what can i do to make my house smell subtly nice

[superv1xen]

not that it smells horrible or anything, but i would like it to have a nice fresh clean scent that is not too overpowering, think, something along the lines of the smell of fabric conditioner?

i have tried a few different air fresheners but they make me feel slightly sick and i know they are not good for the environment or children etc, so would rather not use them.

i also use shake and vac (mainly because i like to be able to see where i have hoovered :o ) but not keen on the smell of that either, tis a bit synthetic and cloying.

i keep my house clean but never seem to be able to get it smelling as nice as some people's houses i have been in!

any ideas?

[sad cow emoticon}

Have you tried an essential oil you like dropped in certain places. In winter I drop it on the radiators, but I've also wiped the edge of my table with some diluted on a cloth.

Avon do some really nice room and linen sprays in natural-smelling fragrances. I just spray a bit around from time to time, or before visitors arrive!!

They change the range of fragrances all the time so I don't know what's currently available, but the plum & nectarine is really yummy smelling, raspberry and apple are both good too.

Passion fruit oil is gorgeous.

i have a few yankee candles... i had them for christmas.

the smell when you burn them is fab! i use different ones for different moods...i have a cinnamon one which is really wintery and a coffee one which is yum.

they do a cotton fragrance which is like you fancy....

bloody expensive, but worth it!

hmmm yeah i actually do have a few yankee candles kicking around.....but haven't burnt them yet as don't want to "waste" them (as they are votives in like a glass jar type thing and i have them kind of for decoration ) hmmmm perhaps i should actually use them for what they are for! :o

good idea re putting essential oils on radiators etc, where do i get them from?

COuple of drops of essential oil in your hoover bag is also good.

Boots sell a good range of oils (as do most health food shops).

Essential oils rubbed on lightbulbs.

lol...i was the same with my yankees! i have the jars too...

you're supposed to let the candle burn for about 3 hours to ensure the wax goes down evenly across the whole of the jar, and doesn't make a sort of tunnell straight down the middle iykwim?

You can get bottles of essential oils which you put sticks into. The oil travels up the stick and evaporates into the room. Very subtle and lasts for ages (and much safer than candle too).

can't remember the name for them but sure someone will know what I mean!

I read this as 'how can I make my horse smell nice?'!

Pot pourri - and add a few drops of essential oil to it. Alternatively, those wooden sticks which sit in essential oil.

If you like sprinkling something when you hoover try bread/baking soda - not baking powder.

It absorbs smells from carpets, rugs etc and is cheap and non-chemical.

Spray wax polish smells nice - the one that has a lid looking like a beehive. In all the supermarkets

A drop of the fabric softener you like sprinkled on a hanky and tucked behind a radiator might work.

suiledonne ooooh never heard of baking soda as shake n vac substitute! will give it a try!

comtessa i bought a reed diffuser from sainsburys a few weeks ago, could barely smell the thing though! hmmmm perhaps if i bought a better quality one... ;)

acanthus mmmmmm have heard wax polish is nice will try that as well

ooooh btw my threads on the front page!! how exciting!! ;)

Great thread. Will have to try the baking soda trick as the smell of my new carpets really triggers my morning sickness!

It won't add a scent to the room but a light sprinkle left for a little while and hoovered up really freshens up carpet.

Matalans is doing a lovely linen scented reed diffuser thing at the moment.

I add rose water from boots the old fasioned stuff to a sprayer of water - its only 3.00 or less - spray and it smells divine.!!

Superv1xen I was given one of those oil diffuser things in a jar which you put reeds in, it smelled lovely!

I think you can get them quite cheaply in Dunelm and supermarkets.

Yankee candles are lovely too but I don't blame you wanting to save them!

I like the reed diffusers too - some are better than others though. The colony ones are good - I bought a whole load in a sale for £1 each - instead of £10 - bargain! TK MAXX sometimes have a good selection.

Hate air freshener and fake scented candles, they just mask the yuk smells.

Most important thing is to open your windows regularly, even in the winter. Otherwise I use essential oils, either on a radiator as suggested or an oil burner (sprays are okay for carpets but not wooden floors). The citrus ones are cheap and refreshing. I also burn naturally scented candles.

I have a few scented leaf geranium plants dotted around which give off their aroma when you brush their leaves. When I can afford it I buy some scented flowers - usually freesia when it's not springtime. Not the cheapest solution but you can get a bunch for the price of some of the fancier air freshening gizmos.

oooh the plants idea sounds nice spiritmum and i sometimes have flowers if dp is feeling soppy and buys me some :o

and i always have my windows open for at least a few hours a day anyway, esp in summer.

You can sprinkle lavender oil into the baking soda, not too much that it goes gooey or dried lavender into the baking soda. Like shake and vac but subtle.