8 Ways to Make Your Home Smell Amazing

clean kitchen that smells good

You know that feeling when you walk into a home and it smells right? Not like they're trying to cover something up with a wall of artificial vanilla or overpowering florals. It's genuinely fresh and inviting.

Fortunately, getting your home to smell amazing isn't complicated; it just takes some intentional choices. Read on to discover the best ways to make your home smell good.

How Your Home Smells Shapes Its Entire Vibe

The everyday scents in your home affect your mood, appetite, energy levels, and motivation. Good smells allow you to fully relax and enjoy your space, while unwelcome smells distract you and cause stress.

It's true—people form opinions before noticing your cozy living area or charming breakfast nook. Unpleasant odors stick in people's minds. And there's nothing worse than feeling ashamed because you and your guests are both thinking about the elephant—or litter box—in the room.

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8 Natural Ways to Make Your Home Smell Better

You can totally transform how your home feels simply by tackling stinky odors. Here's how to make your home smell good naturally:

man cleaning couch to make house smell good

1. Start With Your Soft Surfaces

Soft surfaces—couches, cushioned chairs, pillows, carpets, rugs, and curtains—are giant odor sponges. They trap everything from cooking smells to pet odors, holding onto them like precious memories. Here's how to take soft surfaces from funk to fragrant:

Carpets, rugs, and upholstery: Sprinkle baking soda liberally. Let it sit for about 15 minutes or overnight. Then, do a thorough vacuuming.
Curtains, throw pillows, and blankets: Wash them if you can, and consider tossing fragrance beads into the washer. If you can't wash them, put them in the dryer for a few minutes with a damp towel and lightly scented dryer sheets. Run the dryer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

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2. Wash Your Trash Cans Monthly

The nastiest, smelliest, grossest stuff goes in your trash cans. That rancid smell in your kitchen or bathroom might not be the garbage but the can it's sitting in.

To clean your garbage cans, take them outside and spray them down with a hose. Then, scrub them with dish soap and hot water. Vinegar can also help knock out the tough odors.

Leave them in the sun to dry and let the UV rays kill the leftover bacteria. Before adding a new bag, sprinkle baking soda into the bottom.

person putting food scraps in garbage disposal

3. Clean Your Garbage Disposal Weekly

The garbage disposal is one of the most useful kitchen tools, making it quick and easy to discard soft foods. However, it's notorious for causing bad smells. Trapped food waste, bacterial growth, and grime can all contribute to the stench. Here's how to clean your garbage disposal so it doesn't stink:

Run a cup of ice cubes through the disposal to knock out loose debris.
Turn the disposal off and add three or four lemon wedges.
Pour ¼ cup coarse salt over the lemon.
Run your disposal with cold water for 30 seconds to a minute.
Turn it off and run cold water for another 30 seconds.

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4. Open Windows Strategically

Back in the day, homemakers "changed out the air" in their houses every spring. Today, almost everyone heats and cools their homes through an HVAC system. Because windows aren't opened as much, we're recycling the same air repeatedly.

Open your windows a couple of times a week to bring in fresh air to keep your home smelling clean and airy. For optimal results, create cross-ventilation by opening windows on opposite sides of your home. This pulls stale air out and pure air in. All it takes is 10 minutes to give the air in your home a makeover.

winter stovetop simmer pot to make house smell good

5. Simmer A Stovetop Potpourri

You don't have to use pricey artificial-smelling plugins. A pot of simmering water on the stovetop with natural ingredients creates a fragrance palette that actually smells real. Because it is. And best of all? The naturally refreshing home bouquet lingers for days.

Basic stovetop potpourri simmer:

2 cups water
Orange or lemon slices
Cinnamon sticks
A few whole cloves
Optional: A splash of vanilla extract

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add water as needed throughout the day.

natural cleaning products that make house smell good

6. Use Natural Cleaning Products

For long-lasting freshness, make natural cleaning products your go-to. These are the best natural cleaning products:

White vinegar: Cuts through grease, kills bacteria, and neutralizes odors.
Baking soda: Use for scrubbing and deodorizing everything from sinks and garbage cans to carpets and your fridge.
Castile soap: Gentle but super effective for most surfaces, and comes in natural scents like peppermint.
Hydrogen peroxide: Disinfects and brightens without a strong bleachy smell.
Essential oils: Add 10-15 drops to any cleaner for a natural fragrance that doesn't overpower.

RELATED: 11 Interesting Uses for Vinegar

7. Create DIY Reed Diffusers

Reed diffusers are the hottest set-and-forget-it fragrance solution. Offering a gentle scent and cool aesthetic, they're sure to make your house smell better. With sticks dipped in a beautiful vase that holds fragrant oil, reed diffusers are simple to build on your own. Here's how:

Gather your supplies: A small glass bottle, bamboo skewers or rattan reeds, and a carrier oil.
Fill the bottle ¾ full with a carrier oil.
Add 20-30 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Put five or six reeds into the bottle.
After an hour, flip the reeds. Then, once a week.
Place them anywhere you want a delicate scent.

dog sitting on couch

8. Deal With Pet Odors at The Source (Before They Start)

We all love our precious little creatures who bring comfort, laughter, and endless joy. However, pets can also be the source of some serious odors. To prevent pets from getting smelly, make sure to:

Wash their bedding every week in hot water, with a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle.
Coat your pets' hang-out spots with baking soda and vacuum up after an hour or so.
Clean litter boxes daily and replace the litter completely every two weeks.
Vacuum your furniture twice a week to keep it hair-free.

Final Thoughts

Making your home smell good isn't about masking odors or overwhelming your space with artificial fragrances. It's about eliminating smells at their source and adding natural scents that feel like you.

But as we all know, it's not just about smelling clean, it's also about being clean. Use these strategies and our ultimate spring cleaning checklist to create a house that smells amazing and looks remarkable

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the healthiest way to deodorize your home and make it smell nice?

For natural, chemical-free living, clean your home with ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda, and peppermint-scented castile soap.

What's the strongest DIY odor eliminator?

For a quick and easy odor eliminator, add this mixture to a spray bottle:

2 cups hydrogen peroxide
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid

Swish the ingredients around gently (don't shake it unless you're going for a dramatic experience!). Spray where needed, and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

Are essential oils safe around pets?

Some essential oils are toxic to pets. Tea tree and eucalyptus oils are especially dangerous for cats. Stick with pet-safe options, like lavender, chamomile, and cedarwood. Also, be sure to properly dilute them and use only in well-ventilated areas.