25 Super Awesome Cleaning Tips for a Fresh-Smelling Home

Get rid of bad smells and keep your home smelling fresh with these easy cleaning tips!

When you walk into your house after being gone for a day, what do you smell?

Do you even notice?

Most likely not!

We easily become accustomed to the smells in our own environment. Nose blindness is a real thing!

This means we don’t smell the mustiness, the cat box, or the stinky garbage can. Because we are used to it.

But other people smell it. Right when they walk in your front door.

Just like you immediately notice the scents in another person’s home.

And those smells can be a big turn-off, making you want to vacate the premises as quickly as possible. Or they can invite you in, and make you want to stay a while.

Especially if it’s the smell of fresh, warm cookies and coffee brewing!

So, the next time you walk in your front door, pause and take a good, strong whiff. What does your house smell like? Will guests want to stay and visit for a while?

Or will they turn up their nose and run?

If you fear fleeing guests, then grab a cup of coffee and that freshly baked cookie! We need to talk about ways to make your house smell good.

Easy cleaning tricks to keep your house smelling fresh

The first thing you need to do to freshen up your home is clean!

Sorry, lighting a candle just won’t do!

The best way to get rid of bad smells is to remove the source of the problem. So, we’ll cover some cleaning tricks that will make your home shine.

And then we’ll talk about other ways to keep your home smelling good after you’ve cleaned up a bit.

So let’s get started!

1. Vacuum your carpet

One of the easiest things you can do is vacuum more often.

Carpets are a magnet for dust particles, bacteria, allergens, and dust mites! And these things all produce bad smells.

When you vacuum, sprinkle a little bit of our Odor Absorber on the carpet! It’ll eliminate odors, such as mildew, stubborn biological odors, pet dander, and smoke.

And don’t forget to regularly change your vacuum bag, or empty your chamber, if you have a bagless vacuum. Clean the filter out occasionally as well. Vacuum exhaust can get kinda stinky and gross.

In fact, after you clean it out, turn it into a diffuser with our room refresher. Just add 2 TBSP directly into the vacuum bag or bagless chamber and you are good to go! It’s an easy way to keep your house smelling fresh every time you vacuum.

2. Clean your carpets

The carpet smells too. Especially if you have kids or pets.

It not only absorbs odors, but stains can lead to mold or mildew.

Clean stains up as quickly as you can. Biological stains should be treated with an enzyme cleaner.

And you should have your carpet professionally cleaned at least once a year. Twice a year is better.

3. Wash your furniture

Kids and pets wreak havoc on our furniture as well. Even if you’ve cleaned the stain up as best you could, any lingering bacteria can cause a lingering odor.

It’s best to vacuum your upholstery at least once a week. Sprinkle a little Odor Absorber on them and let it sit for an hour or so before vacuuming.

And then have your upholstery professionally cleaned every time you have your carpet cleaned. (Having a carpet shampooer on hand is a life changer!)

Machine wash all coverings and throw pillows, if possible. If not, have them professionally cleaned as well. These decorative pillows can contain odors as well.

And don’t forget to move your furniture, and vacuum underneath it and behind it!

4. Wash your floors

Wash your floors at least once a week. And sweep them daily, if possible. Dust mites, dust balls, and crumbs can make your house smell if left alone for too long.

You can even use our Amazing Natural Cleaner as a mopping solution!

5. Wash your rugs

Rugs can get really gross too. Especially because we step on them to wipe our feet when we come in the door.

And have you ever noticed that animals are attracted to rugs? They just love to lay on them!

So, wash your rugs once a week if they can be tossed in the washing machine. If not, consider having them professionally cleaned every three to six months.

6. Clean your curtains & blinds

Dust and dander can easily collect there, along with all kinds of bad smells too.

Toss your curtains in the washing machine at least once a year (twice is better) if you can. If you can’t, consider having them professionally cleaned.

Blinds are not fun to clean at all. You need to individually wash each strip. The easiest way to do it is to remove them and soak them in the bathtub.

7. Wash your bedding

Our bedding collects a lot of dust, dirt, fungi, bacteria, sweat, skin cells, and pet dander…. 🤢

So wash it every week. If it doesn’t fit in the washing machine, bring it to the laundry mat or have it professionally washed.

