Do you use scented sprays to cover up 'bathroom odors'?

@jesssp (2712)
Canada
January 22, 2010 6:11pm CST
I know that no one wants their house or workplace to smell like poo, but do the heavily scented sprays really make a positive difference? I use an unscented product at home called 'Air Sponge' which seems to remove the unpleasant smells but doesn't cover them up or just add another smell to the mix. At work we have a can of berry scented Air Effects and when someone sprays that stuff to cover up a bathroom smell the result makes me want to puke! Instead of smelling a slight poop smell it creates a stomach churning berry-poop scent. I would honestly rather smell the poop. Do you use scented sprays in the bathroom or does it gross you out? What products do you like and why? Any good alternatives to heavily scented cover up sprays? (Sorry for kick starting your weekend with such a gross discussion!)
7 people like this
29 responses
@ra1787 (501)
• Italy
23 Jan 10
I open the windows and that just works fine! 2 minutes and the air is completely pure without using any chemical product...
3 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Good point, it's a chemical.
1 person likes this
@shuyin101 (206)
• Philippines
23 Jan 10
We never really used a spray in our bathroom ever. We got this exhaust fan and a small window that we keep open so after when someone use the bathroom to poop, the smell will be gone after about 2-3 min.
2 people like this
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
23 Jan 10
I have this, too. I think every bathroom should have an exhaust fan and a window. Works really well, doesn't it?
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
26 Jan 10
An exhaust fan is definitely the best solution. We have one in the master bath at home and the ensuite has a window. I wish we had one or both of those things at work!
• Philippines
24 Jan 10
I think the window alone would work but after you used the toilet using the exhaust fan will do the job much faster.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
23 Jan 10
I use baking soda and vinegar. Vinegar is great for everything including bad smell. I have open boxes of baking soda in my kitchen and in my bathroom.
2 people like this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
26 Jan 10
almost everything!
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Those are my two favorite cleaning and air freshening items, too.
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
26 Jan 10
Gotta love vinegar. Is there anything you can't do with it?!
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Since I live alone and rarely have visitors I don't use any air fresheners but I do have a box of baking soda in the bathroom to absorb the odors of everything I do there. It smells fresh, not damp from the shower or icky from poo. Now, if I could just feed my dog Gus something to make his flatulence less stinky--he can clear a room in about 2 seconds and nothing I feed him does anything but make it worse!
2 people like this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
25 Jan 10
Oh, our one cat is like that. She loves to snuggle right up to you and as soon as she's comfy enough she lets one rip!
@Torunn (8609)
• Norway
23 Jan 10
My bathroom has a window, so if it is really bad it is best to close the door and just wait til the smell has drifted out. The window goes into a mini storage room that has a window to outside, so it might take a minute or two but I've never been bothered with smell from there. Except when my flatmate went home for a week and left her stew in a pot but not in the fridge. We threw it in the toilette but it smelled so bad we had to wash everything afterwards, and leave the veranda door open *yuck* Most cover-up smells make me sneeze so I don't use them.
2 people like this
24 Jan 10
Yes, Of Course! I Like Scented Sprays,and a Lot... Why? Because It Smells Great! Not All Kinds Of Course,But Most of Them... Best Brand Names Probably Will Be "AirWick" and "AmbiPure".
@cyberfluf (4996)
• Netherlands
24 Jan 10
This is a bit off topic but I love AirWicks and AmbiPure's air fresheners for the living room. I have one that burns some sort of scented oil, and the holder is also a small lamp. It looks very decorative and it spreads a lovely smell through the quarters where you put it. Not something you would want to put in the bathroom, but really a nice addition to any livingroom .
1 person likes this
@cyberfluf (4996)
• Netherlands
24 Jan 10
I haven't used a neutralizer yet but there is a product called 'Oust' that neutralizes odors aswell and which my parents used. Unfortunatly it is quite expensive, so for the time being I do have a can off lavender 'cover up' essence. It doesn't create a stomache turning smell, but sometimes when people use to much it can be a bit over the top and I see what you mean by 'I would rather smell the poop'. Neutralizers are better though, in my opinion, because they get rid of the actual smell rather than covering it up with an even stronger smell.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
28 Jan 10
I think that's a lot of the problem, people are just a little too heavy handed with the sprays. A little burst would probably be fine but practically emptying the can is just gross.
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Hi jess. Wow, what a discussion! LOL I don't use anything to cover up the smell. I just let it air out naturally! LOL I honestly cannot stand the smell of most of these sprays. It makes me way more nauseated than the poop smell itself. So I'd rather just deal with that, then some scented spray, that probably isn't good for us to breathe in anyway. Happy mylotting!
