Having a fresh smelling home is something we all want, but it can be difficult to maintain. With pets, cooking odors, and other everyday aromas, keeping every room smelling clean and inviting is an ongoing battle. However, there’s a simple hack that can help keep your whole home smelling fresh with minimal effort.
Why It’s Important to Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh
Having a fresh scent throughout your home provides several benefits:
-
Creates a welcoming environment – When guests enter a home that smells fresh and clean, it makes a good first impression and lets them know you care about the ambiance.
-
Improves mood – Scents can evoke emotional responses. A fresh, pleasant aroma can lift your spirits and create positive feelings.
-
Masks unpleasant odors – Pet smells, dirty laundry, and cooking odors can linger. Maintaining a fresh fragrance helps overwhelm those unwanted smells.
-
Promotes relaxation – Calming scents like lavender and eucalyptus can help create a relaxing environment in your home.
-
Enhances focus – Invigorating scents like citrus, rosemary, and peppermint can boost alertness and concentration.
DIY Air Fresheners Are an Inexpensive Solution
Purchasing plug-in or spray air fresheners from the store can get expensive over time. Making your own air fresheners is a budget-friendly way to keep your home smelling fresh.
DIY air fresheners typically use these affordable ingredients:
- Essential oils
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Vodka
- Water
- Spray bottles
- Glass jars
- Wooden sticks
You likely have most, if not all, of these ingredients already in your pantry and cleaning supplies.
How to Make DIY Air Fresheners
There are many simple air freshener recipes you can make at home. Here are a few easy ones:
Essential Oil Spray
- Fill a spray bottle 3/4 full with distilled or filtered water
- Add 15-25 drops of essential oils in your favorite scents
- Top off bottle with more water, shake well
- Mist liberally in rooms
Scented Baking Soda
- Pour 1 cup baking soda in a bowl
- Add 10 drops essential oils and stir thoroughly
- Place bowl around home, stir weekly
Reed Diffusers
- Fill a glass jar 3/4 full with vodka or witch hazel
- Add 50-70 drops of essential oil
- Place 5-6 rattan or bamboo reeds in jar
- Refresh oil and vodka/witch hazel monthly
Strategically Place Air Fresheners Around Your Home
To keep your entire home smelling fresh, you’ll need to place air fresheners strategically around your house:
- Bedrooms
- Common living areas like living room, family room, etc.
- Bathrooms
- Places that collect odors like near pet areas, laundry room, etc.
Reed diffusers or bowls of scented baking soda work well for bedrooms since they release fragrance gently over time.
Sprays are great for bathrooms to quickly eliminate odors.
Use a combination of different fresheners in different areas for the best coverage.
Considerations When Using Homemade Air Fresheners
There are a few things to keep in mind when using DIY air fresheners:
-
Test for allergies – Make sure no one is allergic to essential oils before diffusing them in your home.
-
Use glass containers – Essential oils can erode plastics. Use glass jars or spray bottles.
-
Watch for staining – Citrus and floral oils like lemon or jasmine may stain fabrics. Spot test first.
-
Keep out of reach of children and pets – Essential oils can be hazardous if ingested.
With this clever hack of homemade air fresheners, you can easily and affordably keep every room of your house smelling clean, fresh, and inviting. Your family, guests, and even pets will appreciate the pleasant ambiance.
