One of the great strengths of diatomaceous earth is its absorbent, porous structure, which allows it to absorb odors. By simply placing a small, open container of diatomaceous earth in the vicinity of a bad smell, you can both deodorize and help prevent the smell from returning.
This can be especially useful in small spaces like your bread box. Here's how:
You Will Need:
- Food grade diatomaceous earth
- Vinegar
- Cheesecloth
- A twisty tie
- A cooling rack
Step 1:
Clean out your bread box. Using vinegar and warm water, scrub out any mold or residue in the box. This will help kill any odor-causing bacteria. If you have a serious buildup of mold or residue you can add some DE to the mixture of vinegar and warm water to aid the scrubbing.
Step 2:
Put 2 or 3 tablespoons of DE in the middle of your cheesecloth (make sure the cloth is fairly breathable). Wrap the cloth around the DE and tie off the top with the twisty tie. Once the bread box has dried, place the small pouch of DE in the bread box.
Step 3:
Place the cooling rack in the bread box over the cloth with DE. This will keep DE from getting on your bread.
Step 4:
Use your bread box as normal. After about a month, wash or replace your cheesecloth and repeat these steps with fresh DE.
Note:
You can also adapt this technique to deodorize other tight spaces in your home.