Burning Question: Clear The Air
This week’s burning question is all about smells. Namely: do you use any form of air freshener in your house to keep it smelling… well, fresh?
Is it a plug in? Potpurri? A scented candle? A diffuser? Some sort of heated oil? Or something a bit more natural (like lemons down the garbage disposal or a bowl of coffee beans on the counter)? Feel free to weigh in. In fact we whipped up this handy little poll to keep everything tabulated… but we’d also love to hear more about the why (and any other explanations) in the comment section.
[poll id="2"]
Image courtesy of West Elm (a few years back)
Psst- Wanna make your own reed diffuser? Check out our simple tutorial right here.
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I used to love scented candles, and nearly always had one burning. Now, though, I’m pregnant, and can’t stand any manufactured scent! If I have to do something, I simmer orange peels on the stove, in a little water, with a cinnamon stick + some cloves…it’s wonderful!
If the house needs it, I usually just do a good airing out (on a warm enough day). But otherwise, a reed diffuser with natural essential oils does the trick
I have recently discovered that a few drops of essential oil dropped on a cotton ball and placed in a glass baby food jar with holes pricked in the lid makes a nice, cheap way to scent things. I have them tucked into our closets which tend to get a little stale smelling.
I like open windows, and I am really not a fan of endrocine disruptors, and cancer causing agents.
We use Glade plug-ins and scented oil candles in the same scent. They’re strong to some people, but I love it! We normally use the “Ocean Blue” scent, because I like fresh scents.
I do try and air out anytime it’s stuffy and it’s warm enough outside. The garbage disposal lemon trick works well but one thing I’ve learned is that some garbage disposals smell more than others. It must be an age thing. Seriously, nothing works like fresh air though.
Love the poll! (I’m a visual person, plus I taught/love math, so love seeing that bar graph and percentages! Ha!)
This was a great idea. I love to light candles when I get home, dozens of them, all in Clean Linen to give the house a crisp, just washed scent. And the flickering romance doesn’t hurt either.
I think Febreeze is easily one of the best scents in the world. They really should make a perfume.
I like Method’s plug ins. I snagged a discontinued flavor (fig) at Big Lots and stocked up.
If I can’t open the windows, I like to slice some lemons into a pot of water and let it boil for awhile. Makes my apartment smell nice and fresh every time.
I love the plug-ins from Bath and Body Works. I only use two scents to keep things simple. Also, I picked two very mild scents so they are not overwhelming. But nothing beats being able to open the windows on a nice day and get fresh air to everything.
I’ve never really felt a need to scent my house, or like my house needs it, but I do keep an air freshener in the bathroom that houses the cat’s litter box. I used to use a plug in, but now I use an air freshener that is full of gel that slowly releases his scent. I’d like something more natural, but I haven’t found anything more natural that lets out enough scent (that covers the litter box scent) for a long enough time.
We air out the house anytime the temperature is above 60. We also use natural products like baking soda, lemons, etc. If we are in need of heavy-duty scents (i.e. for a party, after a strongly-scented meal), essential oils do the trick.
Personally, I find most candles and air fresheners just plain nasty. They smell so artificial and waaaay too strong. In fact, I don’t even wear perfume — usually just a dab of essential oil. So to keep the house smelling good, I just try to keep the litterbox clean, cook something good-smelling occasionally and occasionally make a fire or use a lemon-scented cleaner. Now that spring is on the way, I look forward to throwing open the windows and letting in the smells of rain, flowers and pine needles. No need for over-the-top “air fresheners.”
As soon as it is warm enough I open the windows and let the breeze come through. We have plugins in every room but I don’t even notice them anymore. I’m trying the new Fresh Wave products that are supposed to be all natural and don’t cover the odor but absorb it or something.
I love burning candles and use some Yankee room freshener things. Sometimes I use the reed diffusers, too!
“Keepers of the Light” makes the BEST scented candles I’ve found. They smell amazing even when they aren’t lit and they burn completely clean.
I have all my windows open to air out my house right now! I like reed diffusers, but I’d like to find a way to make my own refill oil in as natural a way as possible. Anyone have any ideas? And where would I buy essential oils?
