Let’s be honest here, we’ve all been nose blind to the smells in our own home at one point or another. Try these tips and tricks to achieve you own smell good home!
Whether it’s the garbage that needs to be taken out, an unwashed pet or a closed up house during the winter, no one wants to worry about how their home smells.
I know my home hasn’t smelled the best at times, especially during winter when I can’t open up all the doors and windows.
Fortunately, I have a few secrets to keep your home smelling fresh and clean. From masking odors to eliminating them completely, this post will have something for everyone.
Adding fresh scents to your home
Simmer Pots
I received this glass simmer pot for Christmas this year and I am in LOVE! It came pre-filled with all the ingredients to make any home smell like wintertime.
I’m not sure where it was bought with all the added goodies, but I’ve found the same pot on Amazon for you all. Trust me when I say this one is a game changer.
Of all the scent combos I’ve tried so far my favorite was the original one it came with. I call it…
Classic Winter:
1 Orange
1 Apple
3 Cinnamon Sticks
1/2 Cup Fresh Cranberries
Cloves
Star Anise
Slice the fruit, add water, put it on the stove and let it do its magic!
Some other scents I’ve tried with luck have been…
Citrus: Lemons, Limes, Blood Oranges and Cinnamon
Pine Party: Pine Needles, Lemon and Rosemary
All Day Herbs: Lavender, Rosemary and Eucalyptus
*Keep an eye on the water level and add more as needed
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Incense
If you’re looking for an instant odor cover up, you need some good quality incense.
As a child, my mom used to burn a particular one and it is still my absolute favorite. I’ve tried soo many other ones but none come close to the smell of Nag Champa. Maybe I have fond memories connected to this particular scent but regardless, it will make your home smell amazing
My second runner up is one called Super Hit. Between these two, my home smells fantastic.
burn Some Sage
Another great alternative to burning incense is burning some sage. It’s not the same as the herb in your kitchen but I would imagine it’s pretty easy to find.
I’ve never bought any because it used to grow wild where I lived, so I’m not sure about where to find a good quality one.
You’re looking specifically for high desert sage. If you live in a hot, dry climate this stuff grows like crazy. If you love the smell as much as I do, I’d recommend growing your own. Once it’s established you can just forget about it! Just take your cutting and leave them out to dry before burning.
burn Those Candles
My favorite time killer in stores is going through the candle selection and smelling them all. I’ve now recruited my toddler for this activity, he loves stopping to smell the candles.
We’ve all got those meaningful candles that we’re saving for a special occasion. Let me tell you something, if that occasion hasn’t happened yet, it’s not going to.
Just burn them already. You can always replace it later if need be.
If you’re worried about the harmful chemicals in most mass produced candles you can look for safe alternatives.
Beeswax candles are the best! You can either buy them or make them yourself. You only need a few things to make your own.
Homemade Beeswax Candles:
Glass Container or Mold
Essential Oils
Melt your wax pellets in a double boiler, dip the end of the wick in, stick it to the bottom of your container and tie it off in place.
Mix essential oils into your melted wax. Once the wax on the wick hardens, pour melted wax into your container. Wait for it to harden and trim your wick. Easy peasy!
Add Small Smell Good Touches
Don’t overlook those small touches that add scent to your home. They may not seem very important, but they make a difference.
Throw some packs of lavender (or your favorite fragrant herb) into your dresser to freshen your clothes.
Store your extra incense in that old steam trunk to keep your blankets smelling pleasant.
Keep your candles in your towel cupboard to add some extra scent to those when not in use. This will clear up some clutter along with keeping your towels smelling good.
Add some essential oils to your air filters to lighten the overall scent of your home.
Eliminating Bad Odors
Start with the obvious and get rid of the source of the odor.
Take out the trash, throw the pile of dirty laundry in the washer, clean out the refrigerator, wash the dog, etc.. Once you remove the source then you can figure out how to tackle the lingering odor.
This can be soo much harder if you have carpet in your home.
I don’t have any now and I will never live with it again. I’m all for rugs because you can take them outside and wash them properly but you can’t really ever get carpet clean. You can use the carpet cleaners they have out, those are pretty decent but if possible just rip it out!
clean that carpet
If replacing the flooring isn’t an option, there are a few DIY carpet cleaning hacks you can try.
Before you vacuum, sprinkle some baking soda on your carpet and let it sit. The longer you leave it, the more odor it will absorb. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes but if possible, overnight.
For an extra odor neutralizer, spray it with some white vinegar and let it dry completely before you vacuum.
For extra cleaning power take a brush and scrub that vinegar baking soda combo into the carpet.
You can also add some essential oils to a spray bottle of witch hazel to spray onto your carpet after it’s all cleaned up.
If you’re looking to steam clean or spot clean stains, I’ve found Resolve makes some great products. They’re readily available at most stores but you can also find them for a good deal on Amazon. In addition to the steam cleaner formula, they make spot cleaners for everyday messes and pet stains.
After thoroughly steam cleaning the room, I would dump out the hot water solution and make a new one with some fabric softener added. This helps freshen up the room and has always worked pretty well for me.
Just make sure you go over the carpet until the water runs clear. It’s also very important to suck out as much water as you possibly can to avoid rotting the pad underneath. Then throw some fans in there and let it dry!
kill Bacteria
Bad smells = Bacteria.
To get rid of the bad smells you need to kill the bacteria that’s causing them.
I only use 3 cleaning products for everything. Either it’s bleach, a homemade wood polish or a homemade all-purpose cleaner.
To kill stubborn bacteria in the kitchen, bathroom and tile floors I use bleach. It does have a lingering smell but that goes away after it dries.
For my wood furniture I obviously use my Homemade Wood Polish and for everything else I make an Eco-Friendly Cleaner.
eliminating pet smell
This one can be tricky. If the smell has gone unchecked for too long it can be impossible to erase without completely replacing that item.
One great cleaner to use for this odor is plain old white vinegar.
A lot of people will tell you to dilute it with water, but I just use it full strength.
Be warned everything will smell like vinegar but once it dries that goes away, as does the smell of your beloved pets.
My final tip for a fresher smelling home is…
Air Out Your home
If weather permits, open up everything you can, every window and door in the building.
Get some fresh air in your home, this does so much and many people overlook it for some reason.
Come spring and summer my house is wide open every single day. There’s nothing like a clean home with a warm spring breeze blowing through.