How to keep your house smelling beautiful

[ballsdeep]

Just what the title says really!
How do I keep my house smelling fresh? I open the windows daily to let air in etc but how do I keep it smelling beautiful?

Synthetically fragranced air fresheners (sprays, plug-ins, Yankee candles etc.) have been shown to cause issues such as asthma, sore throats and depression (google it - think was some Swedish studies. Something about the brain/body not knowing how to process the chemicals). The worst smell in the world to me (apart from mince cooking) is the sickly fake vanilla scent of the Ikea candle area. Oh and Xmas at my mother in law’s where there are ‘fig’ scented plug-ins everywhere. I surreptitiously turn them off when I can to reduce the headache they give me.

I use a few drops of essential oil like lavender on radiators and door mats, wash soft furnishings regularly, open windows daily, and (if dog is wet) spray some naturally scented room spray like Neom. You only need a little and a bottle lasts for ages.

I hate the smell of zoflora-it reminds me of old ladies!

I like the method floor cleaner-it smells of marzipan!

Ylang ylang and bergamot are lovely essential oil smells too.

I use a subtle plug-in which works for my small house. Fresh flowers are lovely if you can afford them.

I wouldn’t describe a house reeking of fabric conditioner as nice smelling. It would just smell like the owners had just taken over perfumed clothes washed with cheap powder off the radiators.

A super clean house with minimal chemicals used and windows opened for a good period every day smells best. Soft furnishings cleaned regularly. Bedding weekly. Bins daily. Not too much smelly food cooking and good ventilation in the kitchen. No dogs. More hard floors than carpets.

Having said that, most people seem to prefer masking smells with strong chemical scents. I think it makes you nose blind.

I really want the muji diffuser
.its expensive at £70 but will leave your home smelling like an expensive spa. Its lush
At the moment however i like using febreeze air freshener and mini yankee candles dotted about the house. The mini candles are only £1

Some houses really reek of Lenor or something, gives me a migraine.

I have an essential oil diffuser and love it - certain oils can really freshen the air. Citrus ones combined with a touch of woody ones are my favourite; bergamot and vetivert, orange and sandalwood, that sort of thing.

Method. Rhubarb or grapefruit cleaner house is lovely when cleaner been in.

www.ted.com/talks/jessica_green_are_we_filtering_the_wrong_microbes

This is fascinating - about how we can create beneficial ecosystems in our homes so that beneficial (rather than unhealthy) bacteria can thrive.

Agree it depends on what you class as “smells beautiful”.

I can’t stand anything chemical smelling. Reed diffusers, plug ins, sprays. It makes me sneeze, eyes watering etc.

Can’t stand strong perfume. And i reaaly dislike this new thing where everything smells really strongly of washing powder/fabric conditioner. There are some people at work I can smell when they walk into the other end of the room. Sometimes they smell more than the smokers.

A clean house won’t smell bad. A few plants or an air purifier should be all thats needed.

I was house hunting recently and a couple of houses didn’t get second viewings because the chemical fragrances were just too overpowering.

reallyanotherone bit extreme surely, if the house was perfect in every other way could you not make it smell however you liked once you move in?

bit extreme surely, if the house was perfect in every other way could you not make it smell however you liked once you move in?

Of course. But there were a couple that were nearly perfect- I may have considered them a bit more seriously had I been able to go back and look round again. Ir get a proper look in the first place, i just wanted to leave as soon as i walked in. Plus at the back of my mind was why did they need such strong smells? Were they covering ip bad drains or something?

I like my house just smell like the doors are open all day in summer.

So I'm not a huge fan of Zoflora really, though it has its place.

I'm another one that airs bedrooms daily for an hour when possible, with duvets back to air mattresses too.

Sheets changed weekly. Pillows and duvets washed once every few months. Same with cushion inners. Curtains get washed and out once I can get them on the line to dry.

I do like an occasional scented candle but my favourite but the St Eval sea salt reed diffuser as it just smells like sea air.

Really, I just want to live by the coast and open my windows 24/7

@reallyanotherone - What a joke! Wonder what those viewing your house thought!

@reallyanotherone - What a joke! Wonder what those viewing your house thought!

No idea. Sold it within a week after two offers so can’t have been that bad :)

Open windows

Hyacinths are currently making my kitchen smell delicious. Freesias later in the year.

Scented candles

But mainly open windows.

I was plagued by an unidentifiable smell in the house for ages, particularly noticeable when I'd been away. Getting a self-closing bin (on offer on Groupon at the time) has sorted this completely. I also put bicarbonate of soda and vinegar down the plugholes regularly, and use an enzyme-based stain remover on the site of pet or human accidents. Windows open as often as possible is good, nothing smells as good as fresh air.

Ooh spider plants are supposed to be amazing for getting rid of toxins and purifying the air, best houseplant there is.

Must buy one, sod the succulents.

Addicted to the smell of menthol crystals (not for everyone though!)
Put some in a metal container on top of the oven (fake Aga), also some broken bits off a lavender plant from the garden, the hard wood is the best.

Also menthol crystals in little bags hidden in bed, fresh aroma and deters mites, if you have an allergy.

Peppermint oil in a diffuser is also nice

Two things - keep up the cleaning properly, especially soft furnishings like throws, cushions, bedding. Then, scented candles but selected ones/brands only. Personally I don't like any of the "clean linen" "fresh air" type ones or heavily scented florals as they tend to smell artificial excepting a decent rose scent, but subtle woody/sandalwood/oud/leather scents work well for the home (again, selected ones). You can't go wrong with a perfect rose, though should you find one that's not too synthetic.

The better ones will throw out a scent even when not lit.

I've not met a reed diffuser or plug-in I really love yet as they do all seem to smell synthetic. I guess there's a good one out there somewhere.

I don't use sprays or air fresheners as they start my asthma off

You can't go wrong with a perfect rose, though should you find one that's not too synthetic.

Are there any you recommend?

I don't use anything, except sprays in the bathroom after no 2s.

Natural Rose as a room freshener would be very costly.

I am interested in the term " not too synthetic".

Is thta like being "slightly pregnant"?

I have a diffuser which I use lemon oil with or a jasmine/lavender/ylang ylang relax mix. Also open windows and empty bins. I use Ecover Lemongrass and Ginger all purpose cleaner to clean floors and work tops and that smells clean.