How can I deal with smell from commode while cleaning it?

DO NOT ADD BLEACH TO anything that carries URINE!
It can be very dangerous if mixed with urine.
Candles can also cause breathing prob's if used continuosly.
Odors can also be coming from chairs and bedding that elders sit on even if the senior is clean.
The diapers (any brand) and chucks do not protect these materials from the constant leakage of urine or feces.
I use thin clean chair pads ( Dollar store brand) on favorite chair and change them daily.They wash well despite the price.
The bedding (all of it ) including blankets are changed daily.
Commodes ( trash buckets etc ) with plastic containers will harbor odor as the becomes trapped in the coating which wears off.
Buy aluminum or old fashion ceramic potty types, aluminum for trash receptacles.
As you get older, urine has a stronger odor despite the amount of liquid you drink and because we tend to leak from either or both ends the odor is constant.
Tide has a newer laundry product out that smells wonderful.
It's clean, fresh, last for the whole day and doesn't stale as many do after a few hours.
Lysol also now makes a wonderful spray for material such as curtains and furniture.
A little dab of vanilla extract or powdered spice under your nose does the trick of eliminating odors as well.

This is a 2012 post but I am terested in which Tide? I wash moms sheets and blankets every 2 weeks and I use oxy arm and hammer with 3 fabric softeners. After I bathe mom I get her out, Open the window and spray babys room scent lysol. I fear my house to smell and transfer mom on the toilet even thou she cannot walk. I've heard to use bags in commode bowls and throw away but I dint use the one I bought mom.

Plastics will eventually absorb whatever odors are around. It's bacteria decomposing. Having had two kids in diapers, we had to replace the diaper genies/diaper pail several times. Same for the cat's litter box. At some point, you just are not going to get that smell out of it.

We have had good luck with an enzymatic cleaner called Anti-Icky Poo. That is the name of it for real. It's used to clean up crime scenes and places where there has been advanced biological decomposition if you know what I'm saying.

It works great. If you aren't having luck with the store-bought pet products, order this online. antiickypoo

green alcohol, spearmint kind for cleaning commode kills grems ,smells great and is cheap

If you are using a commode with water in it, try Poo Pourri, they say 'spritz the bowl before you go' it forms a film and the fragrances take the embarrassment and smell out of it. It is not like an aerosol which fills the air with fug, it is targeted, non aerosol and really very effective.

Years back, we had a chair commode for my mom. I kept water in it at all times, keeping the pail about 1/3 to 1/2 full. I always used a good dollop of Pine Sol and never had an odor problem. I would think Listerine also would work.

Smother it in baking soda just before you clean it. When you refill it, use a perfumed oil on the water, it will hold odors below the surface.

my personal favs are fill the commode bucket with a few inches of water and spray the surface of the water with pooporii, product contains lovely essentials oils and is sold online. The scented oil helps trap odors below the water surface. in the operating room we like to dab a little mint or essential oil on out face masks..works well at home too..or vicks vabor rub as another person suggested.

I have wondered if buying a "diaper genie" that my daughters use for my grandkids diapers, would also work for adults diapers ??
There r now products called "poopurri" and "go girl" for poo. These products are sprayed into toilet/commode prior to pooing. Poopurri works like a charm in toilets, I know. Not sure about commodes.

I read someplace about using a layer of cat litter on bottom. Maybe spray inside of bucket to keep litter from sticking

Get a mask from the hardware store. If "just the mask" doesn't do it, put Vicks on the outside of it. I sympathize.

H7a&c4 - my mom's diapers would not have fit into the hole of a diaper genie. It's simply not sized to hold a filled XL adult diaper. I have to think there's an adult sized equivalent on the market somewhere. There are so many companies trying to sell solutions to aging issues these days.

Hi Robertacapecod, I have had this issue as well as others..the secret is to put Vicks vaporub...a dab or two will do ya, under your nose. Makes a huge difference until your through..if you need more...gob it on under your nose!! Huge help!!! Learned that one from a hospice nurse...whew..what adifference! Who'da thunk Vicks?? But it works...give it a go and let me know how it works for you. Good luck...I know how challenging it can be, especially when it comes to THAT...God bless :) Ellen

line the commode bucket with a plastic bag similar to a kitty-litter liner. add some good kittty litter to the bottom. then after each use, pour more litter to cover, let sit just until it all clumps, tie, remove bag, usually double/triple bag it and dispose.

Calmoseptin ointment on her, a nose plug for you. Hope you have a "scents" of humor.

