7 Simple Ways to Make Your House Smell Fresh

Right up there with other factors like style and cleanliness, your home’s scent makes a huge first impression to guests (and buyers). With all of us spending more time at home, having the place smell nice is perhaps more of a priority than usual!  While the smell of freshly baked bread or fresh laundry is heavenly, sometimes we just want the place to smell nice without going through all the hassle of baking etc.  Here are some easy, DIY tips on how to freshen your home without spraying store-bought air fresheners or lighting a scented candle.

1. Simmer a Pot.

Dried potpourri injects a sweet and sometimes spicy scent to the room, but it also collects a fair amount of dust when left sitting in an open dish. Instead, recreate the magic over the stove top. Fill a small saucepan with water, add sliced lemons, oranges, and herbs, and simmer the recipe on low heat. Vary your favorite herbs, spices, and other fresh ingredients depending on your mood—or what you have on hand—and you can concoct a variety of aromas.

2. Double Duty.

Next time you’re changing your disposable furnace filter, take the opportunity to freshen the whole home with a light scent as well. A few drops of your favourite essential oil on the new filter will disperse throughout the entire house as air circulates, meaning both improved air quality and a pleasant lingering scent.

3. Vent!

The smell of clean laundry is one of the most pleasant household smells. By placing a few dryer sheets behind vents throughout the house, you can have that fresh-laundry aroma in every room—without the hassle of the chore. As the air flows through the vents, it will dry out the dryer sheets, so you’ll need to replace them every few weeks.

4. Roll it Out.

Next, bring that set of essential oils into the bathroom and add just a few drops to the cardboard tube inside your toilet paper roll (as well in those of the replacements, waiting in line for duty). When you or a guest unrolls in future, the fresh scent will come out and help cover up any less-than-pleasant odours.

5. Send it Down.

A well-used garbage disposal can cause serious odours in your kitchen, but some citrus peel and baking soda or vinegar can freshen it up fast. Take a few minutes to make DIY refresher pods to toss into your disposal whenever it needs a fragrance boost.

6. Vacuum it Up.

Carpets can create an unpleasant odor, especially if you have pets. Vacuum up the sickly smells with a DIY deodorizer made with just two ingredients: baking soda and essential oils. Simply combine the ingredients, sprinkle the mixture on your carpet, and vacuum it up after a few hours. Your house will immediately smell sweet again without the chemicals and cost of store-bought carpet cleaners.

7. Tea Leaves in the Litter.

All cat owners are familiar with the recognizable smell of a litter box. To eliminate the stench, try sprinkling some dry tea leaves in the box. The leaves have antibacterial properties and can help absorb odors, which will keep your litter box fresh.