The best odor eliminators for your home you can buy

Why you'll love it: If you want to keep the pet but not the smells, Mister Max Original Scent Anti Icky Poo Odor Remover is your best bet.

Pets have accidents but even if you thoroughly clean after them, the odor often lingers in the carpet, upholstery, tile grout, and hardwood floors. And once the animal catches a whiff of that spot, it will return to the scene of the crime. Mister Max Original Scent Anti Icky Poo Odor Remover to the rescue.

I have a precious rescue pup that tends to urinate when startled or when she feels threatened. While her accidents have become fewer, there are still those moments. When it happens, I simply grab Mister Max and give the area a good spray. Thanks to the live bacteria and enzymes in the formula that destroy the odor molecules, there is no residual stench remaining that attracts the pup or her friends to the same spot.

Safe to use on all types of floors (it even penetrates concrete), carpets, and fabrics, the nontoxic Mister Max offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The product comes in both a light scent and an unscented formula, in several sizes. Here's a tip for new parents: It also takes care of odors from diapers and up-chuck.

Of the nearly 650 reviewers on Amazon, 74% give it 5 stars. LunaandFamily said, "We used this stuff on spots we had [cleaned] three times over and with one spray, the stains that had previously appeared with a blacklight were gone for good ... I would highly recommend this!"

Pros: Eliminates the toughest pet odors, environmentally safe to use around humans and pets, 100% money-back guarantee

Cons: Does not remove visible stains, not readily available in most mass-market stores.

Buy Mister Max Original Scent Anti Icky Poo Odor Remover in a one-gallon container on Amazon for $31.36

Why you'll love it: Simply sprinkle Arm & Hammer Extra Strength Carpet Odor Eliminator and vacuum it away for a fresh-smelling home.

Soft surfaces like carpets, area rugs, and upholstery are magnets for odor molecules. The fibers grab hold of the molecules and simply won't let them go. This is particularly true for natural fibers like wool that are barbed, and synthetic fibers made from petroleum products that like to hold onto greasy molecules. Needless to say, with so many soft surfaces around, that's why our home may smell funky.

Arm & Hammer Extra Strength Carpet Odor Eliminator combines baking soda and oxygen-based bleach to remove odor and leave your carpet and upholstery looking cleaner and brighter. Baking soda is a known odor fighter, and Arm & Hammer has been selling sodium bicarbonate (its scientific name) for more than 150 years, so it knows a thing or two.

To get the most benefit from this product, I sprinkle a very light dusting and then use a slightly-damp sponge mop to work it into the carpet fibers (use a damp sponge when cleaning upholstery) and then step away for an hour or so. When I come back and give the area a good vacuuming, it is amazing to see how much soil is trapped in the powder.

With nearly 300 reviews on Amazon, 77 percent give it a 5-star rating. One customer said, "This stuff gets the dirt and grime from deep within your carpet and will make your house smell amazing as well."

Pros: Eliminates odor from carpet and upholstery, brightens colors, helps remove pet hair, inexpensive

Cons: Scent can be overpowering if too much is used

Buy Arm & Hammer Extra Strength Carpet Odor Eliminator in a 30-ounce container on Amazon for $1.59

Why you'll love it: When your closet, car, or even the inside of your sneakers is less than fresh, toss in an environmentally friendly Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag to absorb the odors.

Small spaces packed with lots of clothes, shoes, or linens can begin to smell stale. The same thing happens in a car where food, body, and environmental odors become trapped. The last thing you need is another strong scent layered on top. Opt for an odor-absorbing air freshener instead, like the Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag. The small fabric bag contains 200 grams of bamboo charcoal; simply place the Moso bag in the desired space and the charcoal will absorb the odors.

Moso bags come in several sizes to fit any space and will last up to two years. They can be "recharged" by placing them in the sun for one hour per month. This helps remove the moisture that has accumulated in the charcoal. Since this is a natural product, after two years the charcoal can be composted for the garden.

Reviewers on Walmart and Amazon found Moso bags effective. One customer said, "This has been the best solution for getting rid of odors. I put it in my car and my car just smells like nothing now. I really hate air fresheners so I am in love with this product."

I love that the bags come in several colors and I use them to freshen clothes and linens in every closet, in the laundry room near the dog's crate, and in my car to keep it fresh.

Pros: Nontoxic, natural product containing no petroleum-based chemicals, available in a variety of colors and sizes, reusable for two years

Cons: Does not remove odors immediately, takes several hours for effects to kick in

Buy Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag from Walmart for $9.95

Why you'll love it: Renuzit Snuggle SuperFresh Gel Air Freshener provides continuous odor elimination in a long-lasting gel formula.

There are dozens of air fresheners in the market, and they're available in various forms — from sprays and oil diffusers to plug-ins and gels. The problem with almost all of them is that they only add fragrance to the air and don't eliminate odor. I don't want "tropical sweat socks." Instead, I use Renuzit Snuggle SuperFresh Gel Air Freshener that contains odor eliminating technology.

Housed in a contemporary-looking container, the air freshener can be opened as much or as little as you'd like to release the Snuggle fragrance. There is no need for batteries or an outlet, so there is no risk of fire from overheating.

The science is similar to that in fabric refresher sprays, where offensive odor molecules are trapped by ring-shaped cyclodextrin molecules (imperceptible to the human nose). The 98% biodegradable gel in the formula traps malodor molecules and eliminates odors.

While Renuzit and Snuggle have been around for decades, this is new product, so you may not find it everywhere. I don't love strong perfumed scents, but I thought I would give it a try. I've been using this gel for more than a month and the bathroom still smells fresh and clean even when it has had plenty of traffic.

Pros: Biodegradable gel, stylish container, no batteries needed, scent level is adjustable.

Cons: Not readily available everywhere

Buy Renuzit Snuggle SuperFresh Gel Air Freshener from Walmart for $2.76