15 Best Ways to Make your Home Smell Good
Does your home smell good? I mean, does it really smell good? Because, let’s face it, life can get in the way, busy and important items on our agendas can overtake our senses, and sometimes that leads us with either a home that doesn’t smell particularly fresh…or, worse, one that downright stinks. And a home that smells fresh is one that people want to be in.
Never fear, though. Here are 15 of the best methods or tips for making your home smell good. As a bonus, they’re by and large inexpensive, toxin-free, and homemade, which means with the smallest bit of effort on your part, your home can smell great for years to come.
1. DIY Natural Room Scents.
Customize your preferred scents to make every room in your home smell exactly how you want it with these DIY room scents. Made with all natural ingredients, there are not only a variety of aromatic combinations you could use, but also a variety of methods you can use to create them. Find the complete DIY tutorial here.
2. Fresh Homemade Lemon Air Spray.
Simply dissolve 1/8 cup baking soda into 2 cups hot water. Add ½ cup lemon juice. Pour into a spray bottle, shake it up, and spray freshness into every room in your home.
3. Homemade Jelly Air Freshener.
Made with all natural ingredients such as gelatin, water, essential oil, and salt, these toxin-free air fresheners help you breathe sweetly and easy. Bonus: They make fantastic gifts. Find the complete DIY tutorial here.
4. DIY Citrus Deodorizer Disks.
Who doesn’t love the smell of citrus? It’s clean, it’s fresh, and – perhaps most importantly – it’s not stale. What’s more, making your own great-smelling deodorizing disks is inexpensive, customizable, and toxin-free. Check out the full DIY tutorial here.
5. Dried Lavender Air Freshener.
Combine equal parts dried lavender buds and baking soda into a small jar, then shake well. Add 3 drops at a time (24 drops total) of lavender-scented essential oil, shaking after every 3 drops. Place the jar in any room and enjoy the heavenly smell that ensues. (You could also punch holes into a lid for a more subtle aroma if you choose.)
6. Citrus Refrigerator Odor Absorber.
Cut an orange in half. Remove (and eat!) the orange sections and pulp, then fill the orange shell halfway with salt. Place shell in a small bowl, and put it in the back of your fridge to freshen things up – the salt absorbs stale, yucky odors while the orange shell infuses the entire fridge with a fresh, citrus scent.
7. Eucalyptus Leaves in a Vase.
Eucalyptus is both aesthetic, with its roundish or heart-shaped leaves, and a strongly scented foliage. Place a few fresh or dried sprigs in a vase, and your room will smell (and look) great for a long time.
8. DIY Garbage Disposal Cleansing Cubes.
Easy as 1-2-3, really. Simply chop the peels from three lemons into small pieces and spread out into an ice cube tray. Pour 1-1/2 cups of distilled white vinegar evenly into the tray, then freeze. Immediately after they’ve frozen, remove the cubes from the tray and store in a gallon-size plastic freezer bag (in the freezer). Send one down the garbage disposal as needed for a fresh, lemony scent.
9. Perfect Tea Bag Touch of Aroma for Small Spaces.
For small spaces that could easily be overwhelmed with strong smells (for example, the bathroom, laundry room, or potentially musty closets), an inexpensive but great-smelling option is to hang three or four tea bags on the back of the door. Refresh your tea bags with a drop or two of essential oil when you feel the aroma start to dwindle.
10. Easy Natural Air Freshener.
Gather some pine cones on your next nature excursion (how many is really up to you). Add a couple drops of your favorite scented essential oil (cinnamon, for example, is a lovely seasonal scent for the upcoming fall). Place pine cones in a basket, and breathe deeply. Mmmmm…
11. Baking Soda Thrift Furniture Pick-Me-Up.
This one isn’t a surprise, but it’s a lovely way to help erase the smell of antique, thrifted, or even largely unused furniture. Simply place some baking soda in a bowl and set the bowl inside the furniture (e.g., one of the drawers, cupboards, etc.). The longer you leave the soda in there, the more the musty smells will disappear. At the very least, try for an overnight dose.
12. Easy Simmering Potpourri.
Possibly the fastest way to infuse your home with a great smell is from the stovetop. Add a good-smelling item (for example, cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract, almond extract, apple cider, to name just a few) to a cup of water in a saucepan on low heat on your stovetop. Feel free to get creative with the scents, especially when the weather begins to chill in evenings.
13. DIY Deodorizing Spray.
All you need is a spray bottle, some distilled water, a teaspoon of baking soda, and 12 drops of your favorite essential oil (lavender or eucalyptus are good starters). Mix essential oil into the baking soda in a bowl, then pour the mixture through a funnel into the spray bottle. Top the bottle off with distilled water, shake it up, and spray away. Use this on fabric, carpet, upholstery, or in the air for a lovely fresh whole-home smell.
14. Homemade Reed Diffusers.
Make the entire room smell divine with some essential oil reed diffusers, flavor of your choice of course. This simple DIY project will keep your nose and guests happy, plus they give off a relaxing spa vibe visually. Check out the full DIY tutorial here.
15. DIY Trash Can Deodorizer Disks.
Combine ¾ cup baking soda with ¼ cup distilled water into a thick paste. Add in 20 drops of essential oil of your choice and pour entire mixture into silicone muffin pan or similar. Allow disks to dry for 24-48 hours, then pop them out and store in an airtight container or plastic bag. Attach to the underside of the lid of your trash can with a slit plastic herb container or similar, and enjoy your funk-free trash can smell.{found on onegoodthingbyjillee}.