10 Odor Eliminators That Actually Remove Stubborn Smells

Home Advice You Can Trust

Tips, tricks & ideas for a better home and yard, delivered to your inbox daily.

Email address Sign Up Thank you!

 

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Eliminating home odors can be very difficult. Even with constant cleaning, the activities of day-to-day life can leave your house smelling less than fresh. Cooking smells, sweaty shoes, messy kids, and pets can create a musty environment. A quality odor eliminator can help tackle these unpleasant odors.

Odor eliminators don’t just mask bad smells. A good product should get rid of odors at the source and leave a fresher-smelling home. Ahead are our top picks for getting rid of odors in the home. Some leave behind a pleasant scent, and some leave no scent at all.

This Febreze Heavy Duty Spray comes in an economical triple pack. The spray has a “crisp clean” scent with notes of verbena and cucumber, which leaves a light fragrance after each use.

This spray doesn’t just mask scents; it uses Febreze’s “OdorClear Technology” to clean away and eliminate odors. It’s made for use in any room, such as entryways, bathrooms, closets, kitchens, and laundry rooms.

Compared to regular Febreze, this heavy-duty spray has double the odor-eliminating power and lasts for 30 days. It’s a great choice to tackle extra-smelly rooms. This spray uses a 100 percent natural propellant, which is safe to use around cats and dogs. Febreze recommends against using this spray around birds.

Activated charcoal is the superstar ingredient in these all-natural odor eliminators, which are comprised of 100 percent activated bamboo charcoal that absorbs and removes odors from the air. Each charcoal bag is made from breathable linen and has a metal hanging ring. Charcoal is a natural and non-toxic ingredient. These bags can be used anywhere to combat all odors. They can even neutralize stubborn smells like smoke, pet urine, cat litter boxes, and more.

These charcoal deodorizers come in a 12-pack, which includes two 200-gram bags and 10 75-gram bags. These odor absorbers can be reused for up to two years. For maximum effectiveness, you can reactivate the charcoal once a month by placing the bags in the sun for a few hours.

Fresh Wave’s odor-removing gel gets rid of bad smells with the help of natural ingredients. This product is Safer Choice certified, which means it meets the U.S. safer product standards for less harmful products. The gel is nontoxic and safe for people, pets, and the environment. It does not include harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, alcohol, or phthalates.

These gel packs are lightly scented. They include plant-based ingredients like clove, lime, cedarwood, pine, and anise. Each container tackles tough odors 24/7 for up to 90 days. Fresh Wave recommends placing the gel where the odor is strongest for maximum effectiveness.

It works on common household odors, including pet smells, bathroom odors, and cigarette smoke. Over time, the gel will evaporate and disappear. You can buy refill gel packs to continue eliminating odors.

The Febreze Plug In Air Freshener includes two scents in one small product. It automatically cycles between the two fresh fragrances. If you have a free outlet, you have space for this unassuming plug-in freshener.

This product uses Febreze’s OdorClear Technology to clean scents away. It deodorizes for up to 45 days when used on the low setting. When the cartridges are empty, you can buy refill packs, which come in a variety of fresh and fun scents. This product does not include phthalates, formaldehyde, or flammable propellant ingredients.

This compact but powerful air purifier uses a true HEPA filter to clean the air in your home. It has a 3-stage filtration system, which removes 99.97 percent of airborne pollutants as small as 0.3 microns. The filters have an activated carbon layer to capture odors like cigarette smoke and lingering food smells.

This unit is perfect for small to medium-sized rooms, including the bedroom. It has three quiet operating settings and is 100 percent ozone free. The night light feature allows you to choose between two night light settings, or turn the monitor light off for sleeping. Levoit recommends this air purifier for rooms smaller than 516 square feet. In rooms of this size, this air purifier can clean the air once every hour.

The easy-to-use spray formula eliminates pet odors, stains, and residue. It’s made for use on all kinds of organic pet messes. The natural enzymatic bacteria in this spray activate when they come in contact with organic waste. They feed on ammonia crystals and organic matter until the leftover pet mess is completely gone, eliminating the odor at its source.

This spray is powerful but gentle. It’s chlorine-free and safe to use around pets and children. It’s safe to use on most any surface prone to pet messes, including carpets, floors, furniture, litter boxes, kennels, and carriers. In fact, it’s certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute to be gentle enough for use on all colorfast carpets.

Carpets can absorb a whole lot of spills and smells. This carpet odor eliminator uses baking soda and the power of OxiClean Dirt Fighters to leave your carpet smelling fresh again. All you need is this powder formula and a vacuum.

Baking soda helps to neutralize odors deep within your carpet. The Oxiclean “Dirt Fighters” formula helps to loosen dirt, hair, and more. The addition of the Dirt Fighters allow your vacuum to lift up to 25 percent more dirt from your carpet than vacuuming alone. This process maximizes odor elimination and leaves your carpets cleaner. The powder leaves behind a fresh jasmine and citrus scent.

Smoke odors can be extra tough to eliminate. If tackling smoke odors, it’s best to reach for a specially formulated product. The Tobacco Outlet Smoke Odor Exterminator eliminates smoke and pet odors using special enzyme formulation. The odor neutralizing enzymes don’t just mask odors, they also break smoke smells down.

This product comes in a 7-ounce spray bottle and has a “clothesline fresh” clean fragrance. It’s safe to spray on surfaces like furniture and in your car. Or you can spray it into the air to eliminate lingering smoke smells.

With Poo-Pourri’s Toilet Spray, eliminate bathroom odors at their source. Spritz this spray-before-you-go toilet spray in the bowl before use, and it will help flush offensive odors away.

This spray comes in the original citrus scent, which is a blend of lemon, bergamot, and lemongrass essential oils. It does not use any harsh chemicals, aerosols, parabens, phthalates, or formaldehyde to battle bad smells. This spray is cruelty-free and made with all-natural fragrances.

Each 2-ounce bottle provides up to 100 uses. And when you finish the bottle, Poo-Pourri has a variety of different scents to choose from. Poo-Pourri sprays needn’t stay in the bathroom—they can help keep your whole home fresh, from the nursery to the trash bin.

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Soy Lemon Verbena candles have a bright, odor-busting scent. Lemon Verbena is a refreshing and citrusy fragrance that cuts right through odors. The candle is made with natural essential oils. Each candle comes in a simple glass jar that can eventually be recycled or reused.

These candles are made from soy, cottonseed, and vegetable wax. Each candle has a burn time of up to 35 hours and the wick is non-metal and lead-free. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products are cruelty-free and are never tested on animals. In case you can’t get enough of the fresh scent, this product comes as a 2-pack. You receive two 7.2-ounce candles.

FAQ

Q: What kind of smells can an odor eliminator remove from home spaces?

Odor eliminators can get rid of most lingering smells. For specific smells like cigarette smoke, pet waste, and organic messes in the kitchen, you may prefer a targeted, odor-eliminating treatment.

Q: Are odor eliminators safe around children and pets?

You can find nontoxic and natural odor eliminators that are safe to use around children and pets. For those with pet birds, it’s important to find a bird-safe odor eliminator.

Q: How long do odor eliminators last?

Odor eliminators are designed to get rid of smells and not just mask them. While fragrance may dissipate, deodorizers should get rid of odors and leave a room smelling fresher after each use.

 

The Best Holiday Gifts for 2025

Whether you’re shopping for a new homeowner or a serious hobbyist, we’ve got a gift idea for you.

See the Gifts