Bird smells in a home can be unpleasant and difficult to remove. Birds like parrots, cockatiels and finches are popular pets but their cages can give off an ammonia-like odor from bird droppings. Birds can also leave droppings around the house if they are free-flying. The good news is there are several effective methods to get rid of bird smells from your house.
What Causes Bird Smells?
Bird droppings and cages are the main culprits for unpleasant bird odors. Here’s why:
– Bird droppings contain uric acid which breaks down into ammonia. This gives off a strong, pungent smell.
– Old droppings and urine accumulate in cage litter and begin to smell.
– Feed, feathers, dander and other debris in cages also start to smell over time.
– Droppings that fall outside of cages can get ground into carpets and fabrics, leaving smells.
So to get rid of bird smells, you need to clean cages thoroughly and use odor removal methods for any affected areas in the home.
Tips for Cleaning Bird Cages
Regular cleaning and maintenance are key to preventing bird odors in cages. Here are some tips:
Clean the cage weekly
– Remove all droppings, uneaten food and feather debris weekly. Scrub the cage interior with soap and water.
Replace cage litter frequently
– Use cage liners or bird cage litter like aspen chips, corn cob or pine pellets. Replace every 2-3 days.
Wash all accessories
– Wash food bowls, perches, toys and other items weekly with soap and water. Rinse well.
Use cage fresheners
– Bird cage deodorizers and enzyme cleaners help control odors between cleanings. Look for natural options.
Air out the cage
– Place the cage in a well-ventilated area and allow to fully dry between cleanings. Sunlight also deodorizes.
Cleaning Droppings Around Your Home
It’s inevitable that some bird droppings will end up outside the cage. Here’s how to clean them up:
Clean up droppings quickly
-Pick up droppings right away so they don’t get ground in and smell. Use gloves and paper towels.
Pre-treat the area
-Use an enzyme cleaner or pet odor remover to break down odors and lift droppings.
Shampoo carpets and rugs
-Use an carpet shampoo machine to deep clean carpets if bird droppings accumulated.
Wash fabrics
-Machine wash any curtains, pillowcases or other fabrics with droppings. Use an enzymatic cleaner in the wash.
Repaint stained walls
-Repaint any walls stained by excessive bird droppings. Use odor sealing primer first.
Using Odor Removal Products
Using the right products can help get rid of lingering bird smells around your home. Here are some to try:
Baking soda
Sprinkle baking soda liberally on carpets and fabrics. Let sit for 15 minutes before vacuuming. The soda will absorb odors.
White vinegar
Wipe down hard surfaces with undiluted white vinegar. It cuts through odors and disinfects.
Air purifiers
HEPA air purifiers actively filter bird dander and odors from the air. Place one in the room with the bird cage.
Activated charcoal
Put charcoal briquettes in the cage to absorb smells. You can also buy charcoal odor absorbers for home use.
Essential oils
Citrus, eucalyptus and peppermint oils counteract musty bird smells. Put a few drops on cotton balls around the cage or diffuse in the room.
Preventing Bird Odors
Here are some tips to help avoid strong bird smells in your home:
Clean the cage frequently
Don’t let droppings or debris build up. Weekly scrub downs keep odors at bay.
Change cage placement
Keep the cage in a well-ventilated room, away from heating/AC vents which spread smells.
Control humidity
Bird droppings smell worse in damp, humid environments. Use a dehumidifier to keep things dry.
Use cage liners
Line the cage bottom with liners that can be changed out to make cleaning easier.
Rinse off bird feet
When birds leave the cage, have a bowl of water to rinse their feet off to prevent tracking droppings.
Removing Odor From Walls
If your walls have been stained by bird droppings, you’ll likely also have an odor problem. Here is how to remove bird smell from walls:
Wash walls
Use an ammonia-based cleaner or degreasing soap to scrub wall surfaces. This will remove stuck-on droppings and residue.
Rinse thoroughly
It’s important to rinse walls very well after washing droppings away. Any leftover residue can continue to smell.
Disinfect walls
Apply a disinfectant like white vinegar or Lysol to walls once they are clean. This kills odor-causing bacteria.
Seal in odors
Prime walls with an odor sealing primer like Kilz before repainting. This blocks stains and smells from bleeding through new paint.
Repaint walls
Apply 2-3 fresh coats of interior paint in a low or no VOC formula. Repainting makes walls look and smell fresh.
Properly prepping and sealing walls before painting is key to eliminating bird odors long-term. The smell can persist under new paint if the correct steps aren’t taken first.
Getting Bird Smell Out of Carpet
Carpets are prone to trapping unpleasant bird odors over time. Here are some ways to get bird smells out of carpets:
Blot up droppings
Immediately blot up any fresh bird droppings on carpet using paper towels. Scrape off any stuck-on residue.
Vacuum daily
Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove dander and debris that cause musty smells.
Shampoo the carpet
Rent a carpet shampoo machine and use pet odor removing formulas to deep clean carpets.
Sprinkle baking soda
Spread baking soda over carpets and let sit for 15-30 minutes before vacuuming to absorb odors.
Use carpet powders
Deodorizing carpet powders like Arm & Hammer help absorb odors when sprinkled on.
Replace carpet padding
If odors persist, the carpet pad beneath may need replacing since smells seep into padding.
Regular vacuuming and occasional steam cleaning keep carpets fresh and prevent bird odors from accumulating long-term.
Removing Bird Smell From Fabrics
Fabrics like curtains, linens and clothing can retain unpleasant bird odors. Here are some tips for removing smells:
Wash in enzyme cleaner
Use an enzymatic pet odor remover instead of regular detergent to break down odors and remove them.
Add white vinegar
Add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to the wash cycle to help sanitize and deodorize fabrics.
