DIY Carpet Deodorizer for Those Small-Scale TEOTWAWKI Situations

Just so you know, I am still in Blogger purgatory and cannot reply to any comments on articles.  

 

We have three Great Pyrenees.  For the uninitiated, those are very large dogs.  Most humans recognize them as outdoor dogs.  They’re livestock guardian dogs and should live their lives outside guarding the livestock.  My husband promised us that when we moved to our current location, he would make sure we had a fence to contain the dogs. 

The new house did not come with a fence.

My husband, children, and some missionaries from church put up a fence shortly after we moved in.  No one would call it a professional job, but it was ok for being on a somewhat steep mountain littered with boulders and other large rocks. 

Naturally, the Pyrenees were offended that we presumed to think that fence would keep them in.  And we were fools to think that the Pyrenees would at least prefer roaming in the national forest lands on the back side of the property to annoying the neighbors down below. 

A professional fence to contain them would run $10-20,000.  They weren’t going to live that long, and while we have enjoyed having Pyrenees, we’re too old to deal with the most stubborn dogs on the planet again.  When we get another dog, it will be something a little more trainable.

So the Pyrenees became indoor dogs.  And my husband has a very sensitive nose.  Not a great combination. 

He loves the very expensive boxes of Arm & Hammer carpet deodorizer.  After being laid off last month (the small-scale TEOTWAWKI mentioned in the title—that’s life when working in the mining industry), he doesn’t get to buy it anymore.  Fortunately, while going through my dilapidated family recipe book, I came across a recipe for a homemade alternative. 

Carpet Deodorizer

½ cup baking soda

½ cup cornstarch

10-15 drops essential oil  (double or triple this for those who require a stronger fragrance presence)

In a pint canning jar, combine the baking soda and cornstarch.  Shake to distribute evenly, and then add the essential oil and shake again.  Use a Parmesan cheese plastic shaker lid (they fit regular mouth canning jars perfectly!) to sprinkle mixture on the carpet.  Let sit for 15-30 minutes before vacuuming.

Aaron’s review:  It’s a far finer powder that doesn’t come out perfectly uniformly.  The commercial stuff looks more like sugar and shakes out perfectly uniformly for even distribution.  There’s no fragrance to this homemade alternative.

My review:  So basically (and I knew this was going to happen), he misses that it lacks that commercial super-strong-in-your-face odor.  Naturally, that is what I love most about it.  The fact that it is so inexpensive to make at home runs a close second.