15 Tricks to Keep Your House Smelling Good

As a homeowner, I know how important it is to have a house that smells fresh and inviting. Unfortunately, maintaining that can be challenging with daily cooking, pet odors, and other household smells.

But I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are simple tricks you can use to keep your home smelling amazing.

In this article, I’ll share 15 proven techniques for eliminating odors and maintaining a pleasant aroma throughout your living space.

Let’s get started!

Best Ways to Keep Your House Smelling Good

These list of tips mentioned below can help you maintain a fresh smell in your house:

1. Dust and Vacuum Frequently

Regularly dust all surfaces and vacuum floors to remove dirt, pet hair, and other debris contributing to unpleasant odors. This will help prevent the buildup of smells throughout your home.

Wipe down countertops, tables, and other hard surfaces with a mild cleaning solution—mop floors weekly to remove any spills or residue that could lead to lingering smells.

Keeping everything clean and fresh is crucial for maintaining a pleasant-smelling home.

2. Use Air Fresheners

In addition to regular cleaning, incorporating air fresheners can help keep your home smelling great. Using natural oils like lemon, lavender, or eucalyptus can fill your home with a clean, pleasant aroma without relying on harsh chemicals.

Essential oil diffusers are a great way to gently fragrance the air in a safe, eco-friendly manner. For a quick fix, spray-based air fresheners target problem areas or give your home a refreshing scent boost.

Just be mindful of choosing products with natural ingredients rather than overpowering synthetic fragrances.

3. Open Windows

Letting in fresh air is another simple yet effective way to keep your home smelling fresh. Open the windows whenever possible to allow fresh outdoor air to flow through your home.

This can help flush out any lingering odors and introduce a clean, natural scent. Make it a habit to open the windows in each room for at least a few minutes every day.

This daily ventilation will prevent stale, stuffy air from building up and ensure a constant supply of fresh, breathable air throughout your living space.

4. House Plants

Bringing some greenery into your home can be an excellent way to keep it smelling fresh naturally. Place indoor plants that purify the air, like peace lilies or spider plants. 

Beyond masking odors, houseplants improve indoor air quality by removing harmful chemicals and gases. This process helps eliminate unpleasant smells while replenishing the air with clean, oxygen-rich freshness.

Strategically placing a few low-maintenance, air-purifying plants around your home is a simple yet effective way to maintain a pleasant, natural fragrance throughout.

5. Scented Candles

Scented candles can be a wonderful way to infuse your home with a warm, inviting fragrance. Lighting a scented candle in a room can quickly fill the air with a delightful, long-lasting scent.

Experiment with different scents to find the ones you enjoy the most. When choosing scented candles, look for ones made from natural waxes like soy or beeswax.

These burn cleaner and release fewer toxins than paraffin-based candles, making them a healthier choice for your home.

Scented candles can be a simple yet impactful way to enhance the overall aroma of your living spaces. When burning them, just be mindful of safety and ventilation.

6. Baking Soda

Here comes baking soda, which can be powerful in keeping your home smelling fresh. Baking soda is a natural odor absorber that can help eliminate unpleasant smells.

Place open containers of baking soda in problem areas around your home to soak up and neutralize any lingering odors. For maximum effect, you can put small bowls of baking soda in various rooms or sprinkle it onto carpets and fabrics before vacuuming.

This will help identify and trap odors, leaving a fresh, clean scent behind.

7. Simmering Potpourri

Another lovely way to keep your home smelling wonderful is to make simmering potpourri. To do it, Fill a pot with water and add aromatic ingredients like cinnamon sticks, cloves, citrus peels, or fresh herbs.

Gently simmer this mixture on the stovetop, allowing the inviting scents to fill your home. Experiment with different flavor profiles to find the ones you enjoy the most.

This simple, cost-effective method is a great way to infuse your living spaces with natural, homemade fragrances. 

8. Essential Oil Diffusers

Essential oil diffusers are a fantastic way to fill your home with pleasant, natural aromas effortlessly. Electric or ultrasonic diffusers allow you to disperse the fragrance of essential oils into the air, creating a soothing, aromatic atmosphere in any room.

