Prep first
Before you start
- Open a window or turn on a fan, and keep the air moving for the whole job.
- Check whether the bleach has dried; it usually takes 10-30 minutes, and porous surfaces stay damp longer.
- Test a hidden spot first if you're not sure how the material handles water.
Bleach is tricky because its smell lingers on porous materials and in closed rooms, and it can come back after it seems gone. Before you start, check whether the bleach has dried and open up the space so the air can move.
Getting the bleach smell out of your hands, a room or an item comes down to fresh air, clean water and patience. Start by opening a window or turning on a fan, then wipe, rinse and dry the item before you judge the smell. The smell usually fades within 1-2 hours once the air is moving.
7 items
What you'll need
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- Clean clothsYou'll use them to wipe up the salt residue and then to rinse the surface.
- Clean waterPlain water lifts leftover bleach residue, so don't add anything to it.
- Mild soapSoap and water remove bleach residue from your skin. (opens Amazon)
- MoisturizerIt keeps your skin from drying out after you wash your hands.
- FanMoving air speeds up drying and helps the smell fade. (opens Amazon)
- Dry towelDrying the surface after the rinse keeps water from sitting in it.
- Table salt (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Open the room first
Open the windows or switch on a fan before you touch the item, so fumes have somewhere to go. In enclosed spaces the smell can linger, so keep the air moving until the job is finished.
Careful. If you inhale fumes, leave the area and find fresh air.
Step 2 of 5
Wipe off the salt residue
Once most of the bleach evaporates, it leaves salt crystals behind on the surface. Wipe these up with a cloth dampened with clean water, working in sections from the edges toward the middle.
Tip. Switch to a clean section of cloth whenever the first one picks up a lot of residue.
Step 3 of 5
Rinse with clean water
After disinfecting, wipe the surface with clean water to remove what's left of the bleach. Rinsing the cloth often keeps you from spreading residue back over the surface.
Step 4 of 5
Dry with airflow
Bleach usually dries in 10-30 minutes, but porous surfaces hold moisture much longer. Use fans or open windows to improve airflow across the surface until it's completely dry.
Step 5 of 51-2 hours
Air out and check the smell
Once the surface is dry, the smell usually fades within 1-2 hours. Keep the room ventilated during that time, and don't judge the result while the surface is still damp.
What makes the job easier
Products that help
Keep a stack of clean cloths and a fan on hand, and use plain water for the wiping and rinsing.
Morton Iodized Table Salt
These are the everyday supplies the steps above use, in the versions most people buy on Amazon.
Finished? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely before you use it again.
How to tell it's really done →A faint smell often fades as everything dries and airs out; give it a day before a second round.
Find the guide for your stain →Heavy grime or a lingering smell usually needs a second round once it's fully dry.
See what to do for what you're seeing →When to call a professional →How to tell it's done
The item is clean when the salt residue is gone and the surface is completely dry. Give it 1-2 hours of airing after drying, and the smell should have faded. If it's still damp or the smell is still strong, wipe the spot with clean water again and dry it with airflow.
If there is a stain too
Related guides
A smell usually has a stain or a spill behind it. These guides cover the cleanup in detail:
What changes for yours
Adjust for the chemical
Hands
Wash your hands with soap and water to remove the bleach residue, then moisturize to prevent dryness.
Rinse thoroughly and dry your hands before you smell them again. If the smell is still there after washing, check the cloth or item you were holding.
Enclosed spaces
In enclosed spaces the smell can linger, so the room needs the most airflow. Open every window you can and run a fan so air moves across the surfaces you cleaned.
Keep the air moving until the surfaces are completely dry, then give the room 1-2 hours for the smell to fade.
Porous surfaces
Porous surfaces hold moisture much longer than hard ones, so bleach takes longer to dry there and the smell can hang on. Plan for extra drying time and check for damp spots before you call the job done.
Don't rush the drying step, because a damp spot is easy to miss. If the smell returns, wipe the spot with clean water again and dry it with a fan or open window.
Prevention
Keep the smell from coming back
You only need this deep clean after you've used bleach, so there's no set schedule to follow. Every time you use bleach, dilute it and ventilate the room first, and follow the label directions.
After disinfecting, rinse surfaces with clean water so no residue is left behind. Keep windows open or a fan running whenever you're cleaning with bleach.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies get rid of the smell?
Most of the fixes here come down to airflow, rinsing and drying. The cleaners below either add nothing for this smell or can't be mixed with bleach.
Helps1Skip3Avoid4
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't add more bleach to cover the smell
Adding more bleach only adds fumes, and undiluted bleach shouldn't be used for cleaning. The smell is a sign the bleach is working, so the fix is airflow and rinsing, not more product.
Don't mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar
Bleach plus ammonia creates chloramine gas, and bleach plus vinegar forms chlorine gas. Dish soap doesn't belong in the mix either.
Don't use bleach on urine or pet messes
Urine and cat litter contain ammonia, so bleach on them can create chloramine gas. Clean those messes with a different cleaner and keep bleach out of the area.
Don't close up the item while it's damp
Porous surfaces hold moisture longer, so a damp item can stay damp for much longer than you'd expect. Wait until it's fully dry before you put it away or close the room.
Don't skip the rinse
Most of the bleach evaporates and leaves salt crystals behind, and those stay on the surface if you skip the rinse. Wipe the surface with clean water after disinfecting, every time.
Don't cover the smell with a scent
Air fresheners and perfumes only mask the smell, so the source is still there. Clean, rinse and dry the item first, and only then add a scent if you want one.
Troubleshooting
If the smell comes back
Pick what you're seeing:
The smell returns after the item dried
Porous surfaces hold moisture longer, so look for damp spots. Wipe the spot with clean water again and dry it with a fan or open window before you judge the smell.
The smell lingers in the room
In enclosed spaces the smell can linger. Keep fans running and windows open, and give it 1-2 hours after the surface is dry, since the smell usually fades in that time.
You smell bleach with no visible source
Bleach reacts with organic matter to make chloramines, so the smell can come from residue you can't see. Check your cloths, your hands and nearby surfaces, then rinse them with clean water and dry them with airflow.
When to call a professional
Seek medical attention for difficulty breathing, chest pain or choking. If bleach is swallowed, don't induce vomiting. If coughing continues or you feel dizzy, seek medical attention.
Questions
Does bleach get rid of urine or pet smells?
No. Urine and cat litter contain ammonia, and bleach mixed with ammonia creates chloramine gas, so don't use bleach on those messes. For the right method, look at the cat urine smell cleaning method for your material.
Why does bleach smell so strong?
Bleach smells because it reacts with organic matter and produces chloramines. The bleach typically dries in 10-30 minutes, and the smell usually fades within 1-2 hours. The smell is also a sign the bleach is working.
Are bleach fumes dangerous?
Inhaling them can cause coughing, throat irritation, shortness of breath and chest discomfort, so don't ignore those signs. If you ever smell bleach and ammonia together, that mix creates chloramine gas, so keep the two apart at all times.
Does the same method work for chlorine smell after swimming?
Start with the same approach: rinse the item with clean water, then dry it with a fan or open window. Check the item's care label before any stronger treatment, since bleach can damage some fabrics.
How do I disinfect without adding more smell?
Mix 1/3 cup bleach into 1 gallon of cool water and keep the surface wet for 6 minutes. Wipe it down with clean water afterward, then dry it with airflow so the smell can fade.
Will the smell stay on the item for good?
Usually not, as long as the bleach residue is gone and the item is fully dry. If the smell lingers after that, wipe the spot with clean water and dry it with airflow again.
Start from the bigger picture
More odor guides
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.