1. Antique wood furniture, drawers, cupboards and coffee table:  Newly stained wood with a lingering odour can be remedied by rubbing the surface with a deodorant stick.  Polish with a soft cloth.  Freshen up furniture by soaking a slice of white bread in vinegar.  Put the bread into a dish and place inside the furniture.  Kitty litter, charcoal and coffee grounds are also effective!
2. Microwave:  Food burnt in the microwave i.e. popcorn has an odour that lingers.  Combine lemon slices, vinegar or baking soda in water and heat in the microwave until the liquid boils over.  Wipe the surface.   Tip:  Store a box or bowl of baking soda in the microwave when not in use.
3. Planes, trains and automobiles:  Spray with “Outstanding Homemade Air Freshner” (see below).  Sprinkle baking soda in car ashtrays; tuck fabric softener sheets under seats and pads of newspaper beneath car mats.
4. Refrigerators:  Clean fridges with baking soda or vinegar and water.  Set out charcoal or a raw potato cut in half to absorb odours.  Coffee grounds placed in a bowl or sprinkled along the bottom of the fridge is effective; this also works for musty areas such as old boxes.
5. Extreme fridge and sports bag nightmare; Remove all contents and stuff, stuff, STUFF the unit with crumpled up newspaper.  Leave for a week before removing paper.  Tip:  Also works in large plastic containers.
6. Books:   After storing books for a long period they tend to have a musty odour.  Freeze books for 24 hours, take them out and position them standing up and fanned open.  Also, slide a fabric softener sheet or old newspaper between a few pages.
7. Cutting boards:   Sprinkle lemon juice or vinegar on cutting boards and scrub with an abrasive cloth.  Rinse.
8. Pet odours on carpet:  Spray area with one-part vinegar to 2 parts water.  Put cotton balls soaked with your favourite fragrance into the vacuum cleaner bag.
9. Fabric/mattress:  Combat textile smells by combining one-part vodka with one-part water.  Or sprinkle a generous amount of borax or baking soda on mattresses to kill odour.  Also, place three or four dryer sheets under bed sheets.
10. Sink:  Into the drain pour half-cup baking soda, chase this with half-cup vinegar.  Fill the sink with water and leave overnight.  Release water and pour in boiling water.  Tip:  Give your garbage disposal a left by grinding up lemon rinds or orange peels every few days.
11. Plastic storage containers:  In the container, mix vanilla and water and leave for 12 hours (also works inside fridge).  Tip:  To remove tomato related stains in plastic containers, leave in the sun for a couple of hours.
12. Fingers:  Strong smells such as automotive degreaser, WD-40, turpentine, bleach or nail polish remover can be tamed by rubbing a deodorant stick or toothpaste onto fingers.
13. Recipe for Outstanding Homemade Air Freshner:   This inexpensive, easy-to-make mixture will give you the same yummy smell as commercial sprays.  In a spray bottle combine 2 cups of your favourite liquid fabric softener with four cups water.  The amount of fabric softener may be greatly reduced depending on your desire for fragrance strength.
14. Smelly-Jelly:  Heat one cup concentrated potpourri liquid until almost boiling.  Remove from heat.   Mix together 4 envelopes Knox gelatine and 1 tablespoon salt or vodka (to prevent moulding).  Combine with potpourri liquid.  Add food colouring and pour into clean glass jars.  Position jars in bathrooms, kitchens, cars, etc.  Tip:  Scented candles are also a delightful touch.
15. Cooking odours:  Fill a pot of water half-full and set on stove.  Add cloves, cinnamon sticks and orange peels.  Simmer for 30-minutes after cooking to mask food odours.  Tip:  Great for kitchens lacking a window or fan.

Article supplied by Winnipeg Free Press