How to Get Rid of Ammonia Smell

Your house is exposed to various chemicals and pollutants that release different odors. Some of these odors can be toxic, while odors are just pungent and unpleasant. If you want to know how to get rid of ammonia smell, then you’re in the right spot.

The smell of ammonia can come from different sources inside your house. But, sometimes, the ammonia odor can cause some health problems. This is when this colorless gas lingers in the air and stays in your home’s environment for too long.

Ammonia can affect your skin, eyes, nose, and throat. If there are high levels of ammonia in the air inside your home, then we recommend getting rid of the smell. For that reason, we bring you this blog where we’ll give you some tips on ammonia odor removal. Keep reading to learn more!

What Causes Ammonia Odor?

Ammonia has an unmistakable odor that people recognize as soon as they are exposed to the chemical. However, you will only start smelling it until there are high levels of it in the air.

The odor will linger inside your home for a long time if there is not a lot of ventilation. The duration of the smell will also depend on the levels of ammonia that were released inside your home. So, we recommend keeping your home well ventilated.

When dealing with an unpleasant ammonia odor, you must know where it is coming from. The smell could be the cause of several sources. If you don’t know the origin, then you’ll be trying to get rid of ammonia all the time.

Below, you’ll find some of the most common sources of ammonia odor.

Pet Urine

If you have a pet at home, then you can be sure that you’ll have some ammonia in the air. This is because ammonia is a byproduct of pet urine.

Cat urine odors are more common to have ammonia than other pet waste. This is because cat urine has high levels of urea, which is a compound of ammonia. As a result, this produces a strong smell that stays mostly on your cat’s litter box if the waste stays there for an extended period.

Removing the urine smell will depend on how well you clean up after your pet’s waste. If you don’t want to have high levels of ammonia inside your house, then clean up your cat’s urine as often as possible.

Household Cleaning Products

What most people don’t know is that the majority of household cleaning products contain ammonia. This chemical is used on many cleaning products because it can clean glass and mirrors without streaking.

It can also cut through tough grease and stains, kill mildew, and disinfect surfaces. Even though it has many cleaning benefits, ammonia can be harmful to your health. How severe the effects it has on your health will depend on the quantity and duration of ammonia exposure.

If you use a cleaning product that contains ammonia, then we recommend you keep your house well-ventilated. Also, make sure to avoid any product spills by adequately closing the lids and keeping them in a safe place.

If you want to avoid ammonia altogether, you can find some great alternatives for all your cleaning needs.

Leaking Refrigerant

Older household refrigerators used to store ammonia as a coolant. Nowadays, refrigerators use other types of coolants such as Freon. Refrigerators tend to leak sometimes. If you have an older fridge, then beware of leaking refrigerant as it may contain ammonia.

Fertilizer

The smell of ammonia can also come from fertilizer used under or around your home. About 80% of manufactured ammonia is used as fertilizer. So, if you’ve laid fertilizer near your house, you may start smelling the ammonia over time.

Tips for How to Get Rid of Ammonia Smell

Now that you know the sources, it’s time to see what you can do for ammonia odor removal.

If you want to know how to get rid of ammonia smell, you’ll need white vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide. Use vinegar to spray the area with the odor. The baking soda will remove the smell from carpets. Mix the peroxide with water to clean the area with ammonia.

Vinegar for Ammonia Odor Removal

If you’ve cleaned your house thoroughly but still have cat urine odors, then we recommend white vinegar. White vinegar will get rid of the smell as well as any ammonia odor left behind.

Besides ammonia, vinegar can remove various odors from many surfaces as it contains acetic acid.

Place the white vinegar on a bottle and spray the area where the ammonia odor is the strongest. Make sure that the white vinegar you’re using is pure and undiluted. Let the area dry and reapply until you can’t smell the ammonia anymore.

Baking Soda Helps to Get Rid of the Smell

If you’re removing the urine smell from your house but have not been successful, then we recommend you try baking soda. It will also help to get rid of the ammonia odor.

You can use baking soda to remove odors from carpets. This includes any ammonia smell. What you need to do is cover the carpet with a thin layer of baking soda. Then work the powder into the carpet fibers with a brush or small broom. Leave it for 24 hours and clean it with a vacuum.

The baking soda should absorb the ammonia smell. But, if the odor remains, repeat the process as many times as needed.

Hydrogen Peroxide Will Get Rid of the Smell of Ammonia

Many people like to keep a bottle of hydrogen peroxide in medicine cabinets. This is because it helps clean and disinfect scratches or scrapes of dirt, bacteria, and germs. What many people don’t know is that hydrogen peroxide also helps in getting rid of the smell of ammonia.

Dilute the hydrogen peroxide with water (70% water and 30% peroxide). Then dampen a cloth with the mixture and blot the surface with ammonia. After this, rinse the area with cool water. Repeat the process until you can’t smell the ammonia anymore.

Now, you know how to get rid of ammonia smell and where it may come from. If you don’t want to be exposed to high levels of this chemical and for a long time, then you should consider the tips we discussed here.

For more information or help, be sure to contact our experts for our cleaning services.