When you own a house, it’s easy to get comfortable in your space and fail to notice when it’s time to make changes. You get busy working, the kids and pets are running around, and before you know it, there are smells coming from places you didn’t know existed.
Odors in the home don’t have to be a common occurrence. There are ways to prevent and maintain a home that not only looks good, but smells good too. See seven easy DIY solutions for freshening up your home so you’ve got pleasant odors roaming your space.
If you’re dealing with an odor that just won’t go away, it’s time to call in the pros. Contact a cleaning service today and get quotes from pros in your area, for free.
1. Eliminate Garbage Disposal/Garbage Bin Odours
Your garbage disposal could be wreaking more havoc in your home than you might realize. Food and grime build up over time and start to seep through to your kitchen and beyond. Start by running some lemon, lime or orange peels through your disposal to eliminate any odors. It’s said that the acid in the fruit kills some of the odour-causing bacteria.
Also, if you’re an advocate of baking soda, this cleaning tip is for you. Dump your baking soda into the garbage disposal, add a cup of white vinegar and let your disposal run. Voila! The hardest part of eliminating odors is remembering to actually run these items through your garbage disposal and not letting gunk build up in the first place.
Then again, if you don’t really use your garbage disposal, you could remove it. However, if you use a garbage bin, it is important to use line the garbage bin with plastic bags before disposing waste into it. This helps keep the bin clean at all times. Also ensure to dispose off the garbage as frequently as possible to avoid growth of bacteria and build up of stench from rotten organic wastes.
2. Fresh Scents
Budget-friendly scents such as lavender or chamomile go a long way in the home. They’ve even been known to help people sleep better when put in and around bed pillows. Lavender is a fresh, floral, clean and calm aroma that’s perfect for making your home smell great. Mix together a DIY room freshener using lavender or diffuse it in and around the home to banish stale odors.
Chamomile is another scent that is recommended for removing unpleasant smells in the house. The term refers to a range of different daisy-like plants and has long been known for its healing properties. The odor is sweet, apple-like and herbaceous. An easy DIY chamomile room spray can be made by diluting 12 drops of the essential oil per ounce of distilled water.
3. Deodorize Carpets
Carpets are certainly to blame for a lot of the smelly odours lurking in your house. That’s why it’s recommended that you always have a carpet freshener on deck.
Instead of purchasing products with chemicals in them, you can create your own deodorizing carpet powder using a few natural ingredients.
4. Vanilla Extract
Sprinkling vanilla extract on light bulbs is one trick to eliminating odors. This is one tip I’ve never heard of, so I wanted to learn more! Apparently, it’s an old real estate agent’s trick. Put a drop or two of vanilla extract on a light-bulb, turn on the light and smell the magic. Your house will soon smell like you’ve been baking all day. You can also opt to burn vanilla extract or any other essential oil to quickly enhance the smell of your house.
5. Air Fresheners
Grab a few mason jars and your favorite essential oils or liquid potpourri and follow this DIY tutorial for making your own gel air fresheners. The fresheners will not only make your home smell good, but they’re pretty too.
Your other option is to create a mix of your favorite smelling sprays to distribute throughout the house. I found a great website that outlines several different options for you to try depending on your taste. You can also decide to save yourself the time of purchasing some already made air fresheners from a convenience store.
6. Potted Plants
This is by far my favorite DIY option for making your home smell fresh and clean. Natural air purifiers include palm trees, orchids and peace lilies. Plants not only bring energy and life to your home but they look beautiful too.
Besides the living room, think about bringing plants into your kitchen and bathrooms to brighten up the space and create a peaceful and calm environment. If you don’t want the hassle of taking care of real plants, then you can purchase fancy fake ones and switch them out as often as you’d like.
7. Stovetop Potpourri
Here’s a suggestion that anyone who owns an oven and a pan can tackle. It’s a quick fix too. Interior designer Rhobin DelaCruz suggests you, “Simmer water in a small saucepan and add citrus (lemon) slices and herbs, like lavender or mint.” In no time, beautiful aromas will be floating throughout your home. No need to buy prepackaged deodorizers when there’s a simple and natural DIY solution that’ll do the trick.
A happy home is one that not only looks put together but smells like it too. These tips are sure to bring a delightful and revitalizing odor to your house. If you have any other deodorizing solutions that you’ve tried, please include them in the comments section below!
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source: ImproveNet