How to get house smelling nice to sell/show?

[Pontie]

We are selling our house and about to start viewings. I just want a house that smells fresh. It looks impeccably clean and fresh but we do have young children and dogs. All clutter has either been chucked or put into storage.

My plan is to rent a carpet cleaner, wash throw blankets, sofa covers, cushions etc. Change bedding. Curtains have already been washed.

Keep bathrooms spotless. Keep windows open.

Maybe chuck zoflora in mop water. Wash wooden floors with method floor cleaner.

Maybe bake a vanilla cake when we have viewings but that is obligations dependent.

I personally like some plug ins but know it is off putting to some.

Any products I should buy?

Any additional actions?

Im pretty tidy and friends assure me that my house does not smell but you never know!

Just clean and fresh is fine.

I don’t really have a go to as I just bulk buy when I see a deal. Most are fine but we occasionally buy ones that arent entirely pleasant. Just wondered what brand/scent was least offensive to most.

You need to stop overthinking this - clean, fresh and free from clutter

Another vote for open windows and no artificial scents.

A lived in smell doesn't bother me - but I like to be able to smell for damp in a house I'm viewing.

I also prefer undecorated to freshly painted for same reason - you can see in a house that has not been decorated for ages whether there have been leaks.

Now you’re into serious over thinking territory! As long as stuff doesn’t smell of over ripe dog, you’re all good

Not Zoflora!

When I opened my windows (if weather allowed) I put little drops of peppermint oil on the frame. It was to discourage spiders but with the breeze flowing through, the house smelled amazing for a wee while.

Alternately, you could boil some water with lemon in it and let the scent flow through.

But I'd agree with others, open windows and a clean house can't be beaten.

Yes avoid this - one of my close relatives has an allergic reaction to cinnamon. We all avoid baking/cooking with it when she’s visiting. My MIL can’t stand plug-in fresheners - they give her a headache.

Wash anything that might smell of dog- and open windows.

We use Daz or Persil. Both smell inoffensive, I think. I do agree with what most people have replied with, however – open windows and keep the place clean. If things are clean, and you have fresh air circulating round the house, the house will smell of nothing.

It’s not a scent it’s real food that I happen to eat for breakfast, don’t worry you wouldn’t be invited!

Maybe it’s just me, but viewing a house with open window(s) is a red flag for me. It gives me the impression that there’s a smell they’re trying to get rid of, or that a room is damp and not properly ventilated.

I'd be put off by false scents, particularly plug ins, they set my asthma off. Just open the windows.

Open windows to air out

Bathe the dogs

Room air cleaner purifier machine

I used a really lovely room spray which I sprayed lightly onto the soft furnishings before each viewing. It wasn't overwhelming just a waft of fresh and welcoming fragrance

Also clean oven, microwave, hob and extractor so no stale cooking smells.

Agree I detest air freshener and plug ins they make me nauseous, but I like fresh flowers.

I have bad allergies and am also asthmatic, fresh air is honestly fine. I’d also be wondering what you were trying to cover up.

Not Lillies they can be overpowering and cloying.

Plug ins and weird smells signal smoker to me. Everywhere I have rented has had those then when you move in you realise it was to hide the smell of cigarette smoke from the carpet

We've just sold our house to the first viewer that could afford it (I don't count the first viewing, their budget was 10K less than our asking price 🙄)
I used:
Plug in air fresheners (because I like them and always have them!)
Used zoflora on all hard surfaces.
Put tumble dryer sheets down the backs of radiators.
Washed anything that wasn't pinned down in the yellow lenor (think that's the conditioner but it smells divine)
Shower the dogs, they need to smell nice too and it keeps things fresher for longer!
Open all windows up until about an hour before the viewing, then close them and put the heating on so it is warm for viewings!
Good luck!

Yes - close windows before they turn up and make sure your house is reasonably warm. I checked for that when viewing with DS.

I aired the house regularly and sprinkled bicarb on rugs and carpets before vacuuming, especially where the dog liked to lay. The main thing is to keep on top of the dog smell and hair.

Plug ins plus zoflora plus scented cleaning sprays plus dryer sheets plus laundry scent boosters plus cake would be like filling the house with 2 dozen radios all turned up to max volume and tuned to different stations.

Horrific.

We are viewing property at the moment and personally I think the ones we have seen that have plug ins or faux bread/baking smells shout that the vendor is trying to hard. Fresh air no smell of anything is best. After saying that the house we have chosen was abundant with artfully displayed Lilly’s which looked beautiful but their smell always reminds me of cat pee. But the house was what we wanted so would not really have mattered what it smelt of. Obviously not damp or silage

I like lilies but a friend can't stand their scent! Keeping it clean and aired should be enough. You could get an oil burner with a subtle vanilla/honey scent and something with eucalyptus for the bathroom. A small sponge filled with the essential oil hidden somewhere can be really nice. Nothing overpowering or suggests masking a bad smell.

Just open windows, don't get artificial smell in, also relax