Share Your Knowledge on Odor Removal, Please

[JasmineTea]

We will be moving within the next couple of weeks, and I need advice regarding a cleaning issue.

Our new home is on a cattle farm, where there has been both dairy and beef cattle. One room in the barn, which is finished and had been used as a room to sell some dairy products, has a very unpleasant dairy-like odor. I plan to thoroughly clean that room this week. Does anyone know what we can use to remove the odor? I'm not quite sure the source of the smell. There is a big commercial stainless steel sink, some cupboards and a counter, two commercial refrigerators, and not much else.

I can make or purchase something for cleaning purposes.

Thanks in advance!

 

[FFLinOhio]

odor-mute is unscented and works well- you will need to add the powder to warm water then clean and soak surfaces. Odo-BAN a concentrate works well also but has a very strong fragrance.

 

[JasmineTea]

odor-mute is unscented and works well-

Thank you! I just ordered some some of the Odor Mute.

 

[FFLinOhio]

Thank you! I just ordered some some of the Odor Mute.

Depending on the odor ... It may take a few days for the odors to dissipate/disappear.

 

[TheGecko]

I use white vinegar for just about order removal.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

Odo-Ban works quite well. It's what crime scene clean up crews use when dead bodies need to be cleaned up. It works on pet odors too.

 

[Babyshoes]

I assume you mean a sour milk and other spoiled dairy products type of smell, rather than a bovine excrement type of smell...

Bicarbonate of soda is an old fashioned type of odour remover, leave it to sit in an open container in smelly areas like cabinets, or sprinkle over floors then vacuum after a day or two. I would use it after your other cleaning to help absorb faint lingering smells, rather than a first attempt in this situation.
You can also make a paste with water to scrub any difficult areas, then leave it to sit for a while. It's basic so especially good for acid type smells like sour milk. Spraying it with vinegar neutralises it, but creates a vigorous foaming action that can help to dislodge soaked in substances.

Another improvised cleaning product that works well for organic smells is biological washing powder, mixed to a thin paste with water and left to soak into stinky areas. Once it's dry, sweep or vacuum it up before cleaning any extra bits with water. The advantage of using an enzyme based cleaner, is that it actually breaks down the substance causing the smell at a molecular level, rather than trying to physically remove it or cover it up with another smell. It does need some warmth to work though, so if the building is cold, use warm (not hot) water to mix it up.

 

[JasmineTea]

@Babyshoes You introduced me to a new term: biological washing powder. I had to look that one up . Here in the US we just call everything that we use for washing laundry - laundry detergent. If we're wanting the detergent to have some special qualifications, we just read the label and decide if it's what we want or not. Thanks for the education!

The smell is not exactly sour milk, and it's definitely not bovine excrement (that smell is in the rest of the barn, and is actually preferable over the odd dairyish smell, to me, anyway). I'm not sure how to describe the smell, other than it definitely has a dairy element to it, and it is pervasive.

@TheGecko @CatahoulaBubble thanks for the cleaning tips. I have several options available now, should I need them.

 

[Rsapienza]

Not sure if this would help but have you looked into renting an ozonator?? I think that’s what they’re called. I once had a family of skunks living under my house. They had a run in with a possum and sprayed. The smell was so strong, my kids got sent home from school!! We could not get to the actual spot where they sprayed so we rented one of these and ran it for a few days. It definitely helped.

 

[user 49910]

It could be coming from the sink drain and/or floor drain. Check those also, perhaps a good flushing will help.
Believe it or not, baking soda works great as an odor neutralizer, especially in drains.

Also there is an aerosol product called OZIUM. It does not cover up bad smells, but eliminates them completely. Effective in reducing airborne bacteria and virus germs. Works great on smoke and other foul odors too.
A friend of mine in the 70's used to use it to cover up the strong odors of a natural herbal product that he smoked prodigiously in his college dorm room...

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Good old BLEACH is a wonderful cleaner & deodorizer. After a thorough cleaning this product works wonders w/ cleaning leaving a fresh orange scent, I love this product’ cleans all types of Yuk & smells fantastic, I bought mine from Amazon, a small amount gos a long way.

 

[FFLinOhio]

How did It go? did the odor dissipate?