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How to make your house smell good fast may seem like a simple thing. Although many people find that it may not be so easy to maintain a nice household scent. This is especially true in those winter months when windows and doors stay shut.
Your home is a reflection of yourself and should be a haven away from the world. It should be catered to you and your definition of home. Smells are a huge part of our environment. They can dictate moods just as much as the furniture and decor in your home.
Knowing how to make your house smell good fast is a simple yet effective way to create a comfortable and happy home. If you want to know how to make your house smell good, stick around and discover foolproof tips and tricks.
How To Make Your House Smell Good Fast – 5 Things To Do
1. Add air purifiers
The first step to a better-smelling house is getting rid of odors. Good air purifiers will not only make the air smell clean within a couple of hours. They also make the air healthier because they capture VOCs and viruses from the air.
An important thing to remember is to buy one that is rated for the size of your room. Check the room size and how many times the air exchanges per hour. That way, you’ll get a fresh smelling room within an hour.
Our favorite is an extra-large HEPA filter. It has a carbon prefilter, and that captures odors. This is relatively inexpensive and gets changed every month. The main filter that captures allergens is a HEPA filter.
What to look for in an air purifier:
Uses a carbon pre-filter
This captures odors and VOCs
HEPA type filter
This is required to actually make the air fresher. It captures tiny particles that are allergenic. As well, it’s good to know that the air passing through is over 99% filtered.
The right size for your room
You’ll be surprised how inefficient an air purifier is when it’s too small for a room! And you’ll also be surprised how a regular-sized room might need an extra-large air purifier. So always get the right size to make this method work best for you.
The cost of the filter replacement
Do a quick check for how much their filter (HEPA and prefilter) costs to replace. Some brands even have trouble making sure their filters are easy to purchase.
2. Bake something
If you’re expecting company, it’s easy to realize you will be doing a quick cleanup. Once you’re done cleaning up, bake something that has vanilla or cinnamon, likepumpkin spice bread, pumpkin pie from frozen, a batch of brownies, or cookies.
Given that your oven is clean, that’s a quick way to make your home smell like a welcoming scented candle.
3. Change your furnace filter with high rating one
If you have a forced-air furnace you won’t have to buy an air purifier just yet. Try replacing your filter every 3 months with MERV 12 (MPR 1500) or higher. This makes sure it captures viruses, soot, and PM 2.5 Air Pollution.
If you have pets or lots of smells or a problem with unidentifiable mold sources, you should change the furnace filter as often as once a month.
You want anything over MERV 11 for effective filtering. Although the price of lower ratings like MERV 8 is tempting, it doesn’t do much in terms of capturing odors.
You can probably get away with a lower-priced filter that has a carbon filter when it comes to just odors. The carbon in the furnace filter helps trap smells.
4. Clean overlooked spots that could the source of the smell in the home
You might notice that smells tend to come from certain sources in your home. Here are some top areas of stinky home smells:
Clean the couch
From food to grime, a well-used couch is a source of smells and sometimes, even hidden mold.
Clean in the crevices with a vacuum detailer attachment.
And spray down a fabric couch with a furniture odor buster. It can also be used on smelly spots on walls and floors.
Cleaning and disinfecting the sofa if you notice it’s getting grimy.
Check out our guide on how to clean a polyester couch.
Deodorize the sink
It’s a common source of stink especially when the dishwasher is running and the gases are pushed up the pipe.
A quick trick is to wet your sink and throw a generous amount of baking soda. Grab a wet sponge and scrub it down. You’ll quickly get rid of the stains and deodorize at the same time.
Wash away the baking soda and it will help deodorize part of the downward pipe.
Scent the countertops
Get rid of old flowers, fruit, and food debris.
Then wipe it down with a scented countertop cleaner. This will especially freshen up your house if you have an open concept kitchen and living room. Your fresh-smelling countertops will freshen up your room.
If you want a lingering scent, try Mrs Meyers All Purpose Cleaning Spray if you haven’t tried that brand before. The cleaner tends to stick around and keep the surfaces scented for a couple of weeks.
A great DIY recipe is to add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil intowater and baking soda. You can replace the baking soda with hydrogen peroxide or vinegar.
A more natural option is to use scented pure castile soap, like peppermint Dr. Bronner’s. Dilute the soap with water in a professional spray bottle.
5. Do a Citrus Simmer
A wonderful way to liven up the smell of your house in a pinch is a stovetop citrus simmer.
Bring two quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add slices of citrus – orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime – to the pot along with spices of your choosing for a warming aroma.
We like to add cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in with the citrus simmer to give off a cozy, winter time fragrance that will fill your home.
