How do you make your house smell nice?

[Wallaroo]

I find some air-freshners to smell very artificial and chemically.

Open the windows.

Clean.

Kick the dog out.

I hate the smell of air fresheners too they are horrible and the smell gives me a headache - no matter which 'flavour' it is.

My living room smells nice at the moment thanks to a small cyclamen. [lasting well cos we keep that room cool].

Apart from that - bake bread!

I second opening the windows regularly

bake!

burn beeswax or soya wax candles.

It's freezing here - we've just moved to the UK from Cyprus so I'm not sure we're up to having the windows open for long

Oooh yes bake bread - I am waiting for my bread maker (and all my other stuff) to arrive from Cyprus and I will get started!!!

i remove my ds(15)

Put a few drops of essential oil in very hot water. (no need for a fancy/potentially unsafe oil burner)

Make coffee (only if you like coffee)

Ventilation - open windows. Watch out for wet towels smelling a bit "damp" too.

i put a few drops of lavender oil on my wheat bag and pop it on the radiator.

Also when cooking (esp fish/spicy things) open kitchen window/door if you can bear it, use extractor fan and keep internal kitchen door shut to avoid smells permeating the rest of the house.

Obviously doesn't apply if baking yummy cakes.

I can't remember where I read this but put a couple of cloves or cardamom pods or a bit of cinnamon stick or whatever you fancy in a small bit of water in a pan on very low heat. Mmmmmmmm. You can keep topping up the water obv but the less you use the stronger the spicy scent.

I think my dog smells nice (but he is a clean shorthaired dachshund).

I don't waft him in front of visitors though

I use fabreeze fabric freshener on cutains and carpets once a week, also rub lavender oil or something on radiators and lightbulbs (not energy saver ones) and open windows for 1 hour in morning. I live in a flat so I have them open whilst I go shopping.

I'm a big fan of how clean is your house and kim made an air freshner with 1 cup water, tablespoon of bicarb and some lemon juice. See if they have a web-site, keep meaning to do it myself

clean

open the windows

take out the kcithcen bin

change the towels and beds

air the bathroom properly

I am going to do some baking tomorrow......while drinking coffee!

Air fresheners just sit on top of the smell I find.

I open upstairs windows every day, even if just for an hour.

Empty bins

Make sure the laundry basket/nappy bucket aren't sitting on top of warm pipes

Keep on top of the washing up

Try to contain cooking smells.

Throw dh's shoes outside

Also I was recently surprised by how much odour carpets retain-just hoovering freshens the whole room.

I put a few drops of essential oils or those ready mixed fragrances in my vacuum cleaner so that it smells lovely when I do the cleaning. The scent lasts quite a while too. x

very quick fix is to make some toast!!

What a good thread! I agree all air fresheners are horrid but I still have them, I never get round to the alternatives like lighting candles

open the windows

i have a weird smell in my hallway, it's exactly like cannabis (unsmoked, but very particular and pungent!) and i've no idea where it's coming from (no, i haven't got a stash in my hallway!!)...opening windows/lighting candles makes no difference...[hmmm]

Ikea orange scented candles £1 each and as good as pricier ones.

By AdAstra on Tue 18-Nov-08 19:17:14
i have a weird smell in my hallway, it's exactly like cannabis (unsmoked, but very particular and pungent!) and i've no idea where it's coming from (no, i haven't got a stash in my hallway!!)...opening windows/lighting candles makes no difference...[hmmm]
......

next door????

the thought did cross my mind but i'm on the middle floor of three flats and i only smell it when i open my door...can it come through the floorboards?? And surely it would smell of smoke, rather than weed. Unless...they're growing it.

Air house every day; keep fresh small dog (as opposed to big stinky one) and ensure that nothing molders in the kitchen bin for too long. This all works only as long as it is not brussel sprouts eating season.