How do I make my house smell lovely?

Monica is right again! Fresh air in every room every morning after ablutions and breakfast! And I don’t make the bed until it’s aired for a couple of hours either.

Nothing beats the smell of fresh air. Open the windows and let the air blow through for about 20 minutes every morning.

To clear a room of obnoxious smells, burn a unscented tea light.

Don't try to mask smells no matter what the adverts say, doesn't work.

If there is a real problem after using a tea light, crush some juniper berries (buy on line) simmer in water or mix with vodka to last longer.
soak cotton cloth in the mixture and squeeze out. Put on warm radiator.
In summer just leave cloth in open container until evaporated.
Juniper has a very fresh clear clean scent, and should do the job.

Air out the house by opening windows regularly. Avoid carcinogenic candles and cleaners. Boil some cinnamon and orange peels with cloves. Don't rely on chemicals. Indoor air quality is important.

I use wax melts in an electric burner. The burner coats about £10 and you can get wax cubes from loads of places - I buy these from Asda, 3 for £5, and the smell lasts for ages groceries.asda.com/search/ScentSationals

I've tried everything pot pourri, air fresheners, essential oils. those reed things etc

Me too! Useless all of them. And I've had my carpet cleaned

I have a real bee in my bonnet about this, possibly because my living room and kitchen are all one.
I usually have doors and windows open all day when I'm at home but can detect a stale-house smell when I come in from outdoors.

The only thing I have found to work, is a very strong scented candle which perfumes the living room even before it's been lit! My very health-conscious dil bought it from an Aromatherapy company.

I won't buy those automatic spray things, partly because they cost an arm and a leg but also I have no idea what I'd be breathing in as they 'perfume' the air.

My son keeps a small, unopened sachet of fabric softener in his car and that seems to work for small spaces. I have often wondered if the scent would last if poured into a bowl and allowed to evaporate in the living room.

I may experiment one day.

I prefer my home to smell of nothing!

Aldi reed diffuser, rosenoir fragrance, its where my name comes from.

I don't want to be a kill joy, but I would be very very wary about warming fabric softener, which is a mixture of various chemical and diffusing it around the house. It is bad enough when it is in clothing. These are not natural smells but chemical compounds.

On a cloth and wipe over

When you rads are on put small amount of zoflora or fabric conditioner and wipe over them the smell lasts ages

I mix my fabric softener with water and use it as a room spray, makes my house smell clean, very cheap and saves plastic in the long run x

I’m another fan of the Aldi Lime, basil and mandarin reed diffuser. It smells wonderful and must be about the cheapest of its type.

I don't think we should use candles etc all the time. I light some and use a plug in oil thingy if we have visitors coming. I open all the windows every morning while the beds are airing and leave all the (interior) doors open for the fresh air to circulate.
I do like candles in the evening but I try to limit it.

Vanilla extract warmed in the oven smells amazing.

I'm a good scented candle user. Pay a wee bit more and the smell filters through the house. I'm sure your house smells nice anyway. Sometimes we go nose blind.

Depends on what you want to spend.

Buy freesias once a fortnight. Keep them topped up with cool water and in the hall way. That way you smell them as soon as you enter and providing your stairs are in the hall, before you go to bed. Lovely!

Also this time of year cut narcissus (forgotten the name but has strong fresh floral scent).
I once had visitors who couldn't believe the fragrance was from these little flowers.

I cant live without fresh flowers with a fragrance in my home.

Yes, we have to be careful with scented candles and reed diffusers. I was alarmed to see that a scented candle someone bought me for Christmas one year had, in small print on the bottom, “harmful to aquatic life”, so now I look very carefully. Beeswax is generally safe, and the vegetable oil candles from Cereria Molla are nice and, apparently safe. I get mine from Home Sense stores, if they have any in. I have asthma and they don’t affect me. Reed diffusers from Neom are lovely too, and last for ages.

You can reduce the problems somewhat by using natural wax, soy, beeswax and the likes candles with natural wicks, scented with essential oils. The burning itself of anything even an untreated cotton wick will produce carbon partilcles but dangers can lessen considerably. Getting a good scent throw with essential oils is a bit hit and miss but can be done. Also you can make you own room spray with essential oils, mix and match as you like with just some water and alcohol. If you don't want to make your own candles or sprays there are lots of crafters out there who do use as much natural products as possible and sell their products.

I use a melts burner with melts wax in sweet pea flavour, absolutely beautiful smell, all on Amazon

An article on diffusers:
www.alyaka.com/magazine/effects-room-diffusers-overall-wellness/

An article on the subject:
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/scenting-our-homes-could-ruin-our-lungs-claims-new-research-so-best-open-a-window-a6891916.html

I bought myself a scented candle recently, but after burning it for an hour or so, I started to wheeze and snuffle.

Greeneyedgirl I totally agree. Harmful to pets too.

The problem with scented candles if that they give off toxins which you inhale and which are really bad for you. I think some candles are better. Same with those Airwick sprays which squirt every few minutes. These things are okay now and then but not for breathing in all the time.