How do you keep your home smelling fresh?

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

I’ve heard that one of the best ways to sell your home is to fill it with the smell of home cooking, so baking bread just before viewers arrive is a good suggestion.

It is not always possible to find the time to bake, but I do believe that the way a home smells is one of the first things you notice when you arrive and is therefore important in welcoming guests when staying.

What are your tips for keeping your home smelling fresh and welcoming? Perhaps you light fragrant candles or place jugs of flowers in different rooms. Feel free to share any photos you have.

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Clara116]

@Fred13what a pity..............there's nothing quite like the smell of sea - salt - the breezes - your own personal aromatherapy! Plus its FREE!!  A W E S O M E !!!!!

[Fred13]

LoL. Aye Clara, true.

[Jared52]

Love the fresh bread idea.  I am going to set up our bread maker on a timer so that it is ready right when they arrive!  Then it will smell nice and they will have a fresh-baked loaf for their stay!  Cheap and easy and low-cost / high-touch.  Perfect!

[Rubén16]

@Lizzie  @Clara116 @Fred13 @Jared52 This is a very helpful post, I gathered a lot of useful information from the comments above on how to manage odors. 

[Lizzie]

Great to hear @Rubén16. 🙂 Have you got some ideas you might implement? 

[Rubén16]

@Lizzie  No new ideas from my side, however I like the reply of opening the windows and doors, I am going to start airaiting the cottage by having the door and windows open while am cleaning. 

The cottage will be a little cold in Winter while cleaning however I think it is necessary to keep the odors away.

And in the Summer or warmer months I am going to leave the windows open for additional ventilation until the guests arrive.

[Julie143]

I open all the windows when I’m doing final touch up cleaning right before the guests arrive. If it’s cold outside, I temporarily turn the heat off and wear a coat.

In the summer, it’s really important to keep the AC filters clean.

Baking soda is good for neutralizing odors.

Personally, I can’t stand Febreeze. It’s almost like it draws attention to the odor someone is trying to mask.

[Sarah977]

@Julie143  I agree re the Febreeze. Advertising and marketing firms have managed to convince people that dryer sheets, air fresheners, and all manner of scents are the smell of "clean and fresh", instead of what used to be considered clean and fresh- fresh air and sunshine.

[Nathan233]

I've been reading this post with quite some amazement. Is it just me that thinks that the suggestion of baking bread before a guest's arrival is lunacy?

I've stayed in many 5 star hotels but have yet to encounter one where the head chef pops down to the room to bake some quick bread before my arrival, just to make the room smell nice. I've also viewed and purchased houses without the real estate agent baking me any bread, I regret not asking for my loaf on top of the mortgage now.

In all seriousness though, some excellent suggestions here. Just think baking bread is pushing the boat out, by just a tad, and might help create unrealistic guest expectations for day-to-day hosts who work hard keeping their space clean and thus smelling nice.

[Sarah977]

@Nathan233  Haha, your post gave me a laugh. Seems a bit over the top to me, as well, but some hosts are retired, have the time, and enjoy doing things like this. I can't imagine any of us who have day jobs, children to attend to, or a large piece of property to upkeep baking bread to make the house smell nice. And what if you get a celiac guest? It might just remind them of excrutiating stomach pain 🙂

[Nathan233]

@Sarah977 Obviously if you have the time and enjoy it, great!

In the meantime, between my day job and keeping up with the Airbnb, I shall be redirecting my guests to the local bakery for that clean smell. 😉

[Rosemary-Jo0]

I pull all the linens & towels & wash in hot water. After scrubbing the place, all surfaces, sinks & floors, I have a spray from TJ’s ... Sage. I add some water to it- then add a little essential oils: Eucalyptus, Citronella, Lemongrass, etc. to the mix. I spray the potion in the corners all over.  
I put a little leather conditioner on my leather couch & recliner, too. 
I had to fire the maids, because they were missing spots & leaving trash & so on.  It takes longer, yet I’m getting a system + saving me about a $100. I’ll do the floors 3x : sweep, mop, then swifter.  Putting on music makes it easier, too. 

[Olga774]

I use many options to keep the air at home smelling fresh. A free option is the frequent airing of the rooms. Air is fresher and it is good for health and after that sleeps well. Also, I use candles from Glade: Spiced Apple https://www.amazon.co.uk/GLADE-Candle-Amber-Hills-Freshener/dp/B07XLZGLXP and Citrus Sunrise https://www.amazon.co.uk/GLADE-Candle-Citrus-Sunrise-Freshener/dp/B07XWWYHK1 are my favourites. Moreover, I have a small room humidifier from Cadrim https://houseweather.org/best-humidifier-for-baby/#product2 and add into it peppermint or grapefruit (yes, citruses are my favourites) essential oils.
Using these options helps an air in my house stay fresh for a long time 🙂

[Maria12084]

While cleaning, I simmer a fresh quartered lemon, fresh sprigs of rosemary and two tablespoons of vanilla in water. The lemon and rosemary are from my backyard, so I have been lucky to have easy access.

It's not a very strong scent, but I find that it lingers and makes the space feel comforting, at least for me 🙂