How to Make Your Home (and Everything in it) Smell Good

You walk into your home after being gone at work or out shopping, and whoa … something smells funky! But where is it coming from? You sniff. You search. You’re stumped. Has this ever happened to you?

Your home can be filled with all sorts of things that can make it smell downright yucky. When that happens, you may be tempted to quickly spray a commercial air freshener or light a candle, but those are just temporary cover-ups.  You’ve really got to get to the root of the problem to remove that horrible stench from your home for good. 

Today, I’ve got nine easy recipes for natural, homemade remedies to help deodorize and freshen your home:

1. Homemade room and furniture deodorizing spray
2. Simmer pot air freshener
3. Carpet refresher
4. Home and car fresheners
5. Natural room diffuser
6. Natural air freshener gel
7. Smelly shoe deodorizing spray
8. Stinky pet spray
9. Deodorizing discs

Tip #1: Homemade Room and Furniture Deodorizing Spray

This simple recipe is a snap to make and safe to use either by spritzing into the air or spraying directly on that smelly couch or recliner. This spray uses your favorite essential oil. If you haven’t used essential oils, I encourage you to check out my episode How to Use Essential Oils in Your Home to learn more about their natural, non-toxic benefits. Here’s the quick and easy recipe for deodorizing room spray:

• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• 2-3 drops essential oil – I like lavender, lemon, orange, cinnamon, or peppermint. Use a scent you like or mix and match to create your own personal scent.
• Distilled water

Mix the baking soda and essential oil thoroughly. Using a funnel to add this mixture to an 8-12 ounce spray bottle. Add distilled water to fill and shake well. Now, it’s ready to use!

Tip #2: Simmer Pot Air Freshener 

For a long-lasting wonderful aroma that permeates your entire home, try my simmer pot recipe. Use this around the winter holidays to create a warm, homey ambiance. It’s also great in summer to get rid of stinky, sweaty smells that seem to come from everywhere. Mix and match your ingredients for a unique scent. Here’s the basic recipe, but you should feel free to change it up:

• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4...

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