Alternatively, you can make mulled wine or cider on your stovetop or in a crockpot with similar additions of citrus and spices. This way you can enjoy a beverage as well as a wonderful smelling home.
How To Make Your House Smell Good Fast – 6 Things You Can Buy
Once you’ve gotten rid of the culprits that are a source of smells, and freshened your air without chemicals, you may want to take it to another level.
The following are the things you can buy to enliven the air around you with scent. Perhaps you just want to keep the main areas like the bathroom and the kitchen smelling fresh.
Although if you have small kids and pets, you may want to use the following methods sparingly. Medical sources are reporting that the use of scents may be irritating to the lungs.
1. Scented Candles
Scented candles are a luxurious and fragrant way to create an inviting atmosphere in your home. Not only do they fill your home with amazing aromas but they also add to the visual appeal through their romantic, flickering flames.
When using scented candles, always be careful where you place your candle. Make sure it is not close to flammable materials and is out of reach from pets and children. Never leave a lit candle unattended.
Some of the popular scents are:
• Scented Soy Aromatherapy Candle
• Yankee Candle Kitchen Spice
• Vanilla Bean Odor Eliminating Candle
2. Incense
Incense is another great way to make your house smell good. It is a less precarious way to create large wafts of scents in your home. Sticks of incense do not have an open flame, though they do have a burning ember.
There are multiple types of incense and, like candles, an infinite variety of scents and fragrances to explore. Popular styles of incense are cone incense and stick incense.
Incense is traditionally Asian and is used in religious rites around the world from Buddhist Temples to Catholic Churches. It is a powerful way to make your home smell good every season of the year.
Sticks of incense are a cheap way to start making your home smell good as well. Incense sets like this come with over 100 sticks and a burner, and cost only several dollars.
While variety kits are good for starting out, our recommended incense for making your house smell good are lavender incense sticks. These will create a lovely, mood-lifting lavender aroma throughout your home.
3. Essential Oils
Essential oils can be used in more ways than one. If using an essential oil burner for essential oils, you simply light a small tea light candle under the burner basin and drop in a few drops of essential oil. The fragrance of your choice will soon be filling every corner of the room.
For those who don’t want to worry about leaving candles or incense unattended, essential oils can be used without an open flame. Essential oil diffusers are a safe way to create fresh-smelling air whether you are home or not.
An essential oil diffuser is basically a humidifier that allows you to add a few drops of essential oils to the water. They then diffuse the water and the scent around your home – a safe and effective way to make your house smell good.
What essential oils you burn or defuse to make your home smell good will be up to you and your preferences. If you don’t know what scents you prefer or would like to explore, there are plenty of essential oil variety packs available for you to choose from.
4. Scent Filled Jars
Likewise, scent filled jars are a safe alternative to making your house smell good. Simply fill mason jars or decorative bowls with potpourri, flower petals, or herbs like rosemary or cinnamon, and nutmeg for a visually appealing and fragrant addition to your home decor. You can make these jars yourself with your own custom ingredients, or you may purchase already made scented jars with proven pleasant aromas.
5. Indoor Plants and Fresh Cut Flowers
Fragrant indoor plants are a long-term solution when it comes to how to make your home smell good. Choosing the right plants is key but you should also be warned that house plants require care and attention. Those without a green thumb may enjoy less interactive methods such as Essential Oils and Air Fresheners.
Our favorite fragrant indoor plants include varieties of Jasmine, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon Balm, and other herbs. Not only do these plants smell great, they also purify the air in your home and will keep your house fragrant and fresh.
When it comes to freshly cut flowers, this is a less sustainable but colorful way to make your house smell good. Simply choose the flowers of your liking and place them in your favorite vase.
6. Air Fresheners
A foolproof way to freshen up your home is the use of air fresheners. Air fresheners come in many forms ranging from aerosol sprays to gelatin-like capsules to plug-in scent diffusers.
Each of these methods is quick and easy.
We recommend air fresheners for folks who want a discreet but effective way to make your house smell good. Air fresheners are a “set it and forget it” method and only require the use or switching out every once in a while.
A Happy Home is a House That Smells Good
With these simple and easy tips on how to quickly make your house smell good, you are sure to succeed. It may seem like a small part of your daily living but knowing how to make your house smell good will play a huge part in your day-to-day life.
Having a home that smells good will uplift your spirits and welcome friends and family with a cozy and refreshing aroma. Now that you know how to make your house smell good, you will never be embarrassed by foul odors or stale air when company comes calling.
Best of all, knowing how to make your house smell good fast will make your life happier at home. So whatever method you choose, have fun with it and find your favorite fragrance today.
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