Since our environment dictates the state of our wellbeing, it’s important that our homes smell good. You could eliminate a bad odor or smell with the use of air fresheners, but do you really want to inhale all those chemicals into your body every day? Certainly not. I started experimenting with natural air fresheners, and the results shocked me. In this article, I’m going to share my favorite examples of how to make your house smell good naturally.
Obviously, I wouldn’t want to waste your time with unnecessary information, so I’ll quickly touch on the use of an effective appliance called air purifiers.
I don’t know if they’re considered natural since it’s a machine, but it certainly does purify and clean the air in a room. But that’s the caveat. Most air purifiers are only designed to clean the air in a small space.
My mother used to suffer from rhinitis, but the use of an air purifier drastically improved her condition. She plugged it on at night and allowed it to clean the air in her bedroom as she slept. It removed most of the dust and allergens in the air, but the room was also scentless.
If you have some money to spare from your budget, I highly recommend investing in an air purifier for the area of your home that smells the worst or where you spend the most time. Check out this bestselling air purifier on Amazon.
Okay, so now that we’ve touched on that, let’s get into more of the natural ways to make your house smell good.
Related article: 6 Ways I’m reducing chemical products at home
Natural Ways To Make Your Home Smell Good
1. Fresh flowers
The gentle, sweet scent of flowers is an effective way to make your house smell good naturally.
Since I have a garden at home, it’s easy for me to pick fresh flowers whenever I need them.
Generally speaking, I wait until a particular flower is fully grown before picking it. Then I place them in a jar with fresh water to extend their lifespan.
I’m not sure if this is suitable for someone with sinus issues, so please be cautious.
2. Indoor plants
Flowers are a temporary solution, but indoor plants offer a long-term natural way of refreshing the air in your home and permeating a good smell throughout.
Here’s a list of the best indoor plants:
- Snake Plant (Sansevieria)
- Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
- Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
- Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller)
- ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
- Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)
- Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum, also known as Pothos)
- Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
- Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
- Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
- Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
- Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
- Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
- Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
- Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
- Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
- String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
3. Essential oils
I’m a huge proponent of essential oils. They offer many health benefits, but they also offer potent scents for the home. A few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle with water can make any house smell good naturally.
Here’s a list of the best-smelling essential oils:
- Lavender – Calming and floral.
- Peppermint – Fresh and invigorating.
- Lemon – Citrusy and uplifting.
- Eucalyptus – Clean and refreshing.
- Tea Tree – Antimicrobial with a medicinal scent.
- Orange – Sweet and citrusy.
- Cinnamon – Warm and spicy.
- Rosemary – Herbaceous and invigorating.
- Frankincense – Woody and resinous.
- Ylang Ylang – Floral and sweet.
- Patchouli – Earthy and grounding.
- Geranium – Floral and uplifting.
- Cedarwood – Woody and calming.
- Chamomile – Sweet and soothing.
- Ginger – Warm and spicy.
- Vanilla – Sweet and comforting.
- Lemongrass – Citrusy and refreshing.
- Bergamot – Citrusy with a hint of floral.
- Juniper Berry – Fresh and woody.
- Cypress – Woody and refreshing.
Related article: How I make my bedroom smell good
4. Potpourri
Potpourri is made by mixing dried spices and petals from flowers to make a rich and aromatic perfume.
Most commonly, potpourri is stored in a decorative bowl, basket, or jar and placed around the home to add a gentle but flowery scent to the air.
I like to leave a decorative bowl of potpourri in the bathroom and toilet for obvious reasons.
5. Citrus peels
Rather than wasting the naturally scented peels of citrus fruits like lemon, lime, oranges, and grapefruit, consider drying and placing them in a location that needs to smell good.
You can also grate these peels into a spray bottle of water and use that to improve the smell of your home.
It smells incredibly refreshing and is a great way to utilize wasted produce.
6. Beeswax candles
Scented candles are very effective at improving the smell of a room, but I don’t like the chemicals used in some of them.
It turns out that candles made from beeswax that are scented with essential oils offer the same efficacy without exposure to toxic chemicals.
The only drawback is that beeswax candles are more expensive than other types of candles on the market.
7. Indoor herb garden
Initially, I added an indoor herb garden to my kitchen table as a way to conveniently incorporate fresh produce into my food. But what I didn’t expect was how wonderful my kitchen would smell all the time.
This can be attributed to the refreshing scent that emanates from herbs like mint, lemon grass, thyme, and rosemary.
Place your mini herb garden in containers near a window for fresh air and sunlight.
8. Cedar
Cedar is a wood collected from the cedar tree, which belongs to the pine family. It has an earthy, woody, and slightly citrus smell to it.
You can place cedarwood pieces around your home to gradually and gently add a woody smell to the air.
I like to place cedarwood in drawers and cupboards to prevent bad odors from forming and to deter pests.
There you have it. That’s my complete list of ways to make a house smell good naturally. I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment below. Also, if you can, please share this article with your friends and family.