The best ways to deodorize a closet naturally always include actually removing the odor – rather than masking it. After all, purifying the air in your closet is much better than adding in more chemicals through artificial fragrances.
Smells in a Closet
Your closet stores dirty laundry, stinky shoes, smelly socks and musty smells from old clothing.
Or maybe you love second hand clothes shopping but can’t get rid of the smells in thrift store clothing.
Is it any wonder why your closet smells bad?
Yet the answer isn’t to add a heavily fragranced item to just be more powerful than the smelly odors. No. (If you are looking to make an entire room smell better, then here’s a great DIY for a natural odor eliminator spray and another recipe for cute DIY gel air fresheners.)
Oh, and by the way, you’ve got to keep buying those smelly closet fresheners, which means money just being spent over and over. Which is kind of wasteful, anyways.
The brilliant hack to keep your closet smelling fresh is using the natural power of bamboo.
How Bamboo Removes Odors
Yes, that’s right! Those tall plants in the forest can help you get rid of the stinky smell of your gym socks and dirty laundry.
Now, yes, there are a few other ways to deodorize a closet naturally. They are:
- Remove the offending odor (the actual shoes, gym bag, etc.). I’m pretty sure you’ve already thought of that……
- Get fresh air in from a window. I don’t know many people with windows in their closet…..
- Use baking soda. Yes, it works. If you want to store a box of baking soda in your closet. But it’s not decorative or renewable. And you have got to keep replacing it.
So bamboo air deodorizers help to fix the problems of so many other natural ways to deodorize a closet that don’t really seem to work.
How does bamboo work?
When bamboo is burned, it is made into activated charcoal. That charcoal is then kept and used in natural air purifiers.
Air passes through the charcoal purifier during normal air circulation over the day (the charcoal is enclosed in a bag or box). When the air passes through the bamboo activated charcoal, it is purified, which means the odors are removed.
After the natural process, what you have isn’t an artificially scented pine forest, but just clean air (which has NO smell, by the way!).
Pin It!
Bamboo Removes Moisture, Mildew and Mold
Bamboo is my favorite method in removing mold and mildew in cars. It’s also my best way to get rid of odors in the refrigerator. In fact, activated charcoal kills mold from many surfaces (it can even be ingested, too). Using the natural ingredient is ideal for closets, too.
While the following bamboo air purifiers are the best way to deodorize a closet naturally, they are all great at removing moisture, mold and mildew, too.
Bamboo can be reused over and over again. Every 1-3 months, put the bamboo air purifier in the sun, and the heat of the sun’s rays will bake out the nasty odor causing substances.
Then your bamboo bag is refreshed and ready to eliminate odors again.
I said it was brilliant! And it costs less money than buying fancy sprays or shoe inserts or artificial fragranced room “deodorizers.”
If you are masking the smell rather than eliminating it, you are not deodorizing, people. You are patching a broken system that doesn’t work.
So, here are some of the most stylish, affordable, clever and simply the best ways to deodorize a closet naturally:
Bamboo Charcoal Bag
Photo/ Amazon
For less than $3 each, these small bamboo deodorizing pillows are perfect for putting in boots, drawers or simply hanging on a curtain rod. I love the pastel colors 🙂
I have several of these in my car. They are stashed under seats and in the trunk. But I also use them in my closet, too!
Modern Shelving System
Photo/ Amazon
Want to tuck in a small bamboo activated charcoal air purifier in your closet, bathroom, luggage or even the kitchen?
This minimalistic odor absorbing system is simple – just place it on a flat surface. And the price is great, too!
Shoe Deodorizers
Photo/ Amazon
Made small for inserting in shoes, boots, purses or backpacks, these natural deodorizers harness the cleaning power of bamboo.
They are so small and easy to hide, you can put them anywhere there’s a smell! Including your husband’s dresser drawers or gym bag!
Hanging Deodorizer
Photo/ Amazon
This eco-friendly natural deodorizer from ZooBamboo has a grommet so that you can hang an attachment if you don’t want to simply place the bamboo bag somewhere in your closet.
Bamboo Bag
Photo/ Amazon
Place this odor eliminator in a corner on a hook, or slip it over a hanger. This bamboo deodorizer bag is multi-purpose and can even be used in drawers, shoes, large luggage, sporting equipment bags, and more to naturally deodorize smells and odors.
Still looking for more ways to naturally remove odors? Check out these super cute and funny natural air fresheners for your car.
Bamboo bags will remove and neutralize odors. But if you want to add a scent to your clothing, make our no sew drawer sachets. They are easy to make with just essential oils and rice.
Paula Winslowe says
RE: Bamboo Charcoal deodorizer/refresh air bags – says to hang in sun every 1-3 months to re-activate/remove the collected nasty smells…..I live in northwest Washington state USA where we have little warm sun rays, if we do it is usually late May – mid September. Is there an alternate way to reactivate the bags between Sept-May/June? I also live in a heavily wooded (tall evergreens) area which makes area outside home fairly shady even in summer. There are a few hours mist days in summer which get SOME sun. Example – I can only grow shade or part sun/part shade plants here. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? Thanks very much. Paula Winslowe
R.S. says
I’ve heard you can also put them in the oven. I would check with the manufacturer first though.
Cynthia Steinmueller says
Does it work for litter boxes too? No matter what litter I buy it smells terrible. An I use extra baking soda in it & keep the box right next to the litter box.
Kimberly Button says
Cynthia, It would definitely work. I wouldn’t put a bag inside the litter box, simply because your cat might rip it open. Perhaps hang a bag over the litter box or on the cage near an air vent. You might need a larger size simply because of the odor, but should work.
Kurt Carter says
Yes, this article really is helpful and it opened my eyes to some good deodorizing possibilities–thank you for sharing this valuable info!
Marge Sweigart says
Hi Kimberly! This sounds great! I love that you can revive the charcoal by putting it in the sun. So cool that you can use it over and over. And I like that it just removes the odors and doesn’t add any kind of fragrance. Great find! Pinning this. Thanks!
Kimberly Button says
Thank you so much, Marge!!!!! Yes, we have one in our closet – and it works great. I love the renewable aspect of it, too – and that it saves money!! I appreciate it! 🙂