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How to Make Your House Smell Good Naturally

essential oil diffuser

​The Spruce / Ana Cadena

One way to boost happiness in your home and promote optimal sleep each night is to make sure your indoor air smells fresh and clean. Dusty, musty odors can aggravate allergies and make you generally uncomfortable, but perfumes and air fresheners can also trigger allergies, headaches, and respiratory problems. So, how do you freshen up your home's air without scented products?

Try these DIY tips for improving indoor air quality naturally.

10 Ways to Make Your Home Smell Good

  • 01 of 05

    Open the Windows

    an open window

    The Spruce / Ana Cadena

    The fastest way to a fresh-smelling room is opening the windows and letting the sunlight and fresh air come pouring in. Unless you live near a busy freeway or industrial area, the air inside your home is likely of a lower quality than the air outside.

    Make it a habit to open your windows each morning for as long as privacy and weather permit. Your whole house will smell fresher and you'll get a mood-boosting, energy-upping dose of morning sunshine. A win-win.

  • 02 of 05

    Wash the Sheets

    freshly folded sheets

    ​The Spruce / Ana Cadena

    There’s nothing quite as comfy as clean, soft bedsheets—but those same sheets absorb a considerable amount of bodily oils, fluids, and shed skin particles each night. Go too long without a laundry day, and your sheets can start to smell funky.

    To keep the air fresh, strip your bed and wash the sheets every week—more often if you let your pets sleep with you or you are particularly susceptible to allergies.

    Take it a step further by changing your pillowcases every other day. This not only helps keep your room smelling fresh but also helps keep your complexion looking its best.

  • 03 of 05

    Freshen the Carpet

    baking soda on the carpet

    ​The Spruce / Ana Cadena

    Carpet is comfortable to walk on, and it muffles sound and temperature swings, but it holds onto bacteria, mold, pollen, and grunge from your feet or the bottom of your shoes. Over time, those nasties can create a bad smell.

    But don’t automatically reach for harsh chemicals to deodorize your carpet. Instead, try baking soda. It’s cheap and it’s easy. Just sprinkle a thorough coating over your carpet, let it sit for at least an hour, then vacuum the powder away, along with the stink.

  • 04 of 05

    DIY Reed Diffuser

    essential oil diffuser

    ​The Spruce / Ana Cadena

    Sure, you can buy a reed diffuser, but they can be pricey. Why not make your own instead? All you need is a glass jar or vase with a narrow top, several bamboo kebab skewers, a quarter-cup of sweet almond or safflower oil, and 15 to 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

    Choose ones with soothing scents, such as lavender, jasmine, vanilla, or sandalwood. Stir the carrier and essential oils together in the jar, arrange the skewers into a bouquet, and set the DIY reed diffuser on your nightstand. Be patient—it’ll take a day or two for the scent to make its way up the skewers.

    Continue to 5 of 5 below
  • 05 of 05

    DIY Air Freshener

    homemade air freshener

    ​The Spruce / Ana Cadena

    Maybe a reed diffusor isn’t your thing, but you still want to freshen up your environment with a pleasing fragrance that isn’t made from synthetic scents. Not to worry—you can make your own room spray from natural ingredients.

    You’ll need a clean spray bottle, a cup of distilled water, three tablespoons of rubbing alcohol (you can use unflavored vodka if you prefer), and at least 20 drops of your favorite essential oils. Use a single scent or combine relaxation-enhancing oils like bergamot, lavender, chamomile, vanilla, and rose.

    Simply mix the ingredients in the spray bottle and spritz the air as often as you like.