I put bowls of baking soda under every bed in my house for 14 days. This is what happened

The notion of using baking soda as a deodorizer is not new, but its effectiveness in a real-life setting intrigued me. Baking soda is a natural compound that is safe to use around pets and children, making it an appealing option. It works by neutralizing odor molecules, rather than just masking them, which suggests a more enduring effect. Given that each bedroom in my house seemed to have its own distinct smell—from the slightly musty guest room to the pet-friendly den—I was eager to see how well baking soda would perform over a two-week period.

To ensure consistency, I used identical bowls across all rooms, each filled with one cup of baking soda. I strategically placed the bowls under the center of each bed to maximize exposure to the surrounding air. My home includes three bedrooms and a small guest room, so four bowls were used in total. Prior to starting the experiment, I vacuumed and aired out each room to create a baseline for smell and cleanliness.