Make Your House Smell Amazing

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Make Your House Smell Amazing

14 Easy DIY Ideas:

To Make Your House Smell Amazing

By D.S. Mitchell 

Scouring the Internet

I scoured the internet and found some simple, inexpensive DIY solutions to  rid your house of offensive odors. There are no expensive systems included, just common sense, cheap, easy, and proven solutions. Well, I found out it’s not just about flowers and candles. According to the experts, a great smelling home is achieved by targeting problem areas and using a multistep approach to take care of the issue. Some places in your home, like the trash can or litter box, are obvious sources of putrid and foul odors, so paying special attention to such sources is key. In other cases, the path to a sweet-smelling home is a simple addition here and there to your normal cleaning routine.

1.) Deodorizing Your fridge:  My mom taught me to stick a box of Arm and Hammer baking soda in the fridge every 30 days or so to absorb funky smells. It’s worked well for me for the last 50 years but one expert suggested a change up. So, give it a try; the next pot of coffee you make save the grounds and let them dry out. The expert says we should “swap that A & H soda box for a bowl of used, dried out coffee.” Hold on here. I can go with switching out soda for coffee but an open bowl in my fridge is asking for a real mess. The boys in my house just reach and grab, and push and shove to close the door. If you want to give it a try, I suggest you dump your used soda in the trash, save the box and put the dried out grounds in the box and then put it in the fridge. Just a thought.

2.) From Ho-hum to Hmmmmm: The recommendation here is to transform your shower to a spa-like experience. Buy a bundle of fresh  eucalyptus from your local florist or grocer, tie the stems together in a bunch and then with a piece of twine hang it from the shower nozzle. With a quick internet search the cost in my geographic area could be anywhere from $15.00-$50.00 per eucalyptus bunch. So, you might want to call around for the best price in your neck of the woods. Reportedly, if you crush the leaves for a stronger smell you will have a shorter effective use time. If you choose not to crush the leaves the expected fragrance life is 2-3 weeks. The steam from the hot shower activates the plants soothing fragrance. Sounds like a great way to end a hard day at the keyboard. Enjoy!

3.) Sweet Heaven: I love the smell of cookies baking, it fills the whole house with sweet delight. Most of that yummy smell is from the vanilla. My mother used this little trick a couple times back in 1960’s. Of course you need to be ready to make up a real batch of cookies to appease the salivating demons that are lured to the kitchen by the sweet aroma. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. When the oven is ready, place 2-3 TBS in an oven safe bowl and heat in the oven for 20 minutes. Your house will smell like the best bakery in town.

4.) Essential Oils: When I hear Essential Oils I think of reduced stress, and improved sleep, but Tea tree and citrus oils have antibacterial properties, mint oils can help deter rodents, and lavender oil is believed to repel bugs. Those last three benefits make it perfect for cutting down on garbage odors and hazards. To combat the smelly trash problem wash out the garbage can on a regular basis and to keep it sweet smelling between washings, dip a cotton ball in your favorite essential oil and toss it into the garbage can before the trash bag. This will go a long way to reduce offensive smells and enhance the nice ones, plus discourage rodents and insects.

5.) Dryer Sheets: We all have throw pillows lying around the house, on a chair, on the couch, and if not tended to on a regular basis they can pick up that funny monkey fragrance. Now days, most throw pillows are washable so a good washing once a month and drying with a dryer sheet is the best way to keep your pillows fresh and clean. If your items are non-washable, toss pillows in the dryer on a no-heat or air-fluff cycle with a couple of dryer sheets or wool dryer balls dipped in lemon. Run for 10–15 minutes to absorb odors and refresh the fabric. It is not recommended to leave dryer sheets between the cover and the cushion due to the increased chance of skin irritations.

6.) Lemon in the Dishwasher: Lemon has been the household go-to staple for at least the last century. Toss a few slices of lemon in the dishwasher before running the cycle. The hot water will magnify the scent of oils in the lemon peel which will make your kitchen smell glorious.