And if it is really difficult to get it cleaned every week, you can spray our Fresh Aire Cleanse Spray over it, just to get rid of the bad odors.

And don’t forget the pet beds!

8. Wash the bathroom towels

I know you reuse your towels because it saves on energy and saves on wear and tear of the towel.

I hear ya!

But towels can hang on to moisture. And additional moisture in your home makes your home smell musty and gross.

Plus, if you use your towel too often before washing it, it too smells musty and gross.

9. Wash your shoes

Ha ha! Forgot those stinky shoes, didn’t you?!?

Just sprinkle baking soda inside them, and let it sit for a bit. Then toss them in the washing machine.

If you can, leave them out in the sun for a day or two to dry and completely air out.

If they aren’t machine-washable, wash the outside with clean, warm water, and then spray dry shampoo in them. Or, put dryer sheets in them. This will at least kill the odor.

10. Clean the garbage disposal

This is literally one of my favorite things to do!

My husband uses a lot of lemons and limes in his beverages, and I love tossing them down the garbage disposal afterward.

Not only do they clean the disposal, but they literally leave your kitchen smelling lemony fresh!

11. Clean your cat box

Scoop the dirty litter out every day. And then change your litter every week.

When you change your cat litter, clean the cat pan. And when you refill it, sprinkle a little bit of our Odor Control in the pan as well, for added protection.

And remember that any "Lavender" scents are not recommended for cats!

12. Take out the garbage

The garbage can stink up the whole house!

It really should be taken out daily. Or more often, even, if you are throwing away dirty diapers, stinky food, or anything else that is going to cause an odor.

If you find it hard to stay on top of your garbage, try using a smaller garbage can. It’ll force you to take it out more often.

Or you can sprinkle a little bit of our Odor Absorber into the bag. It’ll help absorb those nasty stinky smells until you can take it out.

13. Wash the trash cans

Once a week, clean those garbage cans. They get really gross.

In fact, the area around your garbage will collect things that were meant to land in that can, as well!

So clean both. Warm water and soap work fine, but you could also use our Amazing Natural Cleaner to clean your garbage can.

14. Don’t forget the diaper pail!

Take that out daily as well and wipe down the pail every week. Same as you would the trash can. You can use our Amazing Natural Cleaner to wipe down the diaper pail.

Then, sprinkle some of our Odor Absorber into the bag, for additional odor control.

If you really want to combat that smell, you can also wrap each diaper in our biodegradable bags.

That should keep your house from smelling like a dirty diaper!

15. Open the windows

Fresh air is a natural deodorizer!

So, open those windows and let the sunshine in. It makes the entire place feel so much cleaner and it actually lifts everyone’s mood.

The spring and fall are the best times to air your house out, especially because it’s typically when we all do our spring and fall cleaning.

But it’s also when the temps are not too hot and not too cold, and there are fewer bugs.

Just be sure to open windows on opposite ends of the house or room, to create a little airflow and get a cross breeze.

16. Clean your windowsills

It is so easy to overlook your windowsills! But dust, dirt, mold, and mildew can – and do – grow there!!

This is not good for your health at all, and it can cause a really musty smell.

Do a deep cleaning of these – and your entire window, including windowpanes and screens, at least twice a year. And wipe down your windowsills every couple of weeks, to keep them clean.

17. Clean your vents

Air vents disperse air throughout your entire house. But if they aren’t regularly cared for, they can also disperse mold, mildew, and unpleasant smells throughout your home.

If your vent covers come off, pop them off! Remove any objects that may have fallen there, and then vacuum them out with a shop vac.

Then spray some of our Fresh Aire Cleanse Spray in your vents before putting the cover back on, to keep your house smelling good.

You should have your vents professionally cleaned every 3 – 5 years, as well.

And don’t forget your furnace filter! Change that regularly. In fact, the next time you change it, you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to it! That’ll turn your furnace into an air diffuser.

18. Clean out all pipes and drains

Food scraps and other debris can get caught in our drains and create household odors.

To combat this, clean your pipes and drains every couple of weeks with a drain cleaner.

