Tips for Using Baking Soda in Your Closet

Using baking soda in your closet is a fantastic remedy for odors, especially if you want to eliminate that musty smell. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a weak base that can act as an acid depending on its interaction with other substances. The odors in your closet are made up of organic particles, and baking soda bonds with these particles, making them easy to remove.

Why Closets Need Freshening

Odors on clothes can develop and worsen over time. Some smells are caused by mold, which thrives in warm, damp places and feeds on organic matter. For example, damp sneakers create an ideal environment for mold growth.

In other cases, closet odors come from lingering body odor. Maybe you wore a T-shirt to work out and, instead of washing it immediately, you threw it into the hamper or onto the closet floor. The smell can start to permeate other fabrics, spreading the odor. Fortunately, household staples like baking soda can help deodorize your closet.

Tips for Using Baking Soda to Remove Closet Odors

Try these easy tips to keep your closet smelling fresh. In addition to baking soda remedies, consider making your own DIY room and fabric sprays for an extra fragrant touch.

1. Baking Soda Boxes: To keep your closet smelling fresh, place an open box of baking soda inside. You don’t have to worry about the quantity; the box will absorb odors in the room and closet for up to a year. Just ensure the box is in a safe spot to prevent spills.
2. Baking Soda Mopping Solutions: If your closet already has a bad odor, deodorizing the floor can help, especially if you often drop wet clothing or shoes on an uncarpeted floor. Make a solution of one gallon of warm water, 1/2 cup of vinegar, and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Mop the floor thoroughly, rinse with clear water, and dry the floor completely. For carpeted floors, sprinkle baking soda on the rug, leave it for an hour, then vacuum it up.
3. Baking Soda and Shoes: Even work shoes can get sweaty and damp, creating perfect conditions for mold and mildew. Instead of buying expensive “odor eaters,” sprinkle baking soda into your shoes and/or directly on the closet floor to absorb odors. Do this weekly or monthly.
4. Baking Soda and Hampers: Wet towels and other items left in hampers for more than a day or two can cause ongoing “freshness” problems. To avoid this, sprinkle baking soda directly in the bottom of your hamper. For a less messy option, create baking soda sachets to place in your hampers.

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