How to Make Your Garage Smell Good? (7 Effective Ways!)

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How to Make Your Garage Smell Good?

You could be spending a considerable amount of time in your garage, working on your favorite DIY project or working out in the garage gym. You sure don’t want your garage stinking. But how to make your garage smell good? 

The top 6 types of unpleasant odors that can typically plague your garage:

1. Musty Smell
2. Gas Smell
3. Chemical Smell
4. Garbage Smell
5. Sweat Smell
6. Pet Urine Smell

In this post I will tell you the steps you can take to eliminate these odors as well as tips to prevent such unpleasant smells in the future. I also tell you some simple housekeeping practices that will make your garage smell good!

1. How Do I Get Musty Smell Out of a Garage?

Musty smell in your garage is a sure sign of mold infestation. High humidity, poor ventilation, warmth and darkness are conducive to mold growth. 

Mold grows easily on cardboard & wood but can also be found on paint, wallpaper, drywall, carpet, fabric & upholstery.

The musty smell and the unsightly mold patches are a health risk as well. Mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash.

To get rid of the musty smell you have to remove mold from garage walls and any other locations.

My top tips for preventing mold growth and the resulting musty smell are:

1. Replace cardboard or wood storage boxes with airtight plastic storage bins.
2. Store sports gear, camping gear, etc. only after cleaning & drying them out.
3. Waterproofing the garage foundation and garage walls will reduce the risk of mold growth in your garage.
4. Use mold resistant drywall on your garage walls. They may cost a bit more than standard drywall but will more than pay for the additional cost in the long run.
5. Keep the garage floor dry as far as possible. The damp from the garage floor can wick into drywall. Wet floors also increase humidity in the garage. Garage floors must have good drainage.
6. Use Dehumidifiers to reduce garage humidity when required.

2. How Do I Stop My Garage from Smelling Like Gas?

Is It Normal for a Garage to Smell Like Gas? A bit maybe. But an overpowering smell of gas in your garage is both unpleasant and a cause for worry. 

The most likely source of gas smell is, of course, your cars. But scooters, lawn mowers, and gas stored in canisters can also contribute. The first thing you must do is find the leaks and plug them.  

Do not start a leaking car. Call the car service station and have them tow it away for a thorough inspection.

Gas, engine oil or grease spills should be cleaned up as soon as possible. Sprinkle clay kitty litter over the spill and let it sit for a day. Remove and dispose. Clean up the stain with a water and soap solution using a stiff plastic brush.

Prevent gas smell in your garage by:

1. Regular servicing of cars
2. Sealing or Epoxy Coating the concrete garage floor. Concrete is porous and will absorb gas spills. The gas smell is difficult to get rid of.
3. Air out the garage drip mats as often as possible. Replace them with new ones if the gas smell is persistent.

3. How Do I Get Rid of Chemical Smell in My Garage?

Chemical smells in a garage are the result of improper storage of household chemicals such as paint, household cleaners, yard supplies, etc.

To prevent smell of chemicals in your garage make sure that

1. Lids of partially used paint cans are closed tight. 
2. Pesticides & other yard supplies are stored in airtight plastic bins

Clean up as soon as possible if there are spills.

4. How Do I Stop My Garage from Smelling Like Garbage?

Avoid keeping the trash cans in the garage if possible. Quite often it is possible to build or buy a lean to shed attached to the garage where the trash cans can be stored. 

HOMSPARK Storage Shed can store two 32 gallon trash cans and can be kept outside as it is weather resistant, durable and has stylish looks.

If you must keep the trash cans inside the garage make sure that you

1. Use tough garbage bags and tie them securely before placing in the trash can
2. Use many small garbage bags rather than a few bigger bags so that you can seal the bags sooner
3. Use a high quality model such as Rubbermaid Commercial FG614600BEIG HDPE Step-On Mobile Trash Can
4. Place old newspapers sprinkled with baking soda powder in the trash can to absorb the odor
5. Alternatively, use a Garbage Bin Deodorizer patch such as Stick-on Patch to absorb & eliminate odors for good
6. Give the trash cans a good hosing down after the trash day so that no garbage residue is left sticking to them

5. How Do I Get Rid of the Smell of Sweat Fast?

Your garage could be smelling of sweat, if you have a garage gym. Or you may be just dumping your workout clothes or outdoor sports gear in the garage before they are washed.

Whatever the reason sweat stinks and your garage will too! Fortunately there are some easy solutions.

If you have a garage gym these tips will help you reduce sweat smell.

1. Wipe all equipment with a wet towel after use.
2. Install an Air Purifier.

Always keep a bowl of distilled white vinegar in your garage. Vinegar is a powerful deodorizer and will absorb sweat odor and keep your garage smelling good. Baking soda works too but is less effective than vinegar.

6. How Do I Get Pet Odor Out of Concrete?

Dogs and cats, even well trained ones, will pee or poop on the garage floor at times. Mop up as much as you can using toilet paper. 

Common household detergents & soaps do not work on dog or cat pee. You must use an enzyme-based product, such as Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator, that breaks down the bacteria in the urine and neutralizes the odor. 

Pet urine penetrates unsealed concrete garage floors and breeds bacteria. The smell will then last forever. So make sure that the concrete floor is sealed and epoxy coated.

Another preventive solution is to keep a wee pad for your pet in the garage and train them to use it.

7. Basic Housekeeping Tips for a Garage

Treat your garage as a part of the living space of your home to make your garage smell good. The 5S method started by Toyota Japan works for your garage too!

The 5S pillars, Sort (Seiri), Set in Order (Seiton), Shine (Seiso), Standardize (Seiketsu), and Sustain (Shitsuke), provide a methodology for organizing, cleaning, developing, and sustaining a productive work environment.

Source: EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency)

In the garage setting

1. Sort (Seiri): Do not declutter your home only to clutter up your garage. The less stuff you have in your garage, the easier it will be to organize & store it.
2. Set in Order (Seiton): The concept of organizing can be expressed in the phrase “a place for everything & everything in its place”.
3. Shine (Seiso): Every now and then have a “Big Clean Up”. Twice a year is a good idea! 
4. Standardize (Seiketsu): Regular cleaning of the garage will make it smell good too. Have a cleaning routine that is specific to an activity & time.
5. Sustain (Shitsuke): Make housekeeping of your garage a part of your lifestyle.

In addition, here are a couple of tips that will help in making your garage smell really good!

Odor Absorbers: Air fresheners seem to be the solution in case of bad smell, but in fact they just “mask” the bad smell. 

Odor absorbers, however, will “eliminate” the bad smell in your garage. Keeping a bowl or two of Distilled White Vinegar or Baking Soda is very effective. Activated charcoal is good too.

Sunlight & Fresh Air: UV in sunlight will kill mold and a lot of other bacteria. Fresh air improves circulation. Together they are a natural & free way to eliminate the bad smell from your garage.

Air out your garage whenever you can.

Thank you very much for reading the post. I do hope you found it informative and useful.