How can I make my house smell fresh? Kick out those old, sour odors, and make your smell feel fresh with a few simple steps. First, deodorize your home with baking soda, clean your home, and add fresh scents. You need baking soda, a vacuum cleaner, bleach, rags, scented candles, cloves or cinnamon, and an orange. How do I get the fishy smell out of my car? What causes a rotten egg smell in a house? How do you get the smell of smoke out of a house? Deodorize your homeDeodorize your home by sprinkling baking soda over soft surfaces, such as couches, carpets, furniture and rugs. The baking soda absorbs and traps in the odors. Allow the baking soda to sit for awhile, preferably overnight. Vacuum up the baking soda.Clean upScrub the hard surfaces of your home with a bleach solution. Mix 1 part of bleach for 10 parts of water. Wet a rag with the solution. Scrub all the hard surfaces with the rag, such as wood floors, cabinets, doors and walls. The bleach leaves a crisp scent behind.

Add fresh scentsAfter your home has been deodorized and cleaned, add fresh scents by lighting some scented candles. If you don't have fresh candles, you can make your own scent by adding cloves, cinnamon and an orange to a pot of simmering water. Another option is to place some vanilla on light bulbs before turning on the lights. Learn more about Smell Removal How do I get rid of house mildew smell? The smell of mildew permeates your whole house. Get rid of the smell by discovering its source. Clean the location with bleach, and use baking soda to prev... How do you get rid of the smoke smell in a house? Remove the smell of smoke from your house by running an air purifier for several days, washing the walls and vacuuming and deodorizing the carpet. How can you get the skunk smell out of your house? You can remove the skunk smell from a house by placing open containers of vinegar around the affected room. Put on rubber gloves and scrub hard surfaces us...

How do you get rid of a musty smell in the house? Get rid of a musty smell in a house by using odor absorbers, cleaning the area well, ventilating the house and turning on a dehumidifer. This timing of thi... What's a good way to get porch plans for a country house? What are some tips for selling your house? How do you apply stucco to a house exterior? How is a house tested for black mold? What causes a mildew smell in washing machine? How do you get rid of a musty smell in the house?Why Does My Vacuum Smell Like Burnt Rubber? Vacuum cleaners contain multiple components that work together to provide suction to remove dust, dirt and debris from your home’s flooring. A vacuum cleaner’s belt helps turn the brush roller that helps guide debris into the appliance. When a problem occurs during the vacuuming process, a burning smell may develop, indicating a component is failing to operate properly. A stuck or broken belt is one reason your vacuum cleaner may be omitting a smell of burning rubber.

Turn off and unplug your vacuum cleaner, and see if the belt is broken or if there is string, carpet fiber or hair keeping the belt from moving the brush roller. Pull out any strings, fibers or hair from the brush roller, or replace the belt if needed.handheld vacuum cleaner whirlpool If you are vacuuming an area rug or vacuuming over an object that becomes lodged between the brush roller and belt, your vacuum cleaner will emit a burning odor. rainbow vacuum cleaner for mattressTurn off and unplug your vacuum cleaner, and slowly pull the rug or object from your vacuum cleaner.continental vacuum cleaner A brush roller that is broken in half or not turning will also emit a burning odor. Turn off and unplug the appliance to check the condition of the brush roller.

Replace the roller, if needed, or have the vacuum cleaner inspected by an authorized service center. If the belt and brush roller are working properly but you still smell burning rubber, the problem is a possible faulty motor. Have the vacuum cleaner inspected by an authorized service center. Change your vacuum cleaner’s belt at least once a year if it is a rubber belt that stretches. If your belt is metal and on a gear assembly, replace it according to the recommended time in your vacuum cleaner’s owner’s manual; metal belts are long lasting. Info-Vacuum-Cleaner: Vacuum Cleaner FAQ Info-Vacuum-Cleaner: Oreck Vacuum Cleaner FAQ A vacuum cleaner must deal with dirt, grime, pet hair and a host of other problematic materials. Although a motor that has... Why Does My Vacuum Smell Like Burnt Rubber? Cause of Smelly Vacuum Cleaner Bags. My Vacuum Cleaner Smells Like It Is Burning.... My Vacuum Cleaner Smells Like It Is Burning; The History of the Hoover Vacuum Cleaner;

... all of which create a sudden...Why Does My Motor Get Hot in My Vacuum Cleaner? Vacuum cleaners contain multiple components that work together to provide suction to remove dust,... The Bissell steam cleaner uses hot water and steam to clean and sanitize hard floors and other hard surfaces. Burning Smell From My Hoover Vacuum Cleaner. Burning Smell From My Hoover Vacuum Cleaner. Hoover vacuums pick up dirt from our homes,... Burning smells in your clothes dryer can signify a simple, easily-fixed problem, or something much more serious. Burning Smell from a...What Is the Drive Belt on the Vacuum Cleaner? Why Does My Vacuum Belt Keep Breaking? How to Troubleshoot a Vacuum Cleaner How to Repair a Vacuum Cleaner How to Replace the Belt on a Panasonic Vacuum How Does a Vacuum Work?Those of you who read our articles regularly, know that we are a small, U.S. Veteran-Owned company in Southern California, and pride ourselves in giving people honest, straight answers to their questions.  

