What is your favorite tips for making you house smell good?

Question

I'm always looking for new ways to make my house smell good.
I can't always burn candles. My favorite way to make my house smell good is to put either sented pin cones or glad refells in the heater vents. When the heat comes on it carries the smell all through the house. Thank you for your time!

Sorry about all the spelling mistakes!
It happens sometimes.

amh_7 what is a wallflower?
I put something up in my moms house from there but i didnt get a chance to stick around to see if it smelled good.

I love candles and yes yankee is my favorite..but i have a 3 month old kitten that gets into everything so i have to watch the candles closely...he will climb everything..

I use fabreeze but it doesnt stay around long.

I use vinager to absord the nasty smells..just pour into a bowl and put it up high...

i really like carpet freshner but my dog is allergic to it makes his feet bleed..so i dont use it.

ktwister...thats an awesome ideal..
It doesnt stain nothing?

I cant live with out my pine sole, i wipe everything down with it and mop with it..
it even works wonders in the washer..
when i am done with the old pine sole i pour the rest on my side walks and scrub them with a broom and the side walks are clean and it smells great out sife.lol

I used to have my own candle company. i made about 100 different sents. But im more intereseted in something more safe.
I still have all my oils.

Answer 1

I like to use the new scented pine sol and wipe everything down with that when I clean

To keep my house smelling good I used the scented oil from Bath and Body Works. It's a little strong but if you let it burn for about an hour the smell will last the whole day.

I also use scents to match the season and if I use more than one scent I make sure they will blend together.

For my furniture and bedding I mix liquid fabric softener and hot water together in a spray bottle and spray down them down.
*****No I never had a problem with it staining anything, you don't need to use too much of the fabric softener and all you need to do is lightly spray the stuff down.

Answer 2

Simmer pots are great little inventions for this purpose, but you don't have to buy simmering potpourri or anything special to use in them. You don't even have to buy a simmering pot if you can rig up any way for a little heat in the right place. Be aware though, that an electric pot is cheaper to use than your kitchen range and will soon pay for itself. If you don't want the expense of buying an electric one, get the kind that uses candles (which you can make yourself). In lieu of either, try putting a dish in the summer sun and in the winter put one on a radiator or floor vent.

Try putting these in water in the pot or bowl:

Crushed caraway or anise seeds
A little dry yeast
Herbs - rosemary, fennel, sage, or whatever strikes your fancy
Lemon, lime or orange peels or juice
Flavoring extracts, like vanilla, peppermint, almond... even chocolate.
Spices like cinnamon, cloves and/or nutmeg

You can make your own air freshener spray for those days when you don't have time or inclination for anything else.

The scents are more limited, but try these methods: Save and pour the water in which you've simmered any of the ingredients above.

Mix one teaspoon vanilla with 1/2 cup water
Baking soda mixed into water at the rate of 1 teaspoon for each 1/4 cup
Use a spray bottle, adjusting for the finest spray possible, and spray into the center of the room.
Other Ideas

Put vanilla or other cooking extracts or essential oils on a cotton ball and put it in the bottom of a trash can or in a drawer.

Bake bread! Your house will smell good for hours.

By the same token, bake an apple pie, or pop corn or make a fresh pot of coffee.

Crush flowers, wild or otherwise, in a dish.

Also try simmering some Christmas potpouri--here's a recipe that I like:

1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
3 cinnamon sticks
6 bay leaves
1/2 cup whole cloves
2 quarts water

In a large pot, boil all ingredients; reduce heat and simmer as long as you like. Can be refridgerated and used again (adding more water if necessary.)

I went to my local supermarket to see what is in air fresheners these days, and the label on the first product I looked at read: “This product is banned in California because it causes cancer.” It contained dichlorobenzene, a chemical that is extremely toxic, a central nervous system depressant, a kidney and liver poison, and one of the chlorinated hydrocarbons that is long-lasting in the environment and is stored in body fat.

Save your money and do your health a favor at the same time by using only homemade, natural ways to keep the air in your home fresh and clean.

Answer 3

I have a spray bottle filled with water and a few drops of lavender oil. I shake it then spray pretty much everywhere (the couch, pillows, beds, towels, etc). Another thing I like to do sometimes is put a small pot with some water on the stove and add some cinnamon sticks and simmer on low...it makes the whole house smell yummy! You could get an essential oil diffuser ring to put on a light bulb in a lamp...just put a couple of drops of whatever kind of oil you like, and the heat from the light bulb will diffuse the oil into the room.

Answer 4

potpourri in bowls around the place. Simmer some on the stove too. Sprinkle some on the carpet and vacuum it up. Burn those candles.. but use the same scent - vanilla is the easiest to find - you don't want scents clashing. Use scented dryer sheets for sheets, towels, and bathroom rugs. There are bathroom paper holders that replace your holder with a plastic one filled with scented beads or a gel stick. Bake sugar cookies with lots of vanilla!! Naturally keep the house clean - scents come through a cleaner house vs. an attempt to mask an unpleasant odor. But you've got that covered in your question. lol Oh, plug-in are great too! Good luck!

Answer 5

Okay, I LOVE good smells in my house and will FREAK if my house smells icckky. So I am your go to person on this one!

First, I have tried every plug and scent thing and none work very well, they stick out too far to use in many places (due to dogs, furniture, kids).

Second, candles you have to watch, but the best ones are from Yankee Candle BY FAR.

Liquid potpourri is good, or essential oils, in a burner. But again you have to watch them.

I use automatic dispensers 24/7 and have THREE downstairs, one up..so far! Just put in the can and set it. I put mine on 36 minute intervals, each one going off at a different time! So easy! The fruity one imo is gross, the water scented one is good but perfumey. I like home baked smells, so the Harvest Spice is FABULOUS.

Stick with clean smells, like pine, linen, or cooking smells like vanilla, pumpkin pie etc. whatever you use. If your house smells like perfume, it smells like you are covering stuff up.

Answer 6

den2read has it going on. I would suggest starting with a clean house -- windows, walls, floors, furniture, cleaned with nice smelling products, then the stick in smell-good things. Mr Clean blue is pleasant scent and cleans well...not windows or furniture of course. You can come help at my house if you're not too busy, beer or wine?

Answer 7

I like to do the real thing and bake an apple pie, or roast a chicken. Febreeze air works. I don't like the store bought air fragrances like Glade...they smell too fake, and I feel like it's trying to cover up something.

Answer 8

Bath & Body Works Wallflowers!!!!!!! Love them and they last for 6-8 weeks. They are a little pricey, but the day after Thanksgiving they go on sale for $5, so I always stock up for the year!!!!

Answer 9

Try putting a small amount of herbs or spices in a pot with a small amount of water and simmer on your stove.Just be sure to not boil dry! I love to use cinammon sticks because they are easy to clean up and you can simmer them for a long time.

Answer 10

I used to buy the little light bulb rings that you put a drop or two of scented oil on... then whenever you turn the light on, it heats the bulb ring, which releases the scent.

http://www.valuebuy.net/lightbulb.html

I like tart burners, which can be a little more safe and more fragrant than candles, as well.