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
26 Jan 10
I don't mind a nice, light scent throughout the rest of the house but I just can't handle using 'pretty' scents to cover up bad ones. You just can't cover up a smell, you either have to get rid of it or deal with it.
@writersedge (22563)
• United States
23 Jan 10
I had a friend whose son worked in a plant that makes those sprays. He ended up with cancer. Some ingredient in them gave him the cancer. I'd rather just clean the bathroom and figure if it doesn't smell like flowers, it's because it's a bathroom and not a flower shop.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
28 Jan 10
Yes, I'm also of the mind that bathrooms tend to smell like bathrooms.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
23 Jan 10
U have just ruined my morning, teasing. I do use sprays, glade has a good citrus one but it's hard to find. I also use candles in the batromm. I have a pot that melts them. I'm afriad to leave one burning so this works real well.
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
28 Jan 10
I really like the tart burners too; so much better than a candle.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Since I live alone and hardly ever entertain. I really don't have that problem. Because your own poop doesn't smell as bad to you as do other people poop. . But I mostly burn scented candles. When the grandboys come to visit it really does smell pretty bad when they poop. A friend of mine told me about striking a match in the bathroom and that kills the scent. I have tried that and it really works. I have never heard of Air Sponge, I will check that one out. Thanks for sharing.
2 people like this
@olisaur (1922)
• United States
23 Jan 10
I so agree with you about the spray! The scents just mix with the original odors and make it worse. w
2 people like this
@denagary (88)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Well, yes I use the sprays..You have to experiment around to find the right spray scent. I agree with the others about it just being a coverup but I have 3 cats and 3 litter boxes anything is better than the smell of cat poop. Some people said they woud rather smell the poop well I can't stand that. Do you realize that the smell is actual fecal matter particles in the air that you are bringing into your body? At least I can fake myself out by spraying a little fabreeze so that I don't think about the fact that I am inhaling fecal matter into my nose everytime I smell it.
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
26 Jan 10
I use baking soda in the litter and it does help quite a bit. I also leave an opened box on the shelf above the litter box and make sure it gets cleaned at least every other day. But I do agree, ANYTHING is better than the smell of cat poop!
• United States
23 Jan 10
I would prefer to use unscented odor eliminators. Since you never know who may have an allergy to whatever scent spray one chooses to use. Plus if you use a scented spray, it seems to mix with the smell that's already there. And who wants a flowery poop smell? I find that Fabreeze works amazingly well in getting rid of the smells.
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
28 Jan 10
I love the Febreze fabric refresher but I find a lot of the room sprays have too strong a scent. I think there's a linen scented one I like but for the most part anything that smells overly floral, perfumey or edible I just can't stand.
@clocks123 (1225)
• United States
23 Jan 10
those heavily scented sprays and perfumes asphyxiate me. i use oust which has no odor but takes the smell out. i also open a window a small amount for awhile. they make me sick some of those smells from those sprays...
1 person likes this
@Reyah23 (640)
• Philippines
23 Jan 10
I use lysol spray on our bathroom or comfort room. It not only eliminate odor but it also eliminate bacteria. This is more effective than any scented spray that can be use in the comfort room.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
23 Jan 10
jesssp I also hate mixing sweet flowery scents with poop is just plain sickeningly gross. I like to use lysol spray as its clean and removes the pooh odor or fabreeze which also removes pooh odor and just leaves no scent at all.. Sometimes some houseplants absorb odors.Also putting charcoal in a saucer in a bathroom absorbs odors or a shallow dish of baking soda in water too.
1 person likes this
@jesssp (2712)
• Canada
26 Jan 10
Charcoal or baking soda would be a good idea for the bathroom here at work. I really don't care if the bathroom smells bad but I know it's embarrassing for some people, that's why they try to cover the smell with that awful spray!
@junmae (1586)
• Philippines
23 Jan 10
For me, scented sprays is very useful in eliminating odors especially on the bathrooms. We also use it in the office after we eat because of the smell of the food that was left.
1 person likes this
@atebuds (187)
• Philippines
23 Jan 10
Here's a tip. Just try it, and tell me if it works... For the smell of poop in the bathroom, after you're done, before opening the door, light a match. The smell of the newly lighted match will immediately remove the smell of poop. Now, for other parts of your house, any scented spray will do, or scented candle... You may want to keep it lighted as long as you check it out often. If you have to leave the house, blow the fire off, for safety.
1 person likes this
@janale6 (51)
23 Jan 10
well sometimes, if it already smells stinky that i have nothing to do but spray even my perfume. i always feel like taking a bath in our bathroom when it smells great^^
1 person likes this