15 Ways to Make Your Home Smell Nice

Add oatmeal to the trash bin, spray your favorite perfume on a light bulb, and boil some fabric softener in a pot. It may sound like a nonsense, but these life hacks can change your life forever by solving one big problem — unpleasant odors.

Here at Bright Side we love gathering people`s household life hacks and sharing them with our readers. So scroll down, you can thank us later!

1. Oats

If you feel like your home smells funny, the first place you should check is the refrigerator or the trash can. Put some oats in a bowl and put the bowl into the fridge or put some oatmeal directly into the bin to absorb the smell. This lifehack is effective and super safe, since it does not contain any chemicals.

2. Fabric softener

Fabric softener is a great product and there are many more ways to use it in the household aside from just doing the laundry. Take one measuring cup of softener and pour it into boiling water — the scent will evaporate with the water and spread all over your house. You can also use cinnamon or cloves to add something else to the scent.

3. Dryer sheets

Attaching dryer sheets to the back of a fan might seem weird and ineffective, but it has actually been proven to work. The light and fresh essence from the dryer sheets will diffuse throughout the whole room.

4. Disposer fresheners

It’s common that an unpleasant odor might come from the garbage disposer in the sink — leftovers sometimes get stuck and start decomposing. Here`s when disposer fresheners can help — one small tablet can quickly rid you from any annoying stink.

5. Scented cleaning vinegar

When you need to eliminate bad smells from your home, it’s good to not only try to cover them up, but also to find the source and get rid of it. And using a cleaning agent that has a pleasant smell is killing 2 birds with one stone! You can make your own scented cleaning vinegar with fresh herbs and lemon or orange zest in just a few minutes — it’s a budget, fast, and efficient way to make the house smell nice.

6. Essential oils

A millennia-proven method — using essential oils! You can boil it, drop it on fabric, add it to the vacuum bags, diffusers, or humidifiers. The most suitable oils for bringing freshness are citrus oils like grapefruit, lime, or orange and herbs like peppermint or eucalyptus.

7. Vanilla extract

Vanilla extract is not just for cooking, but also for creating a sweet scent in your house. Soak a little sponge in vanilla extract and put it in a warm bowl (or you can place the bowl next to the radiator). It may not seem visually effective, but it definitely works.

8. Baking

One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways for all of the family members to fill the house with a warm and inviting smell is to bake something! As a bonus, you’ll have something to drink tea with later. But if you don’t have time to bake, you can just warm up some vanilla in a pan — for around 15 minutes at approximately 250 degrees.

9. Simmer apple slices and cinnamon sticks

If you don’t feel like burning candles or using essential oils, another great way to make your kitchen smell nice is to boil some apple slices and cinnamon sticks in a pot with a small amount of water. Remember that you can’t leave the stove for a long time, you have to constantly watch it to make sure the mixture doesn`t burn.

10. Lemon

Lemon is widely known to be a great natural deodorizer and cleaner — not only does it give a crisp smell to your home, but it’s also a safe and effective cleaner for floors, counters, and wooden furniture.

11. A charcoal bag

Another great way to get rid of unpleasant odors and purify the air is to buy charcoal bags or make them using activated charcoal. Charcoal not only filters smells, but also deals with bacteria and allergens. These bags can be used for up to a year.

12. Baking soda

Baking soda is one the best-known, all-purpose tools in the household. Among other characteristics baking soda neutralizes odors and deodorizes carpets and rugs — just put some on a stain, leave it for half an hour, and vacuum it up.

13. Washing machine cleaning tablets

If you don’t clean the thing that cleans your laundry, it may start smelling funny too. The cleaning tablets for washing machines can be a great solution against any unpleasant smell in your washing machine, and they’re also good as a preventive measure.

14. An odor-removing candle

A scented candle is always a good option for the home, as it creates a cozy atmosphere and gives a pleasant, non-intrusive smell.

15. Spraying perfume on a light bulb

This trick may seem funky, but it really works. Spray a little bit of perfume onto a cold bulb — when it heats up, it’ll spread the scent all over the place. Try it at home!

Which lifehacks do you use to get rid of funky odors in your home? We`d be happy to see your comments and pics in the comment section below.