When conditions are optimal, your garage can provide more than just a place to park your cars and store odds and ends. A garage can also serve as a workshop for DIY projects, but only if the space is truly livable. Unpleasant odors like garbage, must and gasoline can make spending time in the garage unbearable, decreasing the utility of the space. Fortunately, you can take steps to reduce those smells by following these tips.
1. Attack the Spills
If you’re trying to determine how to get rid of the gasoline smell in the garage, it’s likely that at some point you had a gas spill in the space. Cleaning the floor and tackling spills are the first steps toward dealing with gasoline smells as well as odors from spilled oil or paint. A thorough floor cleaning can even reduce garbage smells if the trash has previously leaked.
The right products to use depends on what type of spill you’re dealing with and how old the spill is. If spills are still fresh, pouring absorbent kitty litter over the wet area can help to absorb some of the liquid. Once spills are dry, you will likely need to use heavy-duty cleaning products to scrub away the stains, as ordinary water can’t mix with gasoline, motor oil and many other common sources of garage spills. Because many of these cleaning products contain harsh ingredients, be sure to follow the safety instructions printed on the packaging. You will likely need to wear gloves, goggles and a face mask to protect yourself.
After you have thoroughly cleaned the spills, the next step in getting rid of the gas smell in a garage is to clean the entire floor with soap and water. Doing so can ensure that the space is completely clean and make keeping smells at bay easier in the future.
2. Clean Any Drains or Moist Areas
If your garage smells musty, dampness is likely to blame. Garage drains are often a source of this moisture and are one of the most common causes of musty smells in garages, particularly during the summer months when heat and humidity levels rise. Use drain cleaning materials to flush out the floor drain and be sure to follow the usage and safety instructions printed on the packaging carefully.
Washing machines in garages can also contribute to musty smells. A quick fix for the problem is to put a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup water wherever you would normally put detergent in your washer. Run a normal wash cycle and see if the scent is gone. Another option is to run your washing machine with white vinegar. You can also use Fresh Wave Laundry Booster in the wash or rinse cycle to deodorize your washing machine while you have clothes in the wash.
3. Empty the Garbage More Frequently
A rotten smell in the garage is often caused by garbage that is breaking down in the summer heat and releasing volatile organic compounds. Although it may seem simple, emptying your garbage cans more often is often the best solution for how to keep trash from smelling in a garage. Also, make sure to periodically clean your garbage can’s interior and lid with Fresh Wave Odor Removing Laundry Booster to remove any leaks or spills.
4. Wipe Down and Clean Any Equipment
Bad smells in the garage can also come from dirty equipment that you store in the area. Keeping these items clean can help improve the smell of the space. Gardening equipment can introduce odors due to lingering dead plant fibers that decay over time. Wipe off shears, hoes, shovels and other gardening tools after every use to remove them before they can stink up the garage. You should also spray off the bottom of your gas lawn mower and the head of your weed eater with a hose after each use. Other items that could be adding to the stink include fitness equipment, brooms, mops, paintbrushes and any other items that come in contact with chemicals or dirt.
5. Open Those Garage Doors
Following the above steps can go a long way toward removing unpleasant smells from a garage, but when the weather is at its hottest, even these effective strategies may not fully eliminate the stink. Increasing airflow through the garage can help increase the effectiveness of your odor-fighting efforts. When you’ll be close by working outside, keep the garage doors open to ventilate the space. Allowing fresh air into the garage is also an easy solution for people wondering how to get smoke smell out of a garage.
6. Keep Things Fresh
Fresh Wave products can act as a garage deodorizer and complement your other efforts to fight odors in the garage. For long-lasting, odor-fighting benefits, try Fresh Wave Odor-Eliminating Gel. As it evaporates, it releases plant-based ingredients that improve the smell of your garage and neutralize compounds that cause the stink. To meet your needs, the gel comes in a wide range of sizes from small 7-oz. jars that you can keep on a shelf to 2-gallon buckets that can combat scents in large garages. The odor-fighting benefits of the gels continue for 30 to 60 days or more, and then you can keep things fresh by using Fresh Wave Gel Refills.
When you need to quickly freshen the air so that you can complete a project in the garage, try Fresh Wave Odor-Removing Non-Aerosol Spray. Available in three pleasing scents, the spray eliminates odor molecules rather than simply masking them. You can use it to spray the air or as a spot treatment for garbage cans, garden equipment, gym equipment and other items. It can even work on water-safe fabrics to get the musty smell out of outdoor seat cushions you’ve stored in the garage during the winter months. And, like all Fresh Wave products, the spray is powered by plant oils and free of harmful ingredients.
