What do cinnamon rolls, a rose garden, and fresh linen have in common?
That’s right, they all smell so good you can’t get enough of that aroma.
The good news is your house can smell just as dreamy if you follow some simple tips!
(In other words, if you close your eyes, sniff around, and you can’t tell the difference
between your arm pits and your house, then you should do these things.
Clear enough?
Okay.)
1.
Take good care of the trash can The trash can is obviously one of the biggest
sources of stinky odor, but just taking the trash outside isn’t enough.
Before you put a new empty bag inside the can, clean it well, because the can itself
accumulates smells that stick around.
Throw away any remnants of waste that stick to the can on the inside.
Rinse the can with a garden hose, wipe it with paper towels or old rags, spray it on
the inside with an all-purpose cleaner, scrub it well, and rinse again.
Then you can put a new trash bag inside.
2.
Use dryer sheets as a deodorant Everybody loves the smell of fresh linen,
but not everybody knows that the dryer sheets can work for other purposes, as well.
Place them in shoe closets, musty areas, trash cans, and gym bags.
The sheets will soak up the odor.
3.
Spread the aroma through the vents
Another tip with dryer sheets that works like magic – put a few of them behind the vents
in every room.
Voila – the circulating air will carry the aroma of freshness around your house.
Make sure to put in new sheets once every few weeks as the air dries them out.
4.
Clean the carpet
If you have carpet and just vacuum it every once in a while, don’t be surprised if it
becomes stinky at some point.
This is especially true if you have pets that like to mark the carpet as their territory.
To chase away bacteria that accumulates in the carpet and get rid of urine smells, rub
the carpet with a vinegar and water mix (one part vinegar, three parts water) with a cloth,
and then rinse it well with water.
5.
Onions to freshen your basement
You know that moldy odor that sets in your basement after a heavy rain and never goes
away?
You can fight it with onions!
Slice one right down the middle and drop it in the basement for the night.
When you check it the next morning, you won’t recognize the place, or rather, its smell.
6.
Combat mold for good
Unfortunately, mold doesn’t only live in your basement, but can visit any damp area
of your house, like the shower, bathroom tiles, sinks and so on.
One effective solution against it is mixing 1 cup bleach with 1 gallon of water in a bucket
and spreading the mix onto the affected areas with a stiff-bristled brush.
Don’t forget to put on rubber gloves before you do it, and open the windows to get some
fresh air in.
Rinse the area with a sponge when you’re finished.
7.
No more stinky sneakers
Your favorite sneakers can make the whole closet stink, but that’s no reason to throw
them away.
Instead, try sprinkling baking soda inside them and leave it overnight.
The next morning remove the powder and enjoy your nice, fresh shoes.
8.
Take care of the washing machine
The gadget that keeps your clothes clean needs a good cleaning itself.
The air hardly ever gets past its well-sealed door, so mold and mildew often grow inside,
spreading their odor to the laundry room.
To solve this issue, just run a cycle with a cup or two of bleach and warm water from
time to time.
And when you’re not using it, leave the lid open if you can.
9.
Start your own spa
I’m not suggesting that you invest in a spa business; you can just fill your bathroom
with spa-like smells and sensations.
Tie some strong fragrant herbs like lemon balm, thyme or rosemary in the far corner
of the shower to keep them away from water.
The steam coming from the hot shower will activate the essential oils in them, and the
aroma will spread all over the place.
10.
Keep the toilets shiny clean
Another obvious stinky source is the toilet.
Vinegar will help you combat that.
Pour one cup inside, and spray the seat and the outsides with it as well.
Leave it for 5 minutes, then scrub the inside with a toilet brush and wipe the outside using
paper towels.
Flush the toilet to make sure all the debris from scrubbing are gone.
11.
Let it roll
Here’s one cool tip for the toilet paper roll – sprinkle the cardboard tube inside
it with a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
You can also do the same with the rolls that are waiting to be used.
Whenever you rip off a piece of toilet paper in the future, the essential oil smell will
come out and deodorize the room.
12.
Lemons for your garbage disposal
To keep your garbage disposal from smelling like total trash, drop a sliced lemon, lime
or an orange in it when it’s running.
If the citrus doesn’t work, try something even stronger – pour half a cup of white
vinegar and cold water inside.
13.
Wash away dishwasher smell White vinegar works its magic on many appliances,
including the dishwasher.
Pour it in a dishwasher-safe cup, put it on the top rack and turn it on a full cycle,
not adding any other dishes.
You can also try pouring two cups of vinegar straight onto the bottom of the dishwasher.
It’ll smell like vinegar for about an hour afterwards, but the bad smells will be gone,
too, so it’s worth it.
14.
Baking soda for the fridge Your fridge accumulates all sorts of smells
from the food inside.
Baking soda, with its unique chemical properties, will help to absorb them and make it smell
neutral.
Put an open box of it on the shelf or in the back, and keep it there.
Change it once a year.
15.
Make use of coffee grounds The coffee aroma is so strong, it’ll take
over any unpleasant stinking in your fridge!
Stuff a nylon stocking with coffee grounds and keep it in the back of the fridge for
a natural deodorizing effect.
16.
Vanilla extract in your freezer To fix the odor problems in your ice box,
swipe it on the inside with a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract.
It’s an instant fix for leftover meat stinking.
17.
Chase away the smell of fried fish If you like to fry things, and add spices
to your cooking often, just opening the kitchen window won’t chase away that smell for good.
It basically gets ingrained in your kitchen cabinets.
For an instant fix, boil a cup of vinegar on the stove right after cooking something
hot and spicy.
It’ll release its vapors to combat the stinking.
18.
Use citrus power To make your kitchen, or the entire house,
smell like a citrus garden, use orange peels!
Dry them overnight, then boil 5 or 6 of them in a pot of water with the lid off for a couple
of hours.
You can also add any spices you like.
Cinnamon, for example, has a super strong and pleasant aroma.
Ginger, basil, allspice, cranberries, and cloves also work just fine!
If you have a gas stove, you can just burn an orange peel over it for an instant effect!
19.
Clean the microwave
To make the microwave smell like new with basically no effort, drop a sponge or rag
you use to do the dishes soaked in dishwasher inside and turn it on for about 5 minutes.
The steam will work its magic inside the microwave.
Once you’re done, you can also wipe it down on the inside with the same sponge.
(Just let it cool off first…)
20.
Get some house plants
They not only make your house look greener, but purify the air.
Snake plants, English ivy, lady palms, scented geraniums and Arabian jasmines are the most
effective at this job.
21.
Take care of the kitty litter box
Activated charcoal will help you solve the stinky kitty litter problem.
It’s naturally great at absorbing odors, especially those produced by pets.
You can make a charcoal filter by putting it in cheesecloth and setting it on or near
the litter box; or simply set it in a small bowl by the litter box if you don’t have
little kids that can play with it.
How about you?
Do you have your own tips to make your house smell like a dream (instead of a nightmare)?
Let me know down in the comments!
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Stay on the Bright Side of life!