People Are Sharing the Hacks They Use to Get Their Home Smelling Good

I have a confession to make. I have a small obsession with making my home smell good. And not just good — but so good, in fact, that every guest who comes through the door immediately says, “Wow, it smells amazing in here.” While I tend to rely on deliciously scented candles to get the job done, I’m also always interested in other people’s go-to tricks. It’s no wonder, then, that I turned to Reddit to see how people “keep their home smelling good 24/7” — and I uncovered some incredible tips.

In a thread in r/Cleaning Tips, Redditor throwaway01957 asked users to share their tips and tricks for making their homes smell amazing, and many of the responses are pretty fantastic. Read below for 10 brilliant hacks you should try immediately, if not sooner (I know I’m about to).

1. Get an air purifier.

Whether you live in a city with poor air quality or you just want to clean up the pet dander lying around, an air purifier is a surefire way to make the air around you, well, pure. User otterpop21 runs several air purifiers at once and recommended ones with blue light antibacterial features and both charcoal and HEPA filters. “They make a HUGE difference — my house smells great [and] candle scents linger,” they say.

2. Change your sheets every week.

Swapping out your bed sheets every week can certainly feel like a chore (goodness knows it’s not something I enjoy doing regularly). This may seem obvious, but doing it sure does make your home smell fresher. “Change bed sheets at least weekly — you’d be surprised at the scent that can be trapped there,” user szlahker states emphatically.

3. Open the windows.

Whether you’ve noticed lingering mustiness or you just need to clear out some annoying smells after cooking, cracking a window does the whole place some good. Redditor toreadorable opens them “every couple of days,” and user GaDiGu concurs, noting, “If the house smells stagnant and stuffy, periodically open your windows and let the air flow in and out.”

Meanwhile, other users swear by keeping them open either all the time or at least for part of every day. “We open the windows almost daily, no matter the weather, for at least five to 10 minutes, and it makes a huge difference,” says user MsARumphius. And user cheechobobo chimes in with the German term for this, “burping the house,” noting, “my main practice for a fresh house is opening all the windows and doors for a bare minimum 15 minutes each day (usually a lot longer), to let fresh air flow right through.”

4. Take out the trash every day.

I was excited to come across this cleaning hack, since it’s something I do. I’m aware that I am lucky since my apartment complex has dumpsters we can use 24/7, which is different from a house with a once a week garbage pickup — but, hey, I’m happy I fall on this side of the smelling good issue. In any case, regular trash removal is important for ensuring your house doesn’t stink to high heaven. “Making sure trash is taken out daily helps,” says Redditor ProtozoaPatriot.

User sukiegarden concurs and notes that not taking the trash out “usually is the culprit when I walk into my house and sense it doesn’t smell fresh.”

5. Put gel stamps in the toilet.

User dosidosss raves about using gel stamps in their toilet, noting that they help make their home smell so good! “I’m no longer grossed out when I come home.” Simply stick one at the top of your toilet bowl and let the freshness come with every flush.

6. Wash your curtains.

While cleaning the curtains isn’t something that needs to be done super often, it can definitely help up the ante when it comes to musty scents in your living room and bedroom. User szlahker recommends doing so at least yearly.

7. Wipe down the walls.

So many users spoke about the importance of clean walls, like SadNectarine12, who says, “getting that greasy/dusty film off [it] makes the house smell great.”

In case you’re wondering just how to wash your walls, user noyogapants likes to use a spin mop. “[It’s] been a game-changer for walls and cabinets,” they say. “It makes it so easy and quick … I can clean so much in about an hour.” Meanwhile, user New_Trekkie recommends adding a few drops of Dr. Bronner’s soap to a bucket of warm water, and Whirlwindofjunk says to add a drop of dish soap to warm water and “wring it all the way out” before washing the walls.

8. Clean the carpet and upholstery.

Rugs, carpets, chairs, couches … as beautiful as they are, they sure can retain a lot of gross odors. “Actually shampooing the rugs and fabric is the only way to truly get the mustiness out,” says user NicoleNicole1988. 

You can also try Redditor gothluanneplatter’s trick for freshening up the carpets and chairs. “I put a little fabric softener in my shampooer when I run it on my carpets and upholstery (and I shampoo a lot),” they say.

9. Neutralize odors with a bowl of vinegar.

Distilled white vinegar can be used for tons of home hacks. One of the best? Stopping stinky kitchen smells in their tracks. This is a top cleaning hack from user THAT_GIRL_SAID, who recommends putting a bowl of vinegar “in an out-of-the-way place to neutralize odors.” User Unfair_Finger5531 does it, too. “I boil water with vinegar in it occasionally to clear the air after my husband cooks,” they say. 

Writer Shifrah Combiths, who reviewed this method for Apartment Therapy, advises pouring vinegar into a bowl, setting it next to the stove, and keeping it there while you cook. “[It’s] a passive-yet-effective odor eliminator that gets to work before you even need it to,” she says.

10. Use simmer pots.

A simmer pot is a natural, budget-friendly way to make your space smell delicious by brewing a homemade concoction on your stovetop or in a slow cooker. You can customize them by your zodiac sign, by the seasons, or, really, any other way you choose. (I know I’m about to try making the cranberry one for Aquarius.) 

User fortalameda1 swears by simmer pots to keep their home smelling fresh, especially if you don’t want to harm pets with candles or essential oils. “It will be the best option to add good smells that’s healthiest for your cat or other pets,” they say. “I usually use an apple, orange, cinnamon sticks, clove, and vanilla extract.”

Further Reading

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See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room