7.) Microwave Magic: According to an issue of Southern Living, next time you want to clean the microwave, take a small microwaveable bowl, a cup of water, a cup of vinegar, 1/2 lemon, and a microfiber cloth. Combine the H2O and the vinegar in the bowl. Squeeze out the lemon juice and set aside for some later date, later use. Take the lemon rind and place it in the vinegar solution, then run the microwave for 10 minutes. As the water heats up the inside of the microwave will get steamy, making it easier to wipe down with your cloth and the lemon fragrance fills your kitchen with its soothing aroma. You can collect the citrus rinds from the citrus your family eats (oranges, lemons, grapefruit) and once a week simmer the rinds in some water on top of the stove and just like magic your house smells amazing, with this easy stovetop potpourri.

8.) Tea Bags Refresh Drawers & Closets: To keep closets and drawers smelling fresh put a tea bag in each drawer or in the pocket of several garments and soon these small infusers will soak up those musty odors and freshen the closet and drawers with a crisp fresh scent.

9.) Vacuum in Freshness: First, be sure your vacuum is clean. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and then let it sit for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming the carpet. The baking soda also neutralizes odors in upholstered furniture, throw rugs and kitchen counters. Add an open box of baking soda anywhere you notice an odor. Sprinkle it on the mattresses and the upholstered furniture and just like with the carpeting, let it sit for a few minutes or even overnight and vacuum to remove all traces of the baking soda when you’re ready.
10.) Clean With Vinegar: Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and use it to wipe down countertops, tubs, and sinks in the bathrooms and kitchen where it neutralizes odors and gets rid of those unpleasant musty smells. If you have an area with a particularly offensive smell you may want to pour the distilled vinegar directly into a bowl and without diluting place the bowl in a discrete place in the room that has the offending odor and leave it there.  It also keeps appliances like washing machines and dishwashers smelling fresh.
11.) Open the Windows: Throw open those windows and let the fresh air in and the old putrid air out of the house. Ventilation prevents moisture that is responsible for the growth of  smelly mold. Please be sure to keep the air circulating and open any rooms that are usually closed off. If you have ceiling fans turn them on.
12.) Clean the Garbage Disposal: Your garbage disposal is apparently a magnet for bad odors. Cleaning it at least once a week will help prevent lingering bad odors. Sanitize it fast with citrus peels or baking soda and vinegar.

13.) The One-Ingredient Solution For Pet Odor: As much as we love our fur babies our darlings can leave behind an unpleasant smell that’s particularly hard to diffuse. Stop pet-induced smells with just one natural ingredient: zeolite rocks. Zeolites are hydrated aluminum silicates with a knack for absorbing odor. Before using the zeolites, clean your surfaces, carpets, and other places where pet smells may be lingering. Then put the special rocks in a bowl and let them sit on the counter for a few days to wash away the offending smell. Zeolites will not only target pet odors, but are also effective at eliminating annoying food and smoke smells. Find zeolite rocks at home improvement stores, discount stores, or online.

14.) Homemade Air Fresheners: Making your own homemade air fresheners is easy and customizable to your particular likes.  They don’t have to include store-bought products, as you probably have most or all of the ingredients on hand. a.) Simmer water, citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, and cloves on the stovetop and let it diffuse through the house, b.) Mix water, vodka, and essential oils in a spray bottle  s0 it can be easily sprayed in various rooms, on furniture, window treatments and bedding. Vodka– Because water and oil don’t mix, vodka helps disperse the essential oil throughout the room. Distilled Water– tap water contains natural impurities that can cause bacteria growth over time. Essential Oil– experiment-citrus, lavender, rosemary, thyme, ginger to name some. b.) Make  gel air fresheners, To make a gel air freshener, dissolve unflavored gelatin in boiling water, add cold water to cool, and then stir in salt, essential oil of choice and food coloring. Pour the mixture into those cute little canning jars and let it set for a few hours or overnight to create a lovely scented gel, then place the jars around the house.
After Thoughts
I thought some of the ideas were really old school and I have used for years but some of the others I think are worth a try. Have fun-get your kid involved in making the scented gel or the sprays.

 

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