Dealing with Small-Space Living Smells

Whether you’re living in your RV or just taking trips, there’s a pretty good chance you will find yourself dealing with a nasty smell at some point. After all, the very act of living creates odors, and when those odors are all collected in a very little space, you’re left with a potpourri of scents that is less than appealing.

Fortunately there are plenty of ways to banish these odors. By taking a few simple steps once in awhile, you’ll find yourself in a stink free mini-home-on-wheels that you won’t mind inviting neighbors into.

So how do you go about getting rid of those nasty smells? Try the tips below.

Flush Your Waste Tanks

Whenever our trailer begins to stink, the first things I tend to suspect are our tanks. I mean, think about it: You’re putting pretty much all of your grossest waste down into them and leaving it there for days at a time. This means that even if you use tank deodorizer religiously, you are going to be “blessed” with some stinky smells from time to time.

Related Read: It’s a Dirty Job…RV Waste Tank Survival

Luckily, the solution is easy enough. Simply use your built-in tank flushing system or invest in something like this, and flush those tanks out. Do this often, and you’ll never deal with that stench again.

De-stink Trash Cans

Sometimes smelly things will hide themselves away in the bottoms of trash cans. Get rid of those sneaky stinkies by washing your trash cans out with bleach from time to time. Once the cans are dry, place scented dryer sheets in the bottom of each before lining them. This will help mask and absorb bad smells.

Hang Towels Outside

As mentioned in a previous article, finding a place to let your towels dry inside of an RV is a bit of a hassle at times. Not only that, but too many wet towels hanging in a tiny space can lead to some serious humidity and stink issues.

Therefore, if it is at all possible, you might want to consider hanging towels outside when the moisture gets to be too much. If this isn’t an option, at least consider running your bathroom vent fan while the towels dry.

Make Use of Baking Soda

Baking soda is a wonderful tool for getting rid of odors. To banish fridge smells, simply place an open box inside. Dealing with carpet stink? Sprinkle a box of baking soda over it and let it sit for several hours before vacuuming it up. Baking soda also works well for mattresses, and can be left sitting open in a kitchen to asborn foul odors found there.

Grab Some DampRid

Moisture is a huge problem in RVs. Not only does it cause mold and mildew, it can also lead to some nasty smells. Get rid of moisture and all the terrible things that come with it by investing in some DampRid. Place a container of this product in your cabinets and closets, and marvel at the difference it makes.

Of course, these are just some of the smells that can plague a tiny home. We’ve found that for getting rid of general everyday scents, we like to run an essential oil diffuser. Citrus scents are great at cleansing the air and leaving your home smelling great!