We would all love our homes to smell like freshly cut flowers or home baking, but for assorted reasons you might be assaulted by an unpleasant scent or a combination of bad smells from time to time. Shoe Fresh, the makers of shoe deodorizer spray, say that smelly shoes can often be the culprit. Particularly sports shoes, which tend to get damp from sweat, leading to a build-up of bacteria.
Other common causes of bad smells in the home include bacteria in the garbage disposal, a musty smell from the washing machine, wet towels, and rotting food in the fridge. If you have pets, that could also be contributing to the funky smells. So, what can you do about it? Is there a way to make your home smell better using natural products?
Table of Contents
Locate the Source of the Smell
The first thing to do is locate where the bad smells are coming from. If it is coming from shoes flung in a cupboard, it is time to get them out and give them a good clean. Make sure they are fully dry and then spray then with a shoe deodorizer.
When it comes to the washing machine, give it a full clean inside. You may find that there is a buildup of dirt and mold in the drawer. Shake some baking soda into the drawer and the drum and then spray it with white vinegar. Then run a self-cleaning cycle to ensure it is clean and fresh. When not in use, you should leave the drawer and the door ajar to avoid smells from building up.
Wet towels can smell bad, so it may be that they need to be changed every day or every other day. And in terms of bad smells from the fridge, you should make a point of clearing it out and giving it a good scrub. You might find an old piece of fruit or veg buried underneath other items.
Natural Products to Make Your Home Smell Fresh
While there are many different air fresheners, candles, and sprays you can use to make your home smell clean and fresh, you can also use a variety of natural products to achieve the fresh and inviting smells you desire when you walk into your home.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are perhaps one of the more popular ways to make a home smell appealing. They can be used in various ways too. For example, you could put a few drops into the trash can, or into the radiator to allow your favorite scents to fill your home when the heating comes on. The most popular way to use these oils, however, is to place them in a diffuser or burner.
Dried Lavender
Lavender is one of the nicest and most natural ways to make the home smell fresh. But aside from filling the home with a lovely scent, lavender is also commonly used as a way to relieve stress and anxiety. It is the main ingredient in many pillow sprays and, according to Healthline, it can have an effect on the body’s parasympathetic nervous system (which controls breathing rhythm, heart rate, and hormone secretion, all of which are associated with anxiety).
House Plants
There are some house plants that have a natural scent, and which will fill your home with a lovely fresh smell. Lavender is an obvious choice, but jasmine also smells wonderful. Furthermore, consider some fresh herbs in the kitchen to help eliminate odors.
To conclude, bad smells can be hard to deal with but if you find the smell and get rid of it, you can use a variety of natural products to make your home smell nicer.