This will be no different.  So, what is dirty sock syndrome?  “Dirty Sock Syndrome” is when your air conditioner gives off a foul, moldy or mildew-like smell when you turn it on.  If you notice that your house smells like your son just put his gym socks into your air conditioner or if your house generally smells musky or like a gymnasium when your air conditioner kicks on, then you could have dirty sock syndrome.  I think it is important for me to point out at this point that no, I am not joking.  This is a real problem that people face and it is actually called ‘Dirty Sock Syndrome’ in the HVAC industry.  In Santa Clarita, we get questions about this from time-to-time, usually in the springtime when people are transitioning their HVAC units from heating to cooling mode.  So, what causes dirty sock syndrome, and is it dangerous to me or my family?  In this article we will briefly explain what it is, what causes it, if dirty sock syndrome is dangerous, and what you can do to fix it.

Dirty sock syndrome is the foul, moldy smelling odor that comes from your air conditioner when you first turn it on.  It is caused by the build up of mold and bacteria on your evaporator coil.  Mold and mildew can grow due to the moisture that builds up on your coil through continued use, is fueled by the dust that collects in your air conditioner over time from inadequate filtration and is especially common when your unit goes from a period of heating to cooling.  Especially in the Springtime in Southern California and the southern states, it is not uncommon for the heat to be on in the night and morning, only to transition to a period of cooling later in the day.  This heat mixed with dust and moisture in the darkness of your AC unit is the perfect recipe for dirty sock syndrome.  These are some of the reasons that it is so important to prevent mold and to provide adequate filtration for the air entering your air conditioner.  In fact, did you know that the air conditioning filter that you replace every few months is actually for your air conditioner, not for you?  

Here are a couple of articles on preventing mold in your AC unit and how to properly choose your air conditioning filter: How Do You Prevent Mold? These 5 Tips Can Help. Air Conditioning Filter – How Dirt and Debris Can Affect Your Air Conditioning System. Before going to general quarters, it is important to rule out some other possibilities before jumping to the conclusion that you have dirty sock syndrome.  Here are a few things to rule out before calling your local HVAC contractor: If you have done these things and are still suffering from moldy, noxious smells when your air conditioner kicks on, then it might be time to call your local HVAC contractor.  For information on choosing the right contractor, make sure you take a look at: How to Choose a Contractor – 5 Tips You Must Know. The short answer is, it depends.  Usually the answer is no, dirty sock syndrome is not dangerous.  Dirty sock syndrome is caused by a variety of bacteria and mildews, none of which are harmful to your health under normal circumstances (normal immune system, etc).  

Where you can get into a dangerous area is if mold gets introduced into your HVAC system and begins to grow.  Mold can be a health risk to you and your family and should be handled appropriately.  Don’t go crazy just yet though – as a general rule, the CDC reports that most molds are only mildly toxic to humans and that symptoms in even heavily infested homes rarely progress past chronic coughing and wheezing.  This is obviously not desirable though, so mold should be reported to your landlord or properly handled as soon as possible.  After I just got your blood pressure up, it is important to keep in mind that just because you have dirty sock syndrome doesn’t mean that you have mold, so don’t go off the deep end; just open up your system and see what you’re dealing with. Where we start to run into problems with dirty sock syndrome is if someone in your family suffers from asthma, severe allergies or has a compromised immune system (chemotherapy, etc).  For instance, my wife suffers from moderate asthma and we take mold and allergens very seriously because we have to, using only high-quality air filters and I even clean our evaporator coil once every few months (I’ll show you how to do this in the next section).  

We’ve added a stand-alone air purifier to our bedroom and a UV air purifier to the air conditioner as well just to be safe and it works pretty well for us.  You have customizable options – your household might be different, so it is worth a little looking into (if you have questions, just give us a call and ask).  Dirty sock syndrome doesn’t automatically mean that you have mold, but it does mean that your AC unit is providing the right conditions for mold to grow and thrive, so keep an eye on it.  We will address how to deal with it in the next section. Dirty sock syndrome isn’t usually dangerous and it isn’t going to kill you, but you should still address it if it becomes a problem to say nothing of the fact that it just plain stinks!  For more information on mold and possible side affects of living with mold, take a look at the CDC: If you have a loved one who suffers from severe allergies or from asthma, try reading up on this: How to Reduce Asthma Symptoms and How Your Air Conditioner Can Help.

The most important factor in preventing dirty sock syndrome is to make sure that you choose a high-quality air conditioning filter.  Mold, mildew and bacteria need dust and other porous substances to thrive.  Removing these from the air before they get into your coils is one of the key ways to prevent dirty sock syndrome. The second way to prevent mold and bacteria from growing on your cooling coils (called evaporator could) is to use a UV air purifier.  These air purifiers have been used in hospitals for decades and quickly kill bacteria, mold and it’s spores.  At All Systems Mechanical, we install a UV air purifier on any job where our client reports allergy, asthma problems or a compromised immune system, so it might be worth asking your HVAC contractor if you have a problem with these as well.  There are several companies on the market that make UV air purifiers, but I have always been a fan of Honeywell.  They make quality products and are reliable.  A list of their UV air purifiers can be found below:

Start by checking your drainage pan for standing water and make sure it is draining properly.  You can buy dissolvable tablets at a hardware store or online that will keep these drains clear.  After ruling out the drainage pan and other possible contributing factors, you should start by adding the preventative measures listed above (quality air filter and UV air purifier) as these are key to keeping it from coming back (what’s the point of cleaning it if it is just going to be back in a few months).  Then, you’ll have to clean your evaporator coil to get rid of the dirt, mold and bacteria that is already there – here’s how: Is dirty sock syndrome dangerous?  Not usually, but it can be annoying and downright embarrassing.  After all, who wants their house to smell like a locker room?  These smells and odors are a direct result of the mold and bacteria that can collect in your air conditioner, but there are several ways to prevent and treat them.  If something your contractor is telling you doesn’t seem quite right, or you need a second opinion, consider using our Online Air Conditioning Consultation Service.