Have you ever walked into someone's home, only to be assaulted with a cacophony of scents? Maybe the stench of pet urine is overwhelming, or perhaps their home reeks of cigarette smoke. It could be that you smell last night's dinner of corned beef and cabbage, or the stench of their teenage son's gym bag. If you've ever had that experience, does it make you wonder what your own home smells like to those who pop in for a visit?

When it comes to smell, everyone has different sensitivities. It's a safe bet, though, that there have been times in our lives when we wished we had access to a safe, effective way to remove odor. As with many things in life, odor removal is best accomplished when you're proactive about it. When you can remove the smell as soon as it occurs, you won't need what amounts to an odor stain remover.

The most effective method of odor removal is the use of zeolite minerals. They're 100 percent natural, and work by acting as a sponge and absorbing the malodorous molecules that hitch a ride on dust particles and become airborne. The product you select should be free of perfumes, chemicals, and additives, and have no odor of its own. One of the best things about zeolites is that they're completely safe for both humans and pets.

How should you use this kind of odor remover? Well, if you buy it in granular form, you can use it both indoors and outdoors, for wood, dirt, carpet, cement, tile, cloth, and plastic. You can sprinkle it inside trashcans, refrigerators, cars, gym bags, suitcases, hampers, and just about anywhere else that might need odor absorption.

If you buy a zeolite odor remover in a powdered laundry formulation, you can add it to your wash in order to get rid of the musty smell that seems to accumulate over time on towels, urine on sheets, and the smell of perspiration on gym socks or work clothes.

There are also formulas made especially for feet, so you'll never have to worry about taking off your shoes when other people are around. To use foot powder, you simply have to sprinkle the powder into your shoes before bed, and then shake the powder out before you put on your shoes in the morning. The zeolite absorbs all of your foot odor, so the smell will disappear. If you're a runner, you can also put the powder right on your feet in order to absorb the moisture and odor.

There are also powdered formulas that you can add to cat litter to eliminate the smell, and that you can sprinkle directly on a pet without worrying that it will harm your cat or dog. This type of odor removal product especially comes in handy if a skunk ever sprays your furry friend! And granulated formulas come in handy for kennels, crates, cages, and pet beds.

With the right odor remover, you'll never need to worry that your home, car, locker, or litter box has an off-putting stench or a cloying scent of artificial air freshener that does nothing but mask the odor. Instead, you can breathe easy knowing that your surrounds smell fresh - naturally.