how to reduce the smell?

[Tookie]

Prior to posting this question l have tried doing a search in the various forums that l beleive may cover this topic - I basically want to know what you as nurses do to reduce the urine and other smells that are associated with living long term in a facility - and or in an acute setting

I would be interested in your management of the linen, carpet or other continence aids etc.

Where l currently work we have a system of reducing the associated smells of urine and feaces that can be common in aged care settings and nursing homes.

We would like to research and evaulate other systems that people use to reduce any smells

I was wondering if any of you in this forum have any site you can recommend to read about methods of reducing the smells associated with this problem.

Thanking you in advance

Sandra

[Tookie]

Thank you night owl

Useful info

Do you use a linen trolley to bag up your linen?

[TELEpathicRN]

When I worked at the nursing home, we would mix vinegar and water, put it in a spray bottle and when you come upon a foul odor, you can spray it...kinda neutralized the bad smell.

[Dayray, RN]

I think you should let 4 or 5 skunks run around the building. That would cover up the smell and when the skunk smell faded you probebly would welcome the old smell.

[yazisizit]

How to overcome the smell of urine and feces?

Betadine. Lots of betadine.

I prefer the smell of betadine to the above.

[kittyw]

Originally posted by Dayray

I think you should let 4 or 5 skunks run around the building. That would cover up the smell and when the skunk smell faded you probebly would welcome the old smell.

:rotfl:

[Tookie]

Now tell me are these skunks you referring to staff management or what???

Seroiusly folks thank you for the answers - keep them coming - PLEASE - its providing some interesting contrasts on practices and methods of control of "smell'

[night owl]

Sandra,

We have hampers on wheels and they are used mostly when they go around and do the big changes like a whole hallway. They're new and very nice. They have two compartments. One is for soiled linen and the other is for a big plastic bag to put the soiled undergarments, chux, used external caths in. They have nice lids that are attached and flip up and hang over the back. The nice thing about them is that everything is hidden by a royal blue plastic covering. The frame of it is made out of what looks to me like white plastic PVC pipe they use for plumbing. Very light weight and easy to manuver around. No dirty linen or soiled undergarments are to be left in them at all even with the lids on and are only used for a big round of changes then they are emptied and a new linen bag is replaced and a new plastic bag is replaced and it's ready for the next big round of changes. like I said any individual changes that are done we use little plastic bags for the soiled undergarments and a bigger plastic bag for the soiled linen and then they are taken to the soiled linen room right away. Housekeeping has these air freshners that they put into dispensers that are located in each residents rooms and are replaced every so often maybe once a month or so. Smells really nice sort of lemony.

[mario_ragucci]

I love to talk about smelling things. Today for the first time I had a PT that was C-Diff positive. And, at the end of the shift, the RN asked me to clean his BM, so I thought their would be a different smell. Well, there was no identifyable C-Diff runny stool smell. I was disappointed :-(

The hospital uses this stuff called "Freshnet" in these pocket size 2 oz bottles. Smelling bad stuff is like a digital signal...on or off. If it's a bad smell, it's a bad smell, and anyone reacts. This stuf works good, psychologically too

[night owl]

The skunk odor??? We actually have skunks all around our facility. The residents leave food for the deer and the groundhogs, but the skunks seem to find it first. At night the skunks will fight for the food with each other and then they spray...Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww...With the ventilation system that we have, the "Fresh air" is sucked into the building, unfortunately so is the skunk odor. Talk about smell, I'd rather smell a field full of cows on a ripe day...Oh the sweet smells of the country!

[Tookie]

Night owl

Enjoyed that soooo much what a giggle

we dont have skunks - well not the animal kind as such over here

Other things like snakes, spiders, blue ring octopuses and other things that can kill but not much that smells - l can be corrected please

However to get back to the original thoughts - thank you for the posts they are very useful especillay the one you previously made

Thank you

Sandra

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

Originally posted by night owl

The skunk odor??? We actually have skunks all around our facility. The residents leave food for the deer and the groundhogs, but the skunks seem to find it first. At night the skunks will fight for the food with each other and then they spray...Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww...With the ventilation system that we have, the "Fresh air" is sucked into the building, unfortunately so is the skunk odor. Talk about smell, I'd rather smell a field full of cows on a ripe day...Oh the sweet smells of the country!

Yuk!!!....I love the country but I'm a city gal!!!

-Rebel

[BadBird, BSN, RN]

First bag all the soiled linen and clothing and get it off the unit. Good old soap and water with mouthwash works wonders. I found that often times the patients hair stinks so bad, I have shampooed hair with a combo of shaving cream and rinsed with mouth wash, they sure do smell better after and feel better too.