Nice poll! I like the way you guys set that up. However, I use more than one method. I checked off the scented candle option b/c we definitely use those in our home. We don’t have a garbage disposal – but I love using lemon rinds when I do have one. Really freshens up the place. The next best thing to having the window open and getting some fresh air. :)
I have a few naturalish candles that we burn from time to time – but most scented candles make my allergies & sensitivities flare up. We open the windows and doors as much as possible. We never use room spray, febreeze, etc. I get so sensitive to them that we just avoid it. I think that no smell is a clean smell, personally. I’m curious to try out some of the suggestions here – boiling fragrant foodthings in water. Sounds great!
We open the windows and doors as often as possible to get a nice breeze going through the house. I love candles, but try to buy only the soy kind and lead-free wicks.
I DIY’ed a diffuser (using your tutorial!) from skewer sticks and a glass vase both found at Goodwill. I put a verrrry small amount (probably an ounce) of vanilla bean oil (meant for burning) in the bottom of the vase and set it in our powder room. You get just a whiff every time you walk in. It’s perfect. Plus, it takes forever for that oil to evaporate. I also use scented soy candles in the winter but when the weather permits nothing beats fresh outdoor air…the real thing. We try not to add too many unnecessary smelly chemicals.
I’ve always loved Method’s home scent line — the plug-ins, the aroma disks, the air sprays … and since they’re Method, they’re enviro-friendly and non-chemical laden, which is awesome. However, they’re discontinuing the whole line to focus on cleaners, so I’m a sad panda. I know Mrs. Meyers has something similar, so I’ll probably switch to that once the stock I’ve created gets depleated.
But with four cats, soon to be two babies, Cheech the Chihuahua (who is also 10 lbs, by the way), and my husband the wrestling coach, NOT having something to freshen the air just isn’t an option.
I actually am a Scentsy consultant — so, I use Scentsy products to make my house smell wonderful. Scentsy is a warmer that is warmed by a low wattage light bulb. It then melts a food paraffin type wax that is scented to make your house smell wonderful. So, they are house friendly, pet friendly, children friendly…all that fun stuff :)
I like the Bath & Body Works Wallflowers and candles(something clean or fresh smelling – not fruity). I also like to burn the Lampe Berger (Ella and Ocean Breeze are my favorite scents).
i use a variety… lemons in the disposal, viegar to get rid or fish smell, a renuzit in the cat’s bathroom, febreeze on the bed and couch (but i can’t be in the room once it’s sprayed cuz chemical scents/perfumes give me a headache), open the windows, open the windows, open the windows!
i’ll have to look into those diffuser things to see if the oils used give me a headache or not…. since they are natural i might be ok????
I’m not saying this to be rude about anyone’s choice of smell-ifier (to each our own!) but I never understood Plug-Ins. To me, it seems weird to use electricity to scent your home when there are plenty of other ways to do so…
The boyfriend and I don’t do well with artificial scents… So, we just take to opening the windows!
i’m with Danika, my favorite is simmering oranges and spices on the stove!
While I love to burn candles, I have two cats that like to jump up on practically every surface in our house, so they pose a safety hazard. I recently stared using reed diffusers (Home Goods sells them for around 5 bucks) and I love them. I just put one on a bookshelf and it does the job for at least a month or two. Great poll!
I just bought my first diffuser the other day. It’s fig. Oh my, how I love it.
But we also tend to just air out the place. But every so often, if it gets particularly funky, we’ll light a match. You know what I mean.
jbhat
I get migraines, so scents are off limits most of the time. I do like scented candles, but resort to fresh air when I can.
I also use Scents products. I have several warmers throughout my house and I warm one cube of the same scent in each warmer to keep a harmonious atmosphere in each room.
I can’t really smell the plug-ins so decided they were a waste of money. I do use a room spray every once in a while from Mrs. Whats-her-name. In general, I don’t like scents (and some will give me a headache) so I like to open the windows for a cross-breeze when they weather gets nice enough. We live close enough to the ocean where we *might* get some fresh ocean scent.