Hi, I am new here and new to finding ways to care for my aging mother. Im finding it quite overwhelming and hoping I can find some ideas here...and maybe some support from others in the same position. :)
My mom needs to keep a commode in her room for times she can't make it to the restroom, which is becoming more and more the case. She can empty it herself. Is there a recommended way to have the toilet ready? As in, do I have her leave water in the bucket; if so, how much? Do I need to buy those expensive liners with the absorbant pads? Ive also heard of utilizing kitty litter in the bottom of the commode. Does any or all of these things work with feces odor as well? My mother suffers from gastric issues so diarrhea is a big culprit when it comes to odor in her room. Im unsure about all of these things. Until I can find a suitable solution, she is pretty much refusing to have the commode in her room. Can someone help me? Thanks in advance.

Take a mask, you can purchase in the hardware section. Put a little vicks vapor rub on the inside of mask. It will override the other bad odors. Careful not to put too much. :) save your mask, you can reuse many times. Just put water in the Porta potty, you dont want bleach to splash on your loved one. ☺

My mil who lived to be 95 and passed on Good Friday had the same issues. Yes, you want to keep a couple inches of water in the bucket. If you are home with her, like I was, I was able to keep up with keeping the odor at bay by dumping it immediately when she was done. A lot of elder's become obsessed with their bowels and will push so hard sometimes, they give themselves hemeroids..(?) I never tries the kitty litter approach...MY husband did hook up an automatic spray dispenser that sprayed in her room, over the door, every 15 minutes and it would last maybe 2-3 weeks. Worked well, along with bath and body works spray. Just 2 sprays and lasts along time and really helps keep odors at bay. The glade and others at the store don't have longevity, in my opinion, like bath and body...hope some of this helps...God bless you all!! :) And hang in...it's so worth it...XO

Yes, question. Littleonway, when you throw those diapers away, do you put in the recyclable trash can or the trash can that goes directly into the ground considered non-recyclable? We have those options with the trash company here.

Biohazards are not to be recycled. Wrap them, discard in trash. Hospital protocol is more strict-place in red biohazard bag, sent to be incinerated.

Use something safer than bleach in the new water. Bleach has an aeriated odor of it's own. Can make you sick to breathe it in.

Essential oils are all the rage now, and throughout history. Put a few drops-try
Eucalyptus, lemon or orange into the new water, into the toilet. If you want disinfectant, try Melaleuca oil, Oregano oil. Doterra is just one brand.

Even if the diapers have no pee in them? They are clean, just worn?

You decide.

Sorry Cheyenne, not an expert-but others are.

Hello everyone
I'm new to this post and experience. My sister is moving in with me and I have experienced the toileting odors at her home. I have a super sensitive nose so am worried my house will smell the same. Thanks for the tips, I will try your suggestions. I'm also going to try a product I've heard of that will absorb the smell of cigarette smoke, so I hope it will be effective here too. I don't know the name of it, but saw it advertised a couple years ago in a shop that refurbished autos. Will let you know how it works.

KatMcD, Be sure the bathroom has a working exhaust fan that goes on and stays on, preferably on a timer. Add a deodorant block to the toilet tank. Smoking---buy an ionizer/filter unit and be sure she sits right next to it, let it run all the time. Empty ashtrays often. Change your furnace filter every 3 months. Smoke odors get in furniture and drapes; buy Febreze for things you cannot wash or dryclean.

1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water were suggested for somethings. Can you tell me what those things were?

New to this site. Caring for my father with cancer. Thanks for all the great suggestions. Just changed my first commode bag with LBM and I swear it was worse than any of my children's diapers. I don't even want to go home. I think I just need support now 😢

You can try a holmes air purifier. They come with different filters and you can buy an odor eliminating filter. Turn it on the highest setting briefly until you get the odor under control, then leave it on a low setting. You can buy these in Target and probably in many other stores. Also, try citrus magic odor eliminators. You can get these in target, walgreens, kmart. These are about $3-4 a piece. They absorb and eliminate the odor. A fan or air filter will circulate the air so that more air comes in contact with the citrus magic faster. You can try opening extra citrus magic units when the odor is the worse, but reseal the extras after several minutes because the citrus magic will release its own odor if you use a large number of them for a long time, especially if they are brand new. The citrus magic can be found with the air fresheners and the holmes air purifier with the air purifiers.

Try getting a can of air freshener spray such as glades. You can spray a little bit of spray directly on the stool to contain the odor. It will also help to spray a little in the air.