If you are anything like me, you hate having those stubborn, funky smells lingering around your home. Wheater its pet odor from your furry friends or the scent of salmon from last nights meal, unsavory smells can be hard to eradicate. Especially if you can’t locate the source! If you love walking into a clean smelling, fragrant home, but hate the extensive harmful chemicals in bottled air fresheners, try these tips and tricks today.
Let in the fresh air
The spring is a perfect time to throw open those curtains, raise the windows, and let in the clean, crisp air. If the days are beginning to become too warm to do this, try opening the windows in the evening to embrace the delicate notes of springtime scents without the heat. Sometimes all you need to banish that musty, closed off scent is a little old-fashioned fresh air. No chemicals required.
Clean, clean, clean
Often, it is not good enough to simply cover up those nasty smells in your home. Take a day to clean those forgotten corners, and neglected areas in that rarely get any attention from your cleaning bucket. Try cleaning with all natural ingredients such as vinegar with essential oils. It will smell great and banish any unsavory bacteria. Be sure not to neglect the garbage disposal as this can often be a source of odor from food buildup.
Essential oil room spray
If you haven’t already ditched the febreeze, do so today. All you need to freshen your linens and make your house smell amazing is a simple essential oil spray. Add about five drops of any combination of your favorite scents to a cup of water and transfer it to a spray bottle. Use anywhere without the dangers of harsh chemicals.
Cinnamon on the stove
This is a super easy air freshening hack that can be performed with just two ingredients. Simply grab a few cinnamon sticks (or a sprinkling of ground cinnamon) from your pantry and fill a pot with water on the stove on medium heat. Add the cinnamon sticks and once the water starts to boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 10 mins, letting the mixture fill your home with the fragrant aroma. If you want something a little more seasonal, you can try boiling various citrus fruits such as lime, grapefruit, or lemon for the same effect.
Carpet powder
If you have carpet, it is bound to hold in various smells that can seriously affect the overall scent in your home. Try whipping up a batch of this lavender carpet powder, sprinkle it on your carpet, and vacuum it up to totally refresh your stinky floor.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup baking soda
- 2 tsp dried rosemary
- Lavender essential oil
Instructions:
- Grind up rosemary as small as you can using a food processor.
- Add all ingredients together in a Ziploc bag, seal. Shake to combine.
- Let sit on the carpet for 15 mins to allow the scent to disperse fully.
Buy a bouquet of flowers or some plants
Everyone love flowers, right? If you have beautiful blooms in your garden, simply head out with some scissors and cut yourself a bouquet for your kitchen table. Otherwise, treat yourself to a bouquet of fresh flowers from the store. Your home will automatically look more cheerful and will smell great. This is an especially good idea if you have company coming over.
If you don’t already have plants in your home, you are missing out. Certain houseplants such as palm trees and peace lilies are excellent for purifying the air and clearing out bad smells. Not to mention, they provide clean oxygen to the home and improve your mood.
Baking soda jars
If you have a particular area in your home that just seems to cling on to bad odors, try filling a small jar with baking soda and about five drops of essential oil. Cover the top with cloth and a rubber band and place in a discreet spot to help absorb any unpleasant odors. This also can be used in the car. Be sure to refresh your jars every few weeks to keep eradicating odors.
Do you know of any other natural ways to make your house smell amazing? Let us know in the comments below!
-Susan Patterson