Experiment with different essential oil blends to find the scents that you find most uplifting and enjoyable. Oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or citrus can provide a clean, rejuvenating fragrance.

Essential oil diffusers offer a simple, fuss-free way to infuse your living spaces with natural, long-lasting fragrances. 

9. Clean Carpets and Upholstery

Carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture can be magnets for unpleasant odors, so cleaning them properly is important. Vacuum your carpets and rugs frequently to pick up dirt, hair, and other debris that can lead to lingering smells.

Additionally, regularly clean upholstered furniture, curtains, and other soft furnishings. Consider having your carpets and upholstery steam cleaned periodically for a more thorough cleaning.

This deep-cleaning process can help extract deeply embedded odors and leave your home feeling fresh. 

10. Trash Management

Proper trash disposal and management are key to maintaining a fresh-smelling home. Ensure that trash is taken out frequently, especially in high-traffic areas like the kitchen.

Letting trash sit for too long can lead to unpleasant odors. After emptying the bins, thoroughly clean them using a disinfectant solution.

This will help remove any lingering smells. Additionally, always use trash can liners to contain any spills or leaks.

11. Dryer Sheets

Believe it or not, your trusty dryer sheets can do more than keep your laundry smelling fresh. They can also be used around your home to help maintain a refreshing smell.

Tuck a few dryer sheets into these enclosed spaces to release a gentle, long-lasting fragrance. They’ll help keep everything smelling clean and fresh.

The chemicals in dryer sheets not only provide freshness but can also help absorb and neutralize unwanted odors.

12. Clean Air Filters

Maintaining clean air filters in your HVAC system is an often-overlooked but important step in keeping your home smelling fresh. Replace or clean HVAC air filters regularly.

Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for replacing or cleaning the air filters in your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. This will ensure proper airflow and prevent the buildup of dust, debris, and odors.

Keeping them clean allows your HVAC system to circulate fresh, filtered air throughout your home, reducing unpleasant smells.

13. Fresh Linens

Maintaining fresh, clean linens throughout your home can make a big difference in keeping it smelling pleasant. Wash bedding, curtains, and cushions frequently. Regularly wash your sheets, pillowcases, curtains, and other soft furnishings.

This will help remove any trapped odors and keep everything feeling and smelling clean. Fresh linens contribute to a pleasant-smelling home.

When your bedding, curtains, and other fabrics are freshly laundered, it can instantly lift the overall fragrance of your living spaces.

14. Cook with Spices

The aromas from your kitchen can have a big impact on the overall fragrance of your home. By incorporating certain spices into your cooking, you can harness their natural scents to keep your living spaces smelling great.

Cook with flavourful spices like cinnamon, vanilla, and citrus. When you use spices like cinnamon, vanilla extract, or citrus zests in your cooking, the enticing scents will permeate through your home.

Cooking with spices makes infusing your home with delightful fragrances easy.

15. Pet Care

As much as we love our furry friends, pet odors can be challenging to manage in the home. However, you can keep these smells at bay with proper pet care.

Bathe and groom pets regularly to reduce pet odors. Regularly bathing and grooming your pets can help minimize the buildup of hair, dander, and other sources of pet-related odors, keeping your pets feeling and smelling fresh.

Removing any dirt, hair, or other debris can go a long way in reducing pet-related odors. 

Conclusion

Lastly, maintaining a fresh, inviting fragrance in your home doesn’t have to be a constant battle. Implementing these proven tricks will allow you to easily keep your living spaces smelling amazing.

From regular cleaning and using natural air fresheners to strategically placing houseplants and simmering homemade potpourri, many simple yet effective ways exist to combat odors.

Remember to stay on top of tasks like cleaning carpets, replacing HVAC filters, and caring for your pets—these small steps can make a big difference.

Use the techniques we’ve covered, and you’ll be well on your way to creating that inviting atmosphere you desire.