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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

what makes your house smell nice?

64 replies

booyhoo · 22/04/2009 12:39

im fed up with cheap air fresheners and wont fork out for the expensive ones. what do you lovely ladies use to keep the home smelling divine. i have a dog and cat and im always aware of them when i walk through the door after being out for a whileso i know other people notice it too. i want to smile when i walk through the door. TIA

OP posts:
BecauseImWorthIt · 22/04/2009 12:43

I don't use anything in my house. I hate air fresheners and their awful artificial sickly smells.

My house smells of us, cooking, and cats.

But, you know what? When you walk through the front door you don't smell anything untoward. It's a normal living smell!

I think we are obsessed with things having to smell perfumed. We don't believe our clothes are clean unless they smell of 'spring blossom' or 'morning dew' or some other such manufactured chemical.

Dogs, I grant you, do smell, so I don't know how you deal with that. Our cats don't have a litter tray inside, so we don't have to deal with the smell of that.

Otherwise, just open some windows and let fresh air in.

Fimbo · 22/04/2009 12:43

I have some of those glass jars with oils in it and sticks that suck up the oils. They cost a fortune in garden centres but you can buy them cheaply in T K Maxx.

Will try to find a link to what I mean....

Fimbo · 22/04/2009 12:45

Ah they are called scent diffusers

castille · 22/04/2009 12:52

Open the windows! There is no nicer smell than fresh air-infused soft furnishings.

And get a bread maker and set it to finish baking a loaf just as you plan to get home. Fresh bread is a lovely welcome home smell.

SparkyToo · 03/05/2009 14:05

I heard somewhere that when you are trying to sell your home you should put a vanilla pod in the oven as it makes your home smell really fabulous. Never tried it though!

Mummyfor3 · 03/05/2009 14:10

New bread maker - I think I am in love!!

Mummyfor3 · 03/05/2009 14:10

"waist line", even

SparkyToo · 03/05/2009 14:54

You're right - nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread.

Unless of course you're pregnant and can't stand the smell - I felt quite nauseous whenever I walked through M & S when their food department was into baking their own bread.

TitsalinaBumsquash · 03/05/2009 14:57

Three words for ya - "Shake and Vac"

schneebly · 03/05/2009 14:59

drying the washing on the radiators

Smells nice but doesnt look so good!

gardeningmum05 · 03/05/2009 15:03

scent diffusers only seem to work in a small room though.
somebody said on here before to chuck dried lavendar on your carpet,wait an hour then vaccum it up. thought that sounded a good idea.

noddyholder · 03/05/2009 15:04

Clean bedding and open windows lilies washing hanging everywhere

MerlinsBeard · 03/05/2009 15:14

I have a window open most of the time but other than that it doesn't really smell. I don't keep shoes by the door in case they smell, i have an extractor fan for smelly cooking smells that linger (like onions for eg, i don't normally bother with it the extractor smells a bit fusty)

my lounge tends to smell of either warm leather (sofa in the sun) or candles tbh

MerlinsBeard · 03/05/2009 15:15

lavender gives me migraines so wouldn't work here!!

Jacksmama · 03/05/2009 15:17

My house smells nice when it's clean and I've baked. The two rarely happen together in the same day.

I have tried keeping a small pot with water on the stove, you throw in some cinnamon sticks and vanilla essence and let it simmer all day long. (Remember to add water occasionally so you don't let the pot boil dry and start a house fire...)

gardeningmum05 · 03/05/2009 15:18

course you could always pour yourself a glass of wine when you get in,wouldnt matter to you then

KirstyJC · 03/05/2009 15:18

Fresh air and fresh flowers - nothing better (except the smell of chocolate muffins cooking...!)

MerlinsBeard · 03/05/2009 15:18

could you not just light a vanilla candle??

newpup · 03/05/2009 16:07

I have a cat and a dog and am paranoid about my house smelling.

I also hate the artificial smell of air fresheners.

I almost always have the kitchen window open and have fresh flowers in the kitchen and study, where the dog and cat spend most of their time. I also burn scented candles and use fabric freshener on the rugs.

I put droplets of pure lavender oil on the carpet behind the door and on the front hall mat too!!

Told you I was paranoid Most people comment on how lovely my house smells!

Ivykaty44 · 03/05/2009 16:14

I have one electric air freshner by the front door and then the rest of the house I use oil in burners or on the radiotrs in winter Hiuse smells nice

noddyholder · 03/05/2009 17:15

How does an electric freshener work?Is it like an extractor fan?

brimfull · 03/05/2009 17:16

open windows

clean washing

fresh flowers

BonsoirAnna · 03/05/2009 17:17

Houses smell nice when they are clean and aired. By cleaning I mean - no dust, no grease, regular washing of all fabrics and bedding...

MayorNaze · 03/05/2009 17:21

open windows

bake

dab tiny drop of essential oil on lightbulb, will naturally diffuse when light is on

clean regularly

Ivykaty44 · 03/05/2009 17:45

noddy - it plus into an alectric socket. I don't leave it on all the time though and it has lasted since xmas.

I do aswell open the back door a lot and leave open and keep the bathroom and bedroom windows open to create a draft through the house of fresh air.