How to Make Your House Smell Nice (Without Synthetic Scents)

People are crazy about making their homes smell good. The home fragrance industry was almost $5.6 billion in the US in 2012, according to a New Jersey research firm. The problem? There is some question about the toxicity of some of the more popular air fresheners, candles, and home fragrance lines. Some studies suggest these fragrances might cause respiratory problems, and even depression.

Luckily, you don’t have to forego a beautiful, fresh sensory experience to be healthy – there are natural options which smell as good or better!

Of course, the first step in keeping your house smelling good is regular cleaning. This means behind the fridge and stove, and under the sink and in the fridge as well. Hiring a cleaning service can definitely help take this off of your plate.

Beyond keeping things clean, you can add scents with essential oils. Reed diffusers are easy to make, safe, and low maintenance.

The first step is to pick up some jars with cork lids – the Dollar Store is a great resource here. Drill a 1 inch hole through the cork lid. Next step is to get some reeds. You will need rattan reed sticks in order to wick the scent up the stick and diffuse it throughout the room.

Fill your jar with about a ¼ cup sweet almond oil, and add about 10-15 drops of your favourite natural scent (citrus is great for the kitchen; I like something warmer, like vanilla, for the living room; add some lavender in your bedroom to help you sleep!) You can also about a teaspoon of 90% or higher alcohol, if you want it to diffuse a bit quicker.

Put the lid on the jar, put the reeds (5 should do the trick) through the hole, tie a little pretty ribbon around the jar, and voila! You have a non-toxic, customizable way to make each room in your room smell great.