There are a couple of ways to deodorize a mattress without baking soda. One is by using a commercially made bed cleaner, usually one with an enzymatic solution. Whenever using any liquid cleaner on your mattress, be sure to apply it to a clean rag first and then use the rag to clean the mattress.
Two tablespoons of white vinegar to one cup of water. Put in a spray bottle and mist over the mattress. When it dries and the vinegar smell goes away so do the other odors.
Mix baking soda and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (i use tea tree for the antibacterial/ antifungal efrects) and sprinkle the mixture on your mattress. vacuum it off after a few hours.
Materials Needed: Baking soda, water, spray bottle. Instructions: 1. Mix 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. 2. Shake well until the baking soda is dissolved. 3. Spray the mixture into the air or on fabrics (test a small area first) to neutralize odors.
Odors stick to fabrics and porous surfaces. Use vinegar and/or baking soda in your wash. Also air out the bare mattress for a whole day with sunlight hitting it. If the mattress material tolerates it, sprinkle baking soda all over it and leave it for a day like that.
Using a hand sifter, sprinkle baking soda over the surface of your mattress. If there's any moisture apparent on your mattress, let it air dry. Then, after an hour or so, simply vacuum the baking soda up, and voila! A fresh-smelling bed.
There are several pantry-friendly ingredients that you can use as baking soda substitutes, including egg whites, self-rising flour and even club soda. Or, you can use baking powder - and even a couple of extremely scientific sounding items that perhaps you just happen to have lying around - baker's ammonia anyone?
Overall, vinegar is an effective and natural option for odor absorption, providing noticeable results within a short time frame. Placing a vinegar bowl in your car can help absorb and neutralize foul odours.
Hot Water Wash
Hot water (130-140°F) breaks down body oils, kills odor-causing bacteria, and releases trapped moisture from fabric fibers. Start with a pre-soak cycle to loosen stubborn particles. Never overcrowd your washer – sheets need room to move freely for thorough cleaning.
The majority of off-gassing odors dissipate within a few hours of unpacking the mattress. However, you may be able to smell traces for several days to a few weeks, particularly if the model contains primarily synthetic foam.
With vinegar and essential oils
If you don't have a vacuum, don't stress. “Another natural alternative to baking soda is white vinegar,” Mitchell says. “Mixing vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spraying your mattress can also help with any smell.”
Best for Deodorizing
By absorbing the odor-causing bacteria, cornstarch eliminates that “old mattress smell.” You can even mix baking soda and cornstarch for a double whammy of cleaning strength. Just sprinkle a 50/50 mix of cornstarch and baking soda onto the mattress, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
Salt. Plain table salt makes an excellent natural baking soda substitute for scouring and stain removal.
Baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and liquid detergent will all come in handy to remove the stronger urine odor that can be associated with your animals, especially cats.
You may wonder about bicarbonate of soda vs. baking soda, but they are simply alternate terms for the same ingredient. If your recipe calls for bicarbonate of soda, it is simply referring to baking soda. Baking soda is a quick-acting leavening agent.
Baking soda, a/k/a sodium bicarbonate, was produced industrially for many years by the historically-important Solvay process. You can duplicate this by adding dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) to a saturated salt solution (sodium chloride) and concentrated ammonia (ammonium hydroxide).
Several common household items (most notably baking soda and white vinegar) contain powerful properties that eliminate smells without the use of chemicals. But less-commonly known products like coffee and vodka can do wonders when it comes to eliminating, not simply covering, bad smells.
It's all about diluting that stale air. Fans can really make a difference, especially in rooms without windows and homes that don't have central air. By using ceiling fans, or portable fans for trouble spots, you can keep the air moving and avoid stuffy air and that stale smell.