Smells, good or bad, stick around. To eliminate bad smells in your house, you’ll need to get rid of their source. If you can’t, some deep cleaning is in order. The air inside your home can be 100 times as polluted as outside air. Sometimes, chemical air fresheners are of little or no help. Other times, common odors are too tough to lift. To deep-clean your home, lift the smells and make sure they don’t return, check out the following tips.

7 Tips for Eliminating Bad Smells in Your House

Tip One: Apply a Mixture

You can mix three parts water, one part cheap vodka, and 15 drops of essential oil into a spray bottle. Then, you can use the spray bottle to lift unwanted odors. If your home smells bad, consider spraying the mixture around the bedroom, the bathroom, and in other high-traffic areas. Vodka, in particular, is effective. It can soak up smells, evaporating quickly while leaving things fresh.

Tip Two: Use Odorzout

Odorzout is 100-percent natural, so both kids and animals can be around it. It’s a dry product which is sprinkled on affected areas. It absorbs any lingering odors, and it can be vacuumed up later. Apply it as needed, and be liberal. You can reapply the mixture every few months or so, keeping your home safe for many years.

Tip Three: Double-Check Your Disposal Habits

Don’t put onion peelings, carrot peelings, or potato skins in your disposal. These can decay over time, contributing to your home’s bad smell. Really, any organic material should be tossed out if you’re battling bad odors. To keep your disposal smell-free, put some ice in it. Grind it, and sprinkle some Borax into the disposal. Run some water, and grind the solution. Plug the sink up, add about three inches of warm water, and mix in approximately one handful of baking soda. Turn on the disposal, and pull out the stopper.

Tip Four: Clean the Garbage Can

Sure, you use garbage bags, but you might be neglecting the physical can’s cleanliness. Fortunately, you can clean it easily. If your garbage can smells, wash it with vinegar and warm water. Odorzout works here, too. If you’re really having trouble lifting the smells, consider dumping in a handful of coffee grounds, or buying a new can altogether.

Tip Five: Clean the Drains

Your bathroom drains can be an odor source. Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain, two cups of white vinegar, and some water. Let it bubble and foam for about 30 minutes. When the mixture has bubbled, rinse it with a kettle of boiling water. This application works really well, and it only needs to be done once per six months or so.

Tip Six: Remove the Mold

Some of your home’s surfaces might have mold, which can cause a bad odor. Combine one cup of bleach into one gallon of water. Then, put on protective rubber gloves. Open your windows, increase the home’s air flow, and start dipping a stiff-bristled brush into the solution. Scrub at any affected areas, and re-dip the brush as necessary. Then, rinse the area with a sponge. You can let the surface air-dry. Check your home for toxic mold with an at-home testing kit.

Tip Seven: Vacuum the Upholstery

Finally, you should vacuum any upholstery and the floors. Dirty furniture can harbor bad smells, and dust can collect alongside smelly particles. Your vacuum has an upholstery attachment, and it’s pretty good at sucking up unwanted materials. Plus, your vacuum should be outfitted with a HEPA filter—which prevents fine particles and dust from floating into the air.