When you walk into someone’s house, one of the first things you notice as much as the decor is the aroma. While we want our home to feel lived in and not sanitised, we would also prefer it to smell welcoming to visitors as much as ourselves!
There are a number of ways to make sure your guests noses don’t wrinkle when they step through your front door.
- Keeping your home clean is a fundamental way to help it feel fresh. Clean floors, carpets and upholstery to eliminate lingering odours – especially if you have pets. Check out cleaning products that are better for the environment, such as Mix Clean Green and Neat.
- With Spring approaching, warmer weather means we can open our windows and doors once again to let in fresh air. This helps to remove stale odours, but if you’re fortunate enough to have a garden or nearby parkland, you’ll let in the natural fragrances of flowers and trees.
- Natural fragrances are really beneficial. Pot grown flowers like hyacinths and narcissus have a powerful smell and you can plant them out after they’ve finished flowering. You could also use bowls of dried flowers or herbs to perfume the air - the infamous potpourri still has its place!
- Essential oils in a reed diffuser can really enhance your home’s scent. Popular options include lavender for relaxation, peppermint for invigoration, and citrus blends for a refreshing atmosphere. Experiment with different oil combinations to find scents that resonate with you. Bear in mind not all essential oils are environmentally friendly so do a little background research first.
- Freshening fabrics such as curtains, upholstery, and linens can work wonders, as these can all trap unwanted odours over time. Wash them in an eco-friendly laundry detergent such as Ecover or Faith in Nature – for a fragrance boost you could pop in a few drops of essential oils to the wash cycle. If the fabric isn’t washable, add essential oils to water and lightly mist the surfaces to infuse them with a pleasant fragrance.
- If you’re expecting visitors and you’re a dab hand at cooking, you might harness the power of your kitchen to fill your home with mouthwatering aromas. The fresh smell of baking cookies or bread is irresistible. Or you could fall back on the tried and trusted fresh coffee fragrance.
- Candles are real performers in enhancing the aroma of your home. But selecting the right candle is key. Fragrance is really personal, and you may prefer floral, woody, citrusy or spicy scents. It’s worth investing in great quality candles with a long burn time. Where you place your candles can impact the fragrance dispersal; placing them near air vents or windows can help distribute the scent more effectively. But remember never to leave a candle burning unattended.
By using a combination of cleaning routines, natural fragrances, essential oils, culinary activities and scented candles, your home can transform into a welcoming, harmonious living space. But don’t take our word for it, try experimenting with different methods to discover what works best for you. We hope you’ll include some of our recycled candles in the mix...
