Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Many carpet cleaning companies (i.e. that come to your home) also clean
    furniture... they could probably clean the whole sofa for a fairly
    decent price, as long as the sofa is of the type that can be cleaned.
    

    Try using a carpet fresher on the sofa and the carpet.  Some of them
    have baking soda in them. I have tried this before and it worked for
    me.  It is worth a try before spending all the cash to have it
    professionally done. 

    After spending $26 on "professional" cleaning supplies, I was ready to
    give the carpet and furniture a heavy duty cleaning.  We took down the
    tree Saturday and to my surprise... discovered the source of the awful
    sick smell.  To my amazement, the water/sugar combination at the base
    of the Christmas tree stand was what had turned so sour smelling!  It
    was just awful! 
    
    With the tree removed and the carpet vac'd, the living room is now odor
    free!  Strange, indeed!
    
    Thanks for all the suggestions.  I'm so happy that's all it was!
    
    Rgds,
    marcia

    
    I've had that happen before.  Some awful odor and not sure where it
    came from.  Turned out that a vase full of water and some old dying 
    cut flowers stunk.  It was an awful smell.
    

    Marcia,
    Glad you found the source of the odor.  But I can't believe you don't
    have some "Odormute" or "Nature's Miracle" laying around the house? For
    those of you who don't own pets, these products can be purchased at pet
    supply stores, and work wonders for removing what I call "biological"
    odors, from both pets and spit-uppy babies.  My son spit up constantly
    until he was about 1 year old, and we could count on him to overshoot
    the burp cloth at least once a day.  
    Sarah

    Is the sofa near a heating vent or something like that?  We've
    found that sometimes after we have something smelly in the house,
    the forced hot air system will spread it all through the house, so
    it seems to come from whatever is nearest the vent.  Usually goes
    away if we open the windows and air everything out (turn the heat
    down first so you aren't heating up the great outdoors). 
    
    --bonnie

    Ref'g the flower vase...  carnations leave that awful smell!!!  And
    it's BAD!!!  I always try to change the water or rid the flowers before
    they turn brown on the edges.  Wow, just thinking about it makes me
    sick!
    
    Sonia

    
    While on the subject of removing odors....
    
    I bought a used playpen to leave at my moms to use as a crib.
    It smells TERRIBLE.  I completely soaked it down with bleach/water
    and watched the dirt roll off.  It is clean, but still smells.
    I tried Lysol (disinfectant in brown bottle) but that didn't work.
    You can't even bring it in the house.  Last week my mom purchased
    a new pad and that helps a lot.  She says it smells like mildew.
    The plastic/vinyl around the top and the mesh both smell.
    
    Any suggestions before I throw it out?  
    
    
    Thanks
    

    Sunshine usually kills mildew, so you could leave it outside in
    the sun for several hours.  Freezing won't hurt it, but keep it
    dry.  At this time of year in New England you might have to put it
    out for two or three days in a row. 
    
    --bonnie

    Baking soda will generally neutralize most odors, and particularly well
    on mildew odors.  I use a solution of one part Baking soda and 3 parts
    water.  I won't have to be rinsed off generally.
    
    Now as for that terribly smelly house, take that awful tree outside and
    cut off some of the pine branches, chip them off if you've got a hand
    held hatchett,  *voila*  pine chips for freshening.  Just put them in a
    paper cup, or if you're creative sew a small pouch, and drop it into
    the Cold air exchanger of your heating system if you have forced air.
    That way you're circulating pine fresh air.
    
    In our house, once a month I turn off all the heat usually on a high
    wind day, and air out all the rooms for a period of an hour.  I call it
    getting rid of all the winter germs day.  After that the house just
    kind of smells nice and "outdoorsie".  
    
    Oh and if you have indoor pets, don't forget to pull down the screens
    while the windows are open!
    
    Lyn

    Remember that "20 mule team" Borax?
    
    I bought some to use in the laundry for it's brightening
    abilities, but it also has about 1000 other household uses.  Among them, 
    odor removing.  It should work.  (I hear you can also sprinkle it
    around your house foundation to keep the black ants away, I have a
    friend who swears by it).
    
    Nancy
        
    

    After the stomach flu made the rounds in our house, I discovered
    the effectiveness of Resolve, a spot cleaner for carpets.  It
    not only cleaned up the last of the stain, but left a nice, fresh
    scent.  And believe me, I had to use it on several rooms..  :-(