At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, how many times has this happened to you? You walk into a room in the house and get hit with an unwelcome odor. There can be any number of reasons why a room or even your entire house smells bad. Sometimes, the reason is obvious; other times, it may require some detective work. When you notice something isn’t right, take action quickly to discover the source. Even better, try to eliminate those stenches from happening in the first place. Start with these simple ways to keep your home smelling fresh.

 

Take out the trash (and clean the trash can)

 

Taking out the trash, especially the garbage in the kitchen, is among the easiest things you can do to improve your home’s air quality. Spoiled food or beverages and the packages that chicken, beef, and other meat come in are particularly stinky offenders, and they can also attract flies. That’s a recipe for bad smells in the home—plus some unwanted guests!

 

At least once a month, give your garbage cans a clean, too. Fill them with hot water and ½ cup of bleach. Let sit overnight, then use a brush to remove anything stuck to the sides. Rinse the bin thoroughly and let dry. A cotton ball under the garbage bag liner is a simple boost to a better-smelling home.

 

This rule also applies if you keep a compost bin inside. Move the contents to the compost pile in your garden or place them into the larger bin that gets collected along with the trash.

 

Don’t let dishes pile up

 

Dishes left in standing water or with food on them are an excellent source for attracting pests, which is both a nuisance and potentially sour-smelling. While you don’t have to run the dishwasher every night, at least put your dishes in there. If the dishwasher itself smells, give the filter a rinse with hot water and dishwasher detergent. 

 

When your garbage disposal emits an odor, try one of our favorite cleaning hacks. Put vinegar into your ice cube tray, or pour some into small containers if you don’t have a tray, and coat with lemon or lemon juice. When the vinegar turns into cubes, plop one or two down the sink and give your garbage disposal new-smelling life.

 

Clean out the fridge

 

As you may have noticed, the kitchen is often a hub of unpleasant smells. It’s easy for something to get tucked away in the fridge and then blocked by fresh groceries or containers of leftovers. Before you know it, a whiff of something foul hits your nostrils whenever you open the door.

 

You might need to remove everything from the refrigerator to identify the culprit, but it’s well worth the extra few minutes. When the fridge is bare, remove the shelves and wash with a solution of baking soda and water. That combination can help loosen particles that have taken residence on the shelves, turning your fridge into a breath of fresh air.

 

Change your air filter

 

Speaking of fresh air, when was the last time you changed your air filter? If you don’t know the answer, it’s probably due for a replacement. Luckily, this is a straightforward task to accomplish. Just make sure you’ve got the right size, which should be listed on the current filter, and replace every filter around the house.

 

Turn off your HVAC at the thermostat before installing the new filter. You’ll likely see the old one covered with black or gray soot—that means it was doing its job. Regularly replacing air filters may improve your air quality and the smell of the home and also save on your energy bills because your HVAC system won’t have to expend as much effort to cool the house. 

 

Put in an air purifier

 

In an ideal world, we’d never have any messes or aggressive scents to worry about. Alas, we live in the real world, and sometimes, there will be an odor in the air that you may be unable to identify. Perhaps a pet had an accident, or someone spilled something that seeped into the carpet. Try as you might, but the smell lingers even after a thorough cleaning.

 

An air purifier not only masks that smell but can also actively removes contaminants from the air. That’s a great way to improve air quality, giving you cleaner, fresher breaths every time you inhale. Here’s one of our favorite air purifiers.

 

Vacuum the carpets and furniture

 

Sometimes, we get accustomed to smells in our home that might offend guests. Or, we do smell something’s amiss, but we feel resigned that it’s just the way things have to be. In many cases, lingering unseen particles in the carpets, rugs, and furniture might be causing the smell.

 

So, how to get rid of smells in carpet and rugs around the house? Consistently vacuum them using a HEPA vacuum, which filters out nearly every microscopic particle, from dust to mold. Be sure to clean the vacuum itself, too, since it can quickly accumulate grime, leading to bad smells. If the stench continues after vacuuming, the next step is to deep clean your carpets—a good task to add to your maintenance checklist.

 

Try DIY air fresheners

 

If the above steps aren’t doing the trick, you can practice a little DIY and make your own pleasant oasis. Here are a few things to try:

 

Cook up some herbs

 

Herbs and spices aren’t just for cooking. They’re a classic tool for dealing with smells you’d rather not sniff. Pick a couple of spices or herbs with appealing scents and simmer them in a pot of water. You’ll get a nice fragrance going within a few hours.

 

Light a few candles

 

Candles come in virtually every scent imaginable and can create a wonderful aroma in the home. Just remember: never leave an open flame unattended. 

 

Make essential oil spray

 

Essential oils deliver a pleasing fragrance, and making your own spray bottle is easy. Mix two parts water with one part essential oil, shake for about ten seconds, and spray a few times into the air. This essential oil spritz is also handy for turning your bathroom into a refreshing spa.

 

Create coffee grounds potpourri

 

Coffee perks us up in the morning, but when you’re done making a pot, what do you do with the grounds? They’re helpful for composting and can also absorb odors around the house. Put them in a bowl and place them near particularly foul spaces. After a while, the air will smell much better. If you’re not a coffee drinker, vinegar produces similar results.

 

Walking into your home and being met with an unwelcome smell is never a good time. Thankfully, you don’t have to live in that world. These tips will leave rooms smelling fresh and inviting.

 

Cleaning your home regularly will help keep those smells at bay. Here’s how to do it more efficiently.