How do I make my home smell nice without spending a fortune?

[Lottapianos]

I'm sick of buying candles and reed diffusers that smell of sod all. I had been buying the rhubarb ones from M&S which were fab but the latest pack smell of nothing. I could do candles or reed diffusers, nothing smoky like joss sticks etc. Any recommendations? Ta

I've had an oil burner for years - one of those where you put a little dish of water on the top with a few drops of essential oil and a tea light in the bottom. That seems to do the job.

Also opening windows everyday before I go to work.

I like wax melts as I feel they smell quite potent. The tesco ones are pretty good and Cheshire Candle Company are excellent. It's a pretty small company, the owner comes into my work so I'm not sure about costs for delivery etc but the candles and wax melts are lovely.

I think this is one thing where you do need to spend a bit more sometimes.

Why do you want your home to smell at all? Fresh air and Mr Sheen is fine!

I like St Eval.

'Also opening windows everyday before I go to work.'

Good point. We do open the windows for at least an hour every day

Use your favourite fabric softener and water mixed together in a spray, spray on carpets, rugs and sofas. Smells lovely ☺️

People always say our house smells lovely. It's a combination of lots of fresh air (windows and back door open most of the time) and lots of home baking. Also DH sometimes has a session of polishing the furniture with real old-fashioned polish which smells fantastic.

I've never used a scented candle or a diffuser thingy as none of us like smells like that.

Well there are the obv things like opening the windows and not letting the bins get pongy. I use an oil burner too and have loads of different essential oils. I currently have a rose scent wafting through the home. Not a fan of those reed thingies as I think they're just a posh air freshener and the scent can be overpowering.

Ooh I'm the first to mention zoflora!

Can I ask a question about wax melts? After it’s melted is it a pain to clean up? I don’t really understand how they work. Someone bought me some and I don’t know what to do with them.

Fresh air and wax melts. Home bargains do some cheap ones that smell fab ( currently got some kind of baking/cookie one burning which is lush).
PP I wait until the wax has cooled and set then put a knife under it to remove. It comes out easily.
My main problem with wax melts is my overwhelming urge to dip my fingers in and then peel it off!)

Sorry Pp I meant to answer your question. You just pop a cube in the top of your oil burner .. light the candle underneath and off you go. Mine is mains operated with is even easier.

I buy incense sticks which I love. Also..dip a ball of cotton wool fully in fabric conditioner and put it onto a warm radiator..as it dries it smells heavenly x

The baseline obvious stuff:
Bins out every night
Windows and doors open as much as possible
Lots of lovely cooking smells
Obsessive cleaning and hygiene
No pets (if you do have pets then the line above x1000)

If you want to burn candles then they need to be fancy candles with good throw. You don’t always get what you pay for with candles in that some expensive ones can still be rubbish, but cheap ones are almost always rubbish.

The other thing with candles is that they need to burn for hours to avoid pooling and to really establish a scent.

Thanks for answering my question.

Just used ecozone sports wash and keep appreciatively sniffing in room whete clothes are drying. Definitely buying that again! Ecover and Method lavender don't smell that nice anymore IMO.

Wax melts. My friend makes and sells them and I won't use any others now as hers are incredibly strong. I usually stick to laundry or citrus scents
Have reed diffusers in the bathrooms as the rooms are small enough that you can smell them

I've got a vaporiser thingy from Amazon, similar to this one: www.amazon.co.uk/Aromatherapy-Essential-Oils-Diffuser-Humidifier/dp/B078XJZS3Y?tag=mumsnetforum-21

It's good because you can leave it unattended without worrying about naked flames; it is great for when you or the DC have a cold (stick Olbas Oil or similar in there) and you can set them to be on in intervals, so you don't get overwhelmed by the scent.

I did try Zoflora after seeing its cult following on here, but to me it just smells nasty, like cheap air freshener.

Sell /give away pets /dc/dh
Job done

Buy some oils

Few drops in Cotten wool on the radiator

Wipe some drops on the light bulbs

Smells lovely

I like incense (good quality incense like Green Rose).

Have a pan of simmering water on the range and put in some cardamom pods, cloves, and orange peels.

Orange essential oil for tea light burners or just put some on cotton wool and place on radiators. Smells really fresh and sweet without being too perfume-Y.

And yes to opening windows. Having a lot of plants keeps the air clean too.

Just opening the windows isn’t enough, you still get a house smell. I use zoflora in the sink.

I agree - open your windows.

Opening windows is fine but I live in a city so get bus exhaust as well as a nice breeze!

Wax melts are fine to clean up @nottakingthisanymore - once cool you can just pop out with a knife. I keep and they’re normally good for a couple of uses.

Yes, nice essential oil such as geranium, few drops on a tissue, place on radiator, job done and no nasty chemicals.