Air dry in sunlight
The heat and UV light from the sun can help deodorize fabrics and prevent musty smells.
Try oxygen bleach
An oxygen bleach detergent alternative like OxiClean can lift set-in odors and disinfect.
Use baking soda
Adding 1⁄2 cup baking soda to the wash boosts odor removal. You can also soak fabrics in baking soda.
Steam clean
Use a garment or upholstery steamer to forcefully remove odors from curtains, furniture and other fabrics.
Being diligent about washing any fabrics exposed to bird odors is important to prevent smells from lingering long-term in your home.
Getting Bird Smells Out of Furniture
Over time, furniture where birds perch or play can take on an unpleasant odor. Here is how to remove bird smells from furniture:
Vacuum well
Go over furniture with a handheld vacuum to remove dander, feathers and other debris causing odors. Get into crevices.
Use steam
A garment steamer can forcefully remove odors that vacuum can’t eliminate from fabric furniture.
Clean with vinegar
Wipe down finished wood furniture with undiluted white vinegar to cut through stuck-on odors and disinfect.
Use odor removers
Spray fabric furniture with FEbreeze or other pet odor removers formulated to destroy tough smells.
Let furniture air out
Place furniture outside on a warm sunny day. The sunlight and fresh air can naturally deodorize.
Replace cushions
If odors linger, the interior foam of cushions may need replacing since smells seep deep.
Targeting furniture early when odors start prevents smells from becoming deeply embedded in cushions over time.
Eliminating Bird Odor From Walls
Bird droppings that accumulate on walls can leave behind tough odors. Here is how to get rid of bird smells embedded in walls:
Wash walls
Use a degreasing cleaner like Murphy’s Oil Soap to scrub the walls and remove all residue. Rinse thoroughly after cleaning.
Disinfect walls
Spray walls with white vinegar or Lysol disinfectant once scrubbed. This kills bacteria that cause lingering odors.
Seal in smells
Apply a heavy duty primer like Kilz or Zinsser BIN before painting. These sealers block deep wall odors.
Repaint walls
Apply 2-3 fresh coats of low VOC interior paint in a eggshell or satin finish. Bright white paint makes walls look and smell fresh.
Diffuse essential oils
Diffusing cleansing scents like lemon, eucalyptus or tea tree oil can help overwhelm musty smells.
Use an air purifier
A HEPA air purifier actively filters out odor molecules and makes the air smell fresher.
Removing the source of the smell and then sealing in residual odors is the most effective way to fully eliminate bird smells from walls long-term.
Getting Bird Smell Out of Wood
The porous nature of wood makes it susceptible to retaining smells. Here are tips for removing bird odors from wood furniture, trim, cabinets, etc:
Clean wood surfaces
Wipe down finished wood with a mix of equal parts vinegar and water to clean and deodorize.
Scrub raw wood
For raw unfinished wood, scrub using baking soda and water paste to lift odors from deep pores.
Seal and paint wood
Sealing porous wood with polyurethane or paint helps encapsulate odors so they can’t escape.
Burn candles
Place citronella or scented candles near affected wood. As wax burns, it emits odor neutralizing particles.
Diffuse essential oils
Eucalyptus, thyme, clove and other essence oils can overpower musty bird smells in wood.
Set out charcoal
Charcoal naturally absorbs moisture and odors from the air. Place near odor-prone wood.
Sealing and painting wood provides the longest-lasting solution to odor issues by creating a protective barrier.
Removing Smells From Wallpaper
Here are some options for removing odors from wallpaper stained by bird droppings or smells:
Clean wallpaper
Use a mild soap and warm water to gently clean soiled wallpaper. Avoid harsh scrubbing which can damage wallpaper.
Spray vinegar solution
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Lightly mist wallpaper and let sit before wiping.
Steam clean
Use a wallpaper steamer to penetrate and remove odors embedded deep in wallpaper fibers.
Repair sections
You can remove sections of wallpaper where droppings soaked through and caused odor issues. Repair with scraps.
Prime over wallpaper
In some cases, you can apply primer like Kilz over wallpaper to seal in tough smells before repainting.
Remove wallpaper
For persistent odors, fully removing old wallpaper and hang fresh paper may be required.
Avoid abrasive scrubbing and cleaners which could damage fragile wallpaper when trying to remove bird odors.
Eliminating Smells From Leather
Leather furniture, car seats, accessories and more can absorb unpleasant bird odors over time. Here’s how to remove smells from leather:
Clean leather
Wipe leather down using a small amount of mild leather cleaner to lift surface dirt and residue causing smells.
Use vinegar and water
Mix a solution of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Wipe leather down to clean and deodorize.
Apply baking soda
Sprinkle baking soda directly on leather. Let sit for 15 minutes before wiping away to absorb odors.
Air out in sunlight
Place leather items outside on a hot, sunny day. The fresh air and sunlight will naturally deodorize.
Use steam
Hold a garment steamer just above the leather to penetrate and eliminate deep odors.
Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners on leather which could damage the delicate material. Mild, natural methods work best.
Conclusion
In summary, bird odors in your home can be very difficult to remove, but not impossible. The key steps are:
– Clean cages, replace litter and wash all accessories frequently to prevent smells at the source.
– Use products like enzymatic cleaners, vinegar and baking soda to break down odors and deter birds from frequent accident areas.
– Shampoo carpets, wash fabrics and clean walls that have been soiled to remove staining along with smells.
– Seal in stubborn odors with primers before repainting walls or other porous surfaces like wood.
– Mask lingering smells with air purifiers, fans and natural scent diffusers.
With consistent cleaning and the right odor busting products, you can successfully get rid of unpleasant bird smells and keep your house fresh. Preventative steps like rinsing bird feet and keeping humidity down also help avoid odor issues from developing in the first place.
