simply need to have on hand. This handy powder does everything from unblocking drains and cleaning stains to helping you rid your home of unwanted smells.
Did you know that you can also use baking soda to soak up the smell of bleach? Now you do!
To use baking soda in your bleach-smelling room, place a cup filled with the baking soda in the room that you have cleaned with bleach. Leave it for a few hours or overnight.
#5. Use Activated Charcoal or Kitty Litter
Activated charcoal and cat litter work the same way as baking soda. These substances absorb foul odors from your home, and you only need to use a little to get great results.
Place a cardboard box or other container to use activated charcoal or kitty litter in a room that smells of bleach. Leave it for a few hours or overnight. The space should return to its former, non-bleach-smelling self when you return.
#6. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice can work wonders in eradicating bleach smells in the home and from your hands.
To use lemon juice in your home, mix it with water and spray it from a spray bottle. You can spray it in the air and onto your couches, curtains, and other furniture. It works well if you spray it near fans as part of a ventilation process.
How to Get Rid of Bleach Smell on Hands
If your hands smell like bleach after cleaning, you can use lemon juice on your hands. Simply rub lemon pieces directly onto your skin after cleaning with bleach.
The lemon will eliminate the smell and leave your hands smelling fresh. You can also rub ground coffee on your hands to eliminate the bleach odor.
Regular exposure to bleach can cause harm to your skin. So, we advise you always wear cloves when cleaning with bleach or any other harsh detergents.
Final Thoughts on How to Remove Bleach Smell after Cleaning
The smell of bleach can be a little overbearing after cleaning. With a bit of extra work and patience, you can have your immaculate home and one that smells good.
Simply ventilate the area by opening windows and doors. Use fans, air purifiers, and deodorizers. You can leave vinegar, activated charcoal, baking soda, or cat litter in the room overnight or even spritz the area with a lemon and water spray.
Did you find our tips on how to get rid of bleach smell after cleaning helpful? Leave your comment below.