I love burning scented candles, although the best way to freshen the house really is to open the windows. For all of those that use scents to cover up the litterbox smell, I would recommend trying the litter that they sell at costco. I can’t remember the brand name, but it comes in a green container (and is a steal at $7.99 for 30lbs). I love it because it does not smell like litter! It has a soft lemongrass scent, and as long as you clean up after kitty on a regular basis, you don’t get any of those nasty smells either. No cover-up scents needed!
Love to open the windows and light scented candles.
I do have one candle (vanilla cinnamon) that I’ll burn occasionally. I use all natural cleaning products (Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena) to freshen things up, and I make my own “Febreeze” by mixing all natural vanilla with cheap vodka in a spray bottle. I spritz it on the carpet, curtains, pillows, beds (including our pug’s), etc… the vodka evaporates leaving the scent of vanilla behind. Works like a charm, isn’t expensive, it’s safe and natural, and my husband doesn’t complain about the chemical smell! =)
Help – this is exactly the issue I have been struggling with. Living in temporary home with 3 dogs I have to have something to help with the smells (the house wasn’t take care of before we got it).
I have been using the plug in things from Bath and Body Works – smell nice but I am told the chemicals are terrible for you. And they are right at the doggy nose level too.
I tried candles but you can’t leave them burning when you aren’t there, we have had 2 close calls.
I tried oils in a pot on our wood stove but that doesn’t help in the bedroom…so HELP, Please help, any ideas would be greatly appreciated and GREEN – Non-Toxic ideas preferably…..THANK YOU!!!
I am about to move into my first house… and the previous owners were smokers. Any good methods to clear the smoke smell out of a house? The walls have been painted and the carpets are new, but it still has that smell, ugh. Thanks!!
Hey Ashley and Hannah,
Hopefully there will be tons of reader submitted ideas right here, so feel free to scroll back through the comments to see what works for other people right now, or check back later this weekend when there will be even more tips from everyone under the sun! And of course google is your friend so definitely do a search for “removing smoke odors” or “non-toxic air fresheners.” Hope it helps.
xo,
s
I sprinkle baking soda with oxiclean onto the carpets before I vacuum to help get rid of any stray odors.
In the past, I used plug ins and scented candles all the time, but now they seem to irritate my sinuses a lot. The only exception I make is for Yankee’s Macintosh apple candle – I adore that scent. So now, if I can, I will open the windows and let the house breathe, but if I can’t do that its down to my default scent: the clean laundry smell – which is ever present due to the fact that my washer and dryer never seem to stop running!?!
I don’t like artificial scents – it just makes me feel like I’m breathing in more chemicals, or not really solving the problem if something is causing an odor. I prefer to open the windows or give my place a good cleaning with all-natural cleaners.
I can’t vote because it will only let me pick one option and I use a combination of many of the choices. I work for a nationwide fragrance store, so I have candles, plug ins, and my favorite thing ever… Scentbugs. It’s like an oil warmer with out the burning. I have 3 of them and love them all.
Ugh. I hate all that scented stuff with a passion. Probably not just because I don’t like fake smells (although that’s high up there) but because scents that are from candles, oils, diffusers, perfume, etc. trigger splitting migraines with 10 minutes of exposure. Not fun.
Love the poll! I think the instant gratification of tabulation (never thought I get find something to rhyme with those two words…) is fabulous. But, is there any way to have more than one answer, for those of us who are scent-obsessed but like to share the love with multiple sources?
Hey Julie,
Yup, we’ll tweak all future polls to allow for more than one answer!
xo,
s
I’m a little weary of candles burning because of the fire hazard issue, so I like to use a tart burner and tarts (scented candle wax that melts from the heat of a lightbulb) from the Yankee Candle store.
I’m best friends with my Lampe Berger. Orange Cinnamon and Almond Pear keep my house smelling yummy year round!
Most air fresheners and fake scents are SO TOXIC! Not in my house thankyouverymuch!
Occasionally a scented candle, but usually just open windows.