11 Ways to Make Your House Smell Amazing

Have you ever walked into a home that had an amazingly unforgettable smell? The one that made you forget every toy on the floor and only remember how great your home smells? I’m sharing 11 ways to make your house smell amazing!

Your sense of smell impacts your perception more than you may even know.

How Stuff Works explains how our sense of smell works. It explains how our brain associates smell with certain memories and feelings, which can influence our perceptions of our surroundings or a specific situation.

Think about it. How many times have you walked into a tidy space but felt like it was dirty because there was a bad odor present? You couldn’t see anything dirty, but the odor you were smelling made you perceive the area as dirty.

On the flip side, do you perceive a room to be clean when you smell lemon or bleach? I know that I personally feel a little less paranoid about using a public restroom if it smells like bleach.

There are several different ways to make your house smell good including preventing and eliminating bad smells as well as introducing things that make your house smell good.

Here are some ways to get rid of the nasty smells, and a few of my favorites to make your house smell really good.

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1. Clean the Garbage Can

Garbage cans and the area where you store them can grab and hold odors. Clean and sanitize the garbage can and the area around the garbage can.

I spray and soak my garbage can with hydrogen peroxide or bleach once a month. I also wipe down the interior of the garbage cabinet with disinfectant spray cleaner to help keeps smells at bay.

2. Tackle Refrigerator Smells

Forgotten foods in the refrigerator can get really stinky. Check the refrigerator for old foods on a regular basis.

Wipe caps of condiments prior to putting them back in the refrigerator. Clean up any spills immediately, and check crisper drawers for residue from fruits and vegetables.

I prefer to stick to soap and water in my refrigerator and I squeeze lemon juice on the rag for my final wipe-down.

If you still notice smells in your refrigerator, try placing a bowl or open box of baking soda in the back to soak up the smells.

3. Clean Your Drains

People wash some crazy stuff down their drains and sometimes it builds up on the insides of the drains. Run hot water down the drain for a few minutes after dumping anything food-related down the drain.

Clean your drains periodically to help prevent smells. You can use commercial drain cleaners, or you can go the natural route.

Start with 1/2 a cup of baking soda and add enough hydrogen peroxide to create a thin, pourable consistency. Pour the mixture down the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Flush for 5 minutes with cold water.

4. Eliminate Garbage Disposal Odors

Garbage disposals can get particularly stinky due to all the food and particles that pass through it.

Clean your garbage disposal with a commercial cleaner, or run it with some ice cubes and lemon pieces. Don’t forget to clean off the underside of the rubber disposal splash guard. I’ve had the most success using a bottle brush.

5. Deal With Pet Odors

Take care of pet odors and make sure you’re not becoming nose blind to them. Keep your carpets vacuumed, and your fabric furniture clean. Odors stick to the fabric.

Clean up and spray organic messes with an enzyme cleaner to break down the related bacteria.

Here’s some more information on keeping your house clean if you own cats, but it would apply to all animals.

6. Make Your Toilet Smell Good

Toilets can be super stinky.

Besides the regular swish and scrub of the toilet bowl, make sure you clean around the bottom of the base, and don’t forget the seat hinges.

Once you’ve done a good bathroom deep clean, drop a fragrant toilet bomb in the bowl, light your favorite candle, or hang a eucalyptus spray from the shower head.

If you have stinky ones in your family, keep a little bottle of Poo-Pourri near the toilet

7. Use a Potpourri Crock

Use a mini crockpot for simmering different ingredients to make your home smell good. Fill a mini crockpot half full of water, add your ingredients, and let it simmer. It’ll fill your house with the amazing aroma of all of your ingredients.

Some of the most popular combinations are;

• 1 cup of your favorite potpourri
• 1/4 cup of lavender flowers and 2 teaspoons vanilla essential oil
• a sprig of rosemary, 1 sliced lemon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla essential oil
• 1 sliced orange, 1 teaspoon cloves, and 1 teaspoon vanilla essential oil
• a cinnamon stick and 1 sliced orange
• 1 slice of pineapple and 2 slices of mango

Be adventurous and experiment with fruit juices, spices, and fruits to make your home smell warm and inviting.

8. Heat Wax Melts

You can also use a wax warmer to melt scented waxes that will fill the air with fragrance. They have larger ones you can set on the counter or smaller ones that plug into an electrical outlet like a nightlight.

I’ve used the larger ones for my kitchen and the smaller ones in both of my bathrooms.

Some popular scents include;

• Salted Caramel
• Cinnamon Buns
• Mulberry
• Sandlewood
• Dark Cherry

9. Embrace Essential Oils

There are several ways and places you can use essential oils. Here are a few of our favorites.

Try oil diffusers to fill the air with your favorite essential oil scent.

Place a few drops of your favorite oil on the inside of the toilet paper roll. Every time somebody uses the toilet paper it will activate the scent and make your entire bathroom smell good.

Drip some of your favorite essential oil on your furnace filter and it’ll fill the entire house with a gentle scent.

Use your favorite essential oil to combine with witch hazel and distilled water to make your own room spray.

10. Use Scented Pine Cones

Place a couple of scented pine cones near your heater vents. When the furnace comes on, it’ll disperse the scent throughout the house.

I do this around the holidays with the cinnamon and spice scented pine cones. It fills the entire house with a wonderful scent.

11. Bake or Cook Something Yummy

My favorite way to make my house smell good is to bake or cook something yummy. The heat from the appliances releases the scents of the food and can fill your entire house with a delicious scent.

Think Chocolate Chip Cookies, Coffee Cake, and Fresh Bread. Keep frozen, already formed cookie dough in the freezer so you can pop in a batch of cookies any time you expect company.

Here are some more ways to get your home ready for company.

Enjoy Your Wonderful Smelling Home

Now that you know a bunch of my tricks for making my house smell good, what are some hacks that you use?