19. Run an air purifier

Air purifiers can help remove dust, pollen, pet dander, and other contaminants in the air, to keep your home smelling fresh.

20. Clean your fridge

The refrigerator is another dirty little culprit. It is so easy to forget about food lost way in the back!

Once a week, go through the fridge and clean it out. Toss out leftovers gone bad and check your condiments. They don’t keep forever!

Wipe the whole thing down, and if you have removable shelves and drawers, pull them out. Wash them in hot, soapy water and thoroughly dry them before returning them to the fridge.

Don’t forget to wipe down underneath and behind the drawers.

Then, put a box of baking soda (open) in your fridge, to absorb any unpleasant odors.

21. Regularly dust

You probably know this, but dust collects everywhere! And it can create a musty smell.

So, dust every week. Dust nicnacs, picture frames, and wall hangings as well. And don’t forget light fixtures!

22. Clean the dishwasher

Dirty dishes can contaminate your dishwasher. Food, bacteria, and even mold can collect and grow. So once a week run a dishwasher cleaner through it on a hot cycle.

23. Clean the washing machine and dryer

Run a washing machine cleaner through your washing machine on the clean cycle.

And after laundry day, leave the washing machine open if you have a top-loading machine. This will give it a chance to air dry, keeping it from smelling.

24. Clean the stove vent

That little fan above your stove can work wonders while you are cooking, but it can hold on to some funky smells too!

If that is the case, clean it.

25. Use a dehumidifier

Extra moisture causes a house to stink. And if you live in a humid climate, carpets and rugs can hang on to moisture, too.

Running a dehumidifier will get rid of extra moisture in the home and help freshen it up a bit.

Ways to make your entire house smell good

Once you have removed the source of bad odors, you can spend some time creating an enticing atmosphere, for both you and your guests!

Here’s how:

Create a simmer pot. Simmer cinnamon sticks, cloves, citrus peels, citrus slices, vanilla beans, vanilla extract, or fresh herbs on the stove.
Use a nontoxic room spray. Spray our Fresh Aire Cleanse Spray throughout your home.
Add fresh eucalyptus to your shower. Just put a few sprigs on the shower floor while you shower.
Decorate with fresh flowers and herbs. If fresh flowers aren’t practical, add small pots of mint and rosemary to your kitchen.
Use essential oil diffusers. These are safer than candles, especially if you have kids.
Place decorative scented soap in the bathroom. Use a pretty soap dish.
Scent your light bulbs. Dab your favorite essential oil on them when they are cool before turning them on.
Soak some cotton balls in essential oil. Put them in a decorative dish on your bathroom counter.
Scent your toilet paper roll. Add a few drops of essential oil to the inside of the toilet paper roll.
Warm up some coffee beans. Fill a small jar with coffee beans, and then light a tea candle in the center of it.
Bake something. The smell of fresh cookies or pie will make your home smell amazing!

Frequently Asked Questions

image of a clean house that smells fresh

Here’s some answers to the most common questions about getting rid of nasty house smells and keeping your home smelling fresh.

How do I clean my house to smell fresh?

Most people hate cleaning. But if you go through the fresh-smelling home tips listed above, you should have a clean, fresh-smelling home by the time you are done!

How do I get rid of the smell in my new house?

To get rid of the smell in your new house, give it a deep cleaning. Run through the steps above, paying particular attention to your carpets, curtains, blinds, and any other materials that may have absorbed odors from the previous owners.

How do you deodorize a smelly house?

After cleaning your house, choose a couple of the fun ways listed above to make your house smell nice. The key is to be subtle. Don’t overdo it! You don’t want the air fresheners to smack you in the face!

What makes your house smell good all the time?

Regular cleaning will make your house smell good all of the time. As will opening windows to let some fresh air in.

After the dust settles…

image of a parent and child playing in a fresh smelling home

You really don’t want to let that dust settle! Especially after everything we just talked about.

But at the end of the day, if you really want to keep your own house smelling good, you have to keep it clean. There’s just no other way around it. Odor absorbers and room deodorizers can only do so much.

They can get you out of a bind, especially if unexpected guests drop by. But ultimately it’s up to you to tackle the source of the problem.