Secrets to Keep Your Home Smelling Clean and Fresh

Guests notice one thing when they walk through the door: the smell.

I’m sure you’ve noticed that strange odor in your home after coming home from a vacation. That’s how it smells most of the time. We don’t perceive it as much because our noses get accustomed to scents the longer we’re exposed to them. It’s a phenomenon we call sensory adaptation or “nose-blindness.”

Some people say a home shouldn’t smell like anything at all. However, the reality is that the kids, dogs, cooking, and simply doing household chores can contribute to various smells significantly.

How can you make your home smell and feel fresh despite it all? Here are seven simple secrets we’ve gathered just for you. Read on!

1. Open Up Some Windows

If you have residual cooking aromas and lingering smells from home renovation projects, opening the windows is often the most effective and straightforward solution.

Opening windows airs the smells out, brings clean air to replace your musty one, and improves the overall house ambiance. If possible, open windows on several sides of your house to invite as much breeze as possible. Even though it’s cold outside, opening a window for a few minutes can make a significant difference.

2. Simmer Some Potpourri

Dusty potpourri in bowls might be so 2015, but boiling some on the stove is a terrific way to make your home smell wonderful.

There are several excellent recipes for stovetop potpourri. Try lemon with vanilla and rosemary for a fresh scent of cinnamon, orange, and apples for a cozy fall aroma.

3. Sprinkle Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the best-kept secrets in the aroma industry. Well, not really. But it has so many applications it’s hard to keep track of it all. One thing’s for sure; baking soda excels at absorbing smells.

Here’s what you do: combine 1 tbsp baking soda and 1 tbsp water in a spray bottle to make your very own freshener spray. Use the solution on the sources of unwanted smells like the couch, carpet, garbage disposal, etc. Baking soda may not have a perfume-like fragrance, but it will absorb the unpleasant aromas and eliminate them.

4. Coffee Grounds

Who doesn’t love a steaming mug of joe every morning? Whether you brew your own or get your fix from the local coffee shop, we can’t help inhaling that deep coffee aroma. Besides giving us energy to power through our mornings, coffee also serves as a natural DIY air freshener.

If a room is particularly smelly, scatter bowls of freshly ground coffee about the area—place them strategically, such as on top of a floor vent, so that the scent spreads more quickly throughout the space. The aroma of the coffee grounds will mask any unpleasant scents and enrich the area with its aroma.

5. Light them Candles

Candles have two functions: they absorb smells and provide a warm, welcoming aura in any room. Look for natural varieties perfumed with essential oils and made with bees, coconut, or soy wax.

6. Bake Vanilla in Your Oven

If you need to make your house smell nice fast, take a peek at your pantry.

Add two cups of vanilla essence to a mug or other oven-safe dish and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for an hour to create an instant, relaxing aroma.

7. Get Some Houseplants In There

Keeping fresh flowers in all parts of the house will undoubtedly provide a pleasant aroma to your home. However, those weekly flowers can rack the bills quickly. Grow some aromatic home plants, such as jasmine or lavender, for a less expensive freshener. Grow various herbs in the kitchen, such as mint or rosemary, to keep smells at bay.

Conclusion

These simple, intuitive aroma solutions can leave your home feeling fresher and more fragrant than ever. Your guests will shower you with compliments, and yes, your mother-in-law will nod in approval. That’s all folks, smell you later!