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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

FRESH SMELLS

15 replies

blossomsmine · 06/05/2007 00:16

How do you all keep your houses smelling fresh?? I always wash up the dirty bits and bobs, clean work tops and empty bins regularly. But i have a couple of dogs and a few kids and one dh and find my house never smells really clean. Any tips??

OP posts:
WanderingTrolley · 06/05/2007 00:25

A clothes peg applied to the nose will alleviate any of those pesky 'lived-in' smells.

Do hope this helps.

kittypants · 06/05/2007 00:29

burn orange insense oil.smells nice and apparently welcoming.

bilblio · 06/05/2007 01:01

Plug in air fresheners. I resisted them for years but got fed up of the lived-in smell. The ones that change every 45 minutes are good. We've got some of those automatic spray thingies too, but for some reason the mechanism has stopped working and they don't spray anymore

I agree with kittypants too. When the house seems particularly smelly, usually when blokey has been frying meat or cooking fish, I put the oil burner on with mostly water and a few drops of orange or lemon essential oil.

BaffledByBabyTights · 06/05/2007 01:40

candles - esp for cooking and loo smells.

ludaloo · 06/05/2007 07:48

For a quick fresh smell, slice a lemon, put it in a pan of water, and simmer gently. It smells lovely.

themildmanneredjanitor · 06/05/2007 07:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ggglimpopo · 06/05/2007 07:59

Ditto open windows wide for at least half an hour each day, front and back of house. Wash floors and hoover thoroughly. Cleaning and getting rid of the source of smells is much better than masking with (shudder) airfresheners.

Wash dustbins.

powder28 · 06/05/2007 08:14

Make fresh coffee, the smell is so lovely and it lingers. I spray j'adore around my house as well, its quite strong.

whomovedmychocolate · 06/05/2007 08:17

I would open windows too. But also I find that if you run a hot scented bath and leave the door open it makes the house smell nice (and you get a wallow too)

Or you could chuck the dogs in!

LoveMyGirls · 06/05/2007 08:24

I always open my window's works for me.

CMac · 06/05/2007 08:30

Put a few drops of fragrance oil in your hoover cylinder or onto the filter. Smells lovely for ages after you hoover. I also have a ring you put oil into and sit on top of a lightbulb as well as a ceramic tile you put oil onto and hang over a radiator. Same effect as an oil burner without the hasssle of lighting candles

ghosty · 06/05/2007 08:30

Dogs are the culprit I'm afraid ... I have never met a dog that doesn't smell ...
Agree with ggg (second thread today ) Open windows daily, clean bins and wash floors and toilets often and regularly will do the trick

ghosty · 06/05/2007 08:32

Sometime vacuum cleaners get stinky ... I sprinkle some washing powder on the floor and hoover it up ... takes the smell away. After I have checked the bag doesn't need emptying ...

noddyholder · 06/05/2007 08:43

Agree no plug ins!Open the windows buy flowers like lilies which smell lovely.I soak my dishcloths in a hot sink of washing powder and leave it there for ages smells lovely

Original poster
blossomsmine · 07/05/2007 23:56

Thanks to all you lovely people for all the helpful suggestions! Not the clothes peg one though??!! Ghosty you are right about the smelly hoover thing, i was going to ask if anyone else suffered from a smelly hoover! Will try your washing powder suggestion

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