How to Make Your House Smell Good 24/7 – And Keep it That Way
Wouldn’t it be nice to walk in your house everyday, take a deep breath, and inhale the air in your clean, fresh, and beautiful smelling house? Well that’s exactly what this post is going to cover!
You’re going to learn all of the best ways on how to make your house smell good from how to make your house smell good DIY, how to make your house smell good always, how to make your house smell good hacks, and more.
So if you’re someone who struggles to keep their house smelling good consistently, you’re in the right place, and it’s a lot easier than you think!
No more wondering where that lingering smell is coming from, or spending countless hours cleaning your house only to have it smell stale and stinky in no time.
This is your holy grail guide to make your house smell irresistible all of the time! I’ve cracked the code on how to make my house smell amazing 24/7 without fail – and here is exactly how you can too!
This post is all about the best step-by-step plan for a home that always smells amazing.
How to Make Your House Smell Good:
1. Start with a Deep Clean (Not Just Surface-Level)
A good deep clean is what is going to get you on the right path to make your house smell good.
If you actually want your house to smell good all of the time, you can’t just scratch the surface with cleaning. You’re going to have to take it one step further and make sure your entire house is clean.
A big reason why your house may not smell good all of the time could have to do with lingering smells that get trapped in furniture, your carpet, and other areas of your house.
You might not know it yet, but once you deep clean your house, you’ll likely find the culprit of that stingy smell. Deep cleaning is one of the most important steps. Think of it as your foundation for a good smelling home.
You don’t just want to cover up odors, you want to get rid of them! And deep cleaning will automatically make your house smell 10x better.
Your deep clean should include:
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Trash cans: Scrub and deodorize them with baking soda and vinegar.
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Sinks and drains: Pour boiling water, baking soda, and vinegar down the drain to eliminate odor buildup.
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Soft surfaces: Wash all throw blankets, pillow covers, rugs, and curtains — they trap smells like crazy.
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Vacuum with baking soda: Sprinkle it on carpets before vacuuming to neutralize odors.
2. Use Natural Deodorizers
Natural deodorizers work super well, and is much better for everyone in the house! You don’t have to worry about chemicals, fake smells, or spending any money on deodorizers that claim to make your house smell brand new.
And the best part? You probably have most of the items at home already!
Here are the best natural deodorizers to kill the stink:
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Baking soda jars: Hide small open jars in closets, cabinets, and shoes. It works like magic!
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Activated charcoal bags: Super effective in musty rooms, closets, and bathrooms. Use activated charcoal, a breathable fabric like cotton or linen, and a string or something to tie the bag with. Place the bag in areas prone to odor.
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Coffee grounds: Great for neutralizing odors in the fridge or pantry. Just be ware, your fridge or pantry may smell like coffee for a little. But it’s definitely a better smell than nasty odors.
3. Let Fresh Air In — Strategically
Fresh air is such an underrated way to make your house smell good, and quickly! This one may be a little harder depending on the weather outside, but even 10 minutes a day will make a noticeable difference.
Also, when you open windows in your house, create a cross-breeze by opening windows on opposite sides of the house so the air flows nicely through your house from both sides.
What’s even better is if you can open windows on all four sides of your house. If not, no worries, two windows will get the job done.
Along with circulating fresh air in your house, turn the exhaust fans on in your bathrooms and kitchen regularly. There’s probably a lot of moisture trapped in your bathroom, so this will help to clear that out.
Any air circulation is going to help keep a good flow going in your house and help a lot with lingering smells.
4. Layer in Subtle, Natural Fragrance
Fragrance can be tricky thing when you’re trying to make your house smell good. A fresh scent will make your house smell like a dream, but overpowering fragrance will do the opposite and be super overwhelming to the point where your house no longer smells fresh.
That’s why natural fragrances are the way to go. And it’s a lot easier to keep a good neutral fragrance in your house 24/7.
Good natural fragrances:
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Simmer pots: Boil a pot of water with citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, and cloves (or any seasonal citrus you prefer).
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DIY reed diffusers: Use essential oils like lavender, orange, or eucalyptus.
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Scented dryer sheets or sachets: Tuck into drawers, under couch cushions, and behind curtains.
The key to a good smelling house is natural fragrances throughout the house, not just in one place. And since natural fragrances are not super overwhelming, you can use all of these tricks throughout the house and they’ll work well together.
5. Upgrade Your Cleaning Products
A lot of people don’t realize that their cleaning products have a lot to do with how their house smells. Natural cleaning products will give you that subtle clean smell, and well, are just better for you anyways.
Mrs. Meyers and Method are two really good natural cleaning product brands that people rave about (myself included ;)). All of their scents are pretty tame, but will leave your home smelling divine!
Another natural cleaning trick is to mop with warm water and a few drops of lemon or peppermint oil. I’m telling you, essential oils will be your best friends! They’re not something you want to use instead of a cleaner, but just the cherry on top to add a yummy smelling scent to your house.
