How to Make a House Smell Good

A clean home is the first step to a nicely scented home, however, even the cleanest homes may not always have a great scent. Pets, old furniture or carpeting and strong foods (think stinky cheese, onions, garlic or fish) are among the many things that can make a house smell less than fresh. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make your home smell much better. All require some effort but cost very little.

Things You'll Need

• Spray bottles
• Water
• White vinegar
• Powdered carpet deodorizer
• Broom
• Febreze, Citrus Magic or similar spray
• Potpourri, activated charcoal, or odor sponges

Instructions

1. Open up windows and doors to allow fresh air into the home. Then, mix water and white distilled vinegar (half and half) in a clean spray bottle. Shake the bottle to mix the vinegar thoroughly with the water. Use this to lightly spray cloth drapes, carpets and fabric upholstery. White vinegar is a very good deodorizer and will neutralize many odors.

2. Sprinkle carpet deodorizer powder on all carpets. Lightly brush it into the carpets with a broom and allow the powder to remain, undisturbed, on the carpeting for 15 minutes.

3. Vacuum the carpets. When doing this, make sure you use a clean vacuum bag. This helps the vacuum cleaner to work more efficiently and prevents old odors from being transferred.

4. Spray rooms with room deodorizers that have odor-neutralizing components and a fresh scent. Products made by Febreze and Citrus Magic are two good examples. If you like the scent of oranges and other citrus fruits, go with Citrus Magic. If you prefer other scents, such as linen or floral, then Febreze or a similar product will be better.

5. Set out fresh potpourri, a bowl of water with a teaspoon of vanilla, activated charcoal sachets, or odor sponges. (Odor sponges are not really sponges. They are made of a material that absorbs odors from the air and releases a scent. You can usually find these at home improvement stores).

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use scented candles to make a house smell better--just don't leave the candles unattended (they may tip over and start a fire). If you want an alternative to using candles or sprays, buy some cloves and cinnamon sticks. Put water in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil with a few sticks of cinnamon and a few cloves. You can also add a few orange peels. When it has begun to boil (a rolling boil) either turn the heat down to let it simmer a while (just don't let it boil dry) or turn the stove off completely. The scent will fill the home for a while.

• If you own birds as pets, don't use any fragrance--this includes scented candles and potpourri--without checking with your birds' vet first. Birds can be very sensitive to chemicals in cleaning and deodorizing products. Don't let your pets walk on carpeting that has been treated with deodorizing chemicals until you've vacuumed. Sequester them in another room.

References

• More Tips For Making a Home Smell Better