People use vacuum cleaners to remove dust and dirt over time, but it’s inevitable that they may develop unpleasant odors. An expert suggests that by adding a common household item to the vacuum cleaner, you can eliminate odors, create a fresh scent in your home, and also disinfect, achieving multiple benefits.
According to a report by the UK’s Daily Express, after years of use, many vacuum cleaners start to emit unpleasant odors. Dust, dirt, mud, pet hair, and general grime and sticky substances all contribute to indoor air not staying fresh. Sometimes, just half an hour of vacuuming can lead to lingering odors in your home.
In response to this issue, cleaning experts recommend adding cinnamon powder, a common spice, to the vacuum cleaner to alleviate odors and leave a fresh scent in your home.
Adding cinnamon powder to the vacuum cleaner has two main benefits. Firstly, every time you vacuum, it will release a fresh scent throughout the house. Secondly, cinnamon powder has antibacterial properties, meaning harmful bacteria in carpets will be killed.
To use cinnamon to create a pleasant aroma from your vacuum cleaner, soak a small cloth or pad in warm water. Then, sprinkle approximately 10 grams (about two teaspoons) of cinnamon powder onto the damp cloth or pad and gently rub to ensure even distribution.
Once the cloth or pad is prepared, simply place it into the vacuum cleaner’s dust collector or bag. If your vacuum cleaner does not have a dust collector or bag, you can place the cloth or pad in the waste/trash area to not interfere with the vacuuming process.
Next, use the vacuum cleaner as usual to clean. During this process, the cloth or pad infused with cinnamon powder will continuously release a warm, bakery-like scent, neutralizing any unpleasant odors.
Daily Express editor Alex Evans shared his experience of using baking soda to clean his carpet after his baby had an unexpected accident. However, a week later, he still noticed a somewhat stale, lingering smell, prompting him to test the cinnamon powder method in the vacuum cleaner.
Based on his hands-on test, Evans found that this method truly eliminates odors and leaves a fragrant scent in the home.
Evans quoted cleaning experts explaining that the principle behind this method is that cinnamon powder neutralizes odors at the source, leaving a subtle, warm scent that is more pleasant and longer-lasting than synthetic fragrances.
According to a scientific journal report, cinnamon possesses antimicrobial properties. Cinnamon bark is often used as a spice and in traditional medicine. It contains various antibacterial compounds such as flavonoids, saponins, and cinnamaldehyde. Several studies have confirmed its antibacterial effects on bacteria like Streptococcus in vitro.
Apart from using damp cloths or pads, Evans also mentioned another method of using cinnamon powder – by directly vacuuming it up from the carpet.
Evans stated that he tried both methods, and neither caused the vacuum cleaner to malfunction, while also diffusing the scent of cinnamon powder. However, he felt the scent was subdued, so he increased the amount used to over 10 grams, finding that it enhanced the scent and effectively removed odors like dust, baby vomit, and bicarbonate of soda.
Therefore, he suggests that if you want a stronger cinnamon scent, use more cinnamon powder.