6. Use Candles, But Only Strategically
Again, try to go with natural, clean candles (look for soy or beeswax candles). You’ve probably notices a pattern: natural is always better when it comes to a clean house that smells fresh.
Now, even though candles can be super helpful in making your house smell super good, there’s a sweet spot for where and how many candles to light.
What I’ve found works best is to light candles in high-traffic areas like the guest bathroom and entryway before guests arrive. It’s a nice finishing touch to make sure your house smells as good as possible. And guests will definitely appreciate this extra step!
This is something that will have people complimenting the smell of your house like crazy! Especially if you have good tastes in candles. 😉
Pro tip: Think about the other scents you have going on in your house from cleaning products, diffusers, etc. and try to pick complimentary candle scents that will layer well. Good fragrance layering = irresistible smelling house.
If you need a little guidance on some good options for natural candles, here are a few recommendations that are always fan-favorites:
Salt and Stone is one of the best brands for natural products that actually smell irresistible. Their scents are more subtle, but smell sooo good it’s crazy. Their scent combos are top-notch!
All time favorite aromatherapy candle that smells like sweet and rich vanilla. Will never let you down and get you tons of people asking how your house smells so good!
From the Mrs. Meyers brand so you can layer your cleaning products with a matching candle for a cohesive smell throughout the house. Smells super clean and has minimal ingredients – all of which are completely natural (major win!).
7. Incorporate Fragrant Houseplants
I know, mind blown! Turns out, house plants are great for cleaning the air inside of your home and some even add a fresh scent. So yes they look pretty, but they do so much more for your home.
Lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, and jasmine are smaller plants that you can put in the kitchen or around your house for a calming scent. Think of these plants like a natural diffuser; they will leave a nice scent.
But if you’re looking for house plants that just clean the air and freshen up your home – peace Lillies, snake plants, spider plants, and pothos are all great options that will do the trick!
This is one reason to opt for real plants vs. faux plants where you can. They may be a little more maintenance, but the benefits are definitely worth it!
8. Focus on Signature Spaces
Your entryway, bathrooms, and bedroom are places where you spend a lot of time in your home. So when you’re choosing places to focus on, these rooms are some of the most important. Your kitchen might also be one of these spaces.
Here are some quick tips to make each of these spaces smell fresh and clean:
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Entryway: Use a plug-in diffuser or small candle.
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Bathroom: Keep it fresh with eucalyptus bundles in the shower (one of my ultimate favorite tricks!).
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Bedroom: Spray linens with a homemade linen spray (vodka + water + essential oils). When I don’t make my own linen spray, this is my go-to linen spray that has never failed me.
9. Tackle Hidden Smell Zones
There are a couple places in your house that are especially smelly and trap odors like no where else! And if you’re wondering why your house never smells clean, or at least can never stay smelling clean, these spots might be why.
Shoes: Especially if you have small kids, you need to watch out for this! A lot of people keep shoes in their entryway, which can really stink up the house.
A quick fix is to sprinkle with baking soda overnight. You might also want to consider moving your shoe rack from the entryway to the garage if possible.
Dishwasher & washing machine: Run cleaning cycles with vinegar monthly. Yes, even your dish washer and washing machine need a good clean from time to time.
Fridge: Keep an open box of baking soda inside. This will neutralize and deodorizer your fridge. Especially if you have garlic or any more potent foods in your fridge, they will stink it up.
And in turn, when you open your fridge, the stink will escape into the house. Which is the worst, especially after you just cleaned!
10. Create a “Signature Scent” for Your Home
If you really want to take making your house smell good one step further, try combining:
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Citrus (clean)
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Vanilla (warm)
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Herbs like rosemary or mint (fresh)
Mix these in diffusers or DIY sprays so your home has a consistent, inviting smell people associate with you and your home. It’s like when you have a signature perfume.
It’s the secret to an attractive-smelling house!
11. Keep It Going Long-Term
As much as I wish our houses would just stay clean all of the time, or at least for longer than they do, that’s not the case. So in order to actually keep your house smelling good, you have to keep up with these steps. Otherwise your amazing smelling house will only last so long.
But once you realize how amazing your house can smell if you take the right steps, it’ll motivate you to keep going and turn these tips and tricks into consistent habits.
Here is a simple and easy-to-follow cleaning schedule to get you started:
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Weekly: Wash bedding & towels with scented detergent or add a few drops of essential oil to the rinse cycle.
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Monthly: Deep clean appliances like dishwashers and washing machines (run vinegar cycles).
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Seasonally: Replace air filters and refresh scent diffusers.
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Everyday: Light a candle or run your diffuser for 30–60 minutes before guests arrive.
This post was all about the best step-by-step plan for a home that always smells amazing.
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