Have you ever wondered if your house could smell even better than it does now?
Let’s be honest, when it comes to new scents in the house, it may happen that candles and new essential oils no longer cut it. Not because they don’t work, but rather because there are certain areas of your house that are bound to smell bad or that will pick up a weird scent before you’re even aware of it.
But there’s no need to worry! With some of these easy tricks, you can easily get rid of any annoying smell. From making sure your garbage bin won’t stink up your whole kitchen during a hot summer day to masking the scent of paint, we have looked at all the ways in which you don’t have to spend a ton of money to make your house smell amazing.
And yes, we included both some more common places as well as some tricks that you may have never thought about! Remember, it’s about making things work in your favor and not having to spend a fortune on them at the same time!
Let us know which one your favorite scent is and why down below!
#1 Make sure your garbage bin doesn’t stink
We all know that no matter how much we try, the garbage bin is bound to have a nasty smell. And while this doesn’t bother many of us, on a hot summer day when you have to cook a lot, the smell may end up taking over your kitchen. Especially if your kitchen is quite small or you live in an apartment.
This is why you should make a habit of adding some baking soda or borax to the bottom of your bin! These little crystals will end up neutralizing any nasty scent from all the scraps and other items you throw out, and believe us, the can will smell better.
Just make sure you replace the powder every time you throw out the trash and that you give it a wash from time to time, and you’ll be free of the smell!
#2 Relying on a humidifier? It may need a check-up
It will happen even to the best humidifiers out there. After some usage, it will start to smell quite funky, even if you haven’t strayed away from the instructions! With all the moisture and dampness that gathered around it, it’s sort of bound to happen if you ask us.
The best way to get rid of any nasty scent that’s coming out of it is to add some lemon juice to the water in the machine; 3 or 4 tablespoons will do the trick just fine. Not only will you get rid of the smell, but you will also get the added benefit of a fresh lemon one for a few days!
Keep in mind to add some more lemon juice when the scent inevitably comes back a few weeks later.
#3 Avoid a freezer smell disaster with coffee grounds
You never know when a power outage may strike, and when it happens, one of the first worries is the freezer. After all, if it lasts quite a bit, the food will get spoiled, and with it comes quite a nasty smell. One way to get rid of it is to defrost the freezer and give it a wash, but let’s be honest, after a power outage, that’s not the best idea.
So an even easier way is to add some fresh (or used) coffee grounds to the freezer overnight! This will neutralize the bad scent and even add a new, rich coffee one instead.
#4 Change the scent of your house with a simple shower
Yes, you can make use of the shower in more ways than one. Not only can you get clean in it and use the steam from the warm water to hopefully straighten some creases in your clothes, but you can also use the same steam to make your house smell better!
All you have to do is tie some eucalyptus branches or leaves together and hang them behind your showerhead, where the steam is more prevalent. That way, when you’re showering, the heat and steam will make the plant release all its aromatic oils, making not only your shower more invigorating but also spreading its scent around, lasting up to one week.
To make it even better, this method is amazing when you’re sick as well as eucalyptus oils can help relieve colds and help with sinusitis or even asthma! Why not give it a try?
#5 Did you try to use your stove?
And we don’t just mean cooking. You’re already aware that you can spread some amazing scents all around the house when you’re baking or just making dinner, so why not make use of the same technique for just a scent improvement session too?
All you have to do is simmer some fragrant items such as citrus peels in a few cups of water or even some spices (like cloves or cinnamon) if you’re more fond of that smell, making sure you don’t let them burn. Not only will the pot get a good freshening-up session, but your whole home will smell amazing, and you won’t need more than half an hour for it!
You don’t necessarily need a ton of expensive diffusers and candles; sometimes, the stove will do just fine!
#6 Smoke is no longer a problem
If you’ve recently had some guests that are pretty fond of smoking, you know just how annoying it can be to get rid of the smoke smell. Especially if you’re not a smoking household either! However, we have just the trick for you to freshen up the scent of your home with a few easy steps!
All you need is to pour some vinegar into a small bowl and then set it in the room that seems to not be able to get rid of the smoke smell. In less than a day, the vinegar should neutralize any bad smell, and you can air out the vinegar scent. It’s that easy!
#7 Not every candle needs to be burnt to make the most of their scent
We do know that candles are made for burning, but you don’t need to burn the wick on your last favorite candle in order to make the most of its scent! You can preserve the scent longer if you choose to just place them around in a few unexpected places, which will turn into pleasant surprises later.
The best way to make use of this technique is to place the candles somewhere around fabrics, like the linen closet or even your own wardrobe. The material will end up absorbing the scent in time way better than with fabric softener, and you will get double the enjoyment: once when you open the doors to the cupboards and again when the scent lingers in the fabric.
An easy way to even make closets smell amazing!
#8 Make sure your fireplace doesn’t work against you
If you have a fireplace, you know that, as amazing as they are, they can also cause a pretty nasty smell to arise from time to time. That’s something to be expected when you’re burning wood, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Save some orange and lemon peels next time you use them, and then throw them in the flames to neutralize the burning scent.
Even better, you can replace the newspaper for the fire with the peels! They are full of oils that are flammable, and they will keep burning longer than normal paper. Not to mention, your living room will smell just like Christmas!
#9 Vacuum multi-tasking
Did you know you can get the help of your vacuum with the smell of your house as well? All you have to do is soak some cotton balls in your favorite perfume or room scent and add them to the cleaner bag or dust collector of the vacuum. That way, every time you end up doing chores, the machine will release the pleasant scent into the room as it also does what it was intended for.
Who said you could not use cleaning gadgets in more ways than one?
#10 Redecorating? Get rid of the smell of paint
We all feel the need to redecorate from time to time, and more often than not, that involves some sort of paint. Whether we’re giving a wall a fresh coat of paint or repainting an entire room, the smell can quickly become overwhelming. Not to mention that it lingers for days afterward!
Yet, one way to prevent that is to mix a tablespoon of vanilla extract into the paint right after you open it. It will give it a lovely scent and stop some of the sickly paint smell from being too aggressive. Not to mention, that little amount will not mess with the paint in any way, so there’s nothing to worry about if you try it out!
Read about even more ways in which you can change the scent of your home here!