As the winter months fade and we embark on our quest to create a clean and welcoming home for the spring; we should consider the pivotal role that scent plays in creating this fresh inviting atmosphere. Whether you’re hosting guests, deep cleaning your home, or simply looking for some good habits, this article will help guide you through some practices to establish a wonderfully fragrant home.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward | Entryway:

         First, let’s start with the entrance to your home. Whether it is a laundry room or a hallway, this is where you leave your shoes; and shoes can be an easy collector for pungent aromas. Did you know you can wash your shoes in the washing machine? Most sneakers are made of fabrics like cotton, nylon, polyester, and canvas, which are usually safe to put in the wash. Some exceptions could apply, so make sure you look up on the company website what their recommendations are for cleaning shoes. Another option to help treat those stinky shoes is to add a generous amount of baking soda inside the shoe and let it sit overnight. The baking soda absorbs odours and kills bacteria helping to reduce smells. Dump the shoe over the garbage can when finished to get rid of the remaining baking soda. One tip to prevent smells from starting in the first place in shoes is adding dryer sheets to sweaty shoes after use. This is a common practice among athletes to keep runners and cleats from becoming smelly.

Loads Of Dirty Laundry | Laundry room:

         We don’t need guests coming by and airing out any of your dirty laundry, especially when it comes to smells that accumulate in your laundry room. Try adding scent beads to your next load of laundry to help make your clothes smell amazing. Additionally, don’t let your laundry sit too long after the washer. Leaving damp clothes sitting in the machine is the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria and moulds, leading to your clothes and home being plagued with acrid mildew smells. Yuck! Try to flip your laundry promptly after it is washed to avoid this happening. If there is no dryer available, simply leave the door of the washing machine open to let the clothes air out and avoid smells developing.

Trash Talk Is Not A Waste Of Time | Kitchen Garbage:

         Now that the entrance to your home smells fresh and enticing, we can move on to the room that is often the source of both the worst and best smells in the home: the kitchen. Room to the sweet smells of freshly baked cookies, and compost disposal of leftovers from last week’s dinner; the kitchen can quickly fluctuate between two extremes in terms of smells. So, it is especially important to have a consistent routine with kitchen cleaning to maintain those delicious savoury scents. First off, consider using a smaller sized container for storing your compost. This will encourage you to take it out more frequently, reducing the likelihood last week’s fish dinner will fester rank odours that’ll take over your kitchen. And don’t forget to wipe down the lid and bottom of the container after each use to keep things fresh (we’d recommend the Roxton Wipes). LIFE HACK: Before putting in a new garbage bag put two cotton balls coated in an essential oil of your choosing, alongside a sprinkle of baking soda at the bottom of the garbage container. This can help make even your garbage smell fresh!

         If you have a garbage disposal system, make sure you clean it out frequently as this can become pungent over time if not taken care of properly. LIFE HACK: Try pouring boiling water down the garbage disposal once a month to help flush out the system. You can also try grinding lemon or orange peels down it to give it a nice citrusy smell.

Not Too Cool For Fridge Cleanout | Fridge Cleanout:

         Next, let’s move on to the fridge. Make sure to remove any old or expired food, and make sure that food is in closed containers to maintain freshness and avoid smells, and spills. If there are any spills now is a good time to wipe those down before they become sticky or odorous. LIFE HACK: Try putting a bowl of coffee grounds in the fridge or freezer, this can help combat other unwanted smells that may occur in the fridge.

It All Makes Scents | Choosing the right scent:

         After removing our odour-causing hazards around the house you are ready to get to the fun part, creating inviting fragrant aromas in your home. Several different methods can be used to achieve this: candles, diffusers, incense etc.. Whether you’re looking for a signature scent to evoke a sense of unique cohesiveness or a seasonal fragrance that holds wisps of nostalgia for holidays, it is important to choose the right smells or risk leaving your guests lightheaded and uncomfortable. Smells like vanilla, pine, jasmine, cinnamon, and lemon are great options for rich neutral smells that feel cozy and fresh for your home; smells like florals and musky perfumes, are not. They can be both overpowering and overwhelming for the senses. So, it’s best to save that fancy new Chanel N5 for a girl’s night out and stick with the lighter fresh smells. LIFE HACK: Try boiling some water with some of your favourite scented herbs on your stove, to make your own stovetop potpourri. One of our favourite combos is the classic: vanilla extract, apple peels, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg for your perfect cozy concoction. For a more springtime feel try combining some lemon or lime peels with vanilla extract and rosemary springs, and your home will feel like a breath of fresh air.

As you set off on your spring-cleaning journey let the revitalizing scents of the new season accompany you. Integrating these tips into your routine can help transform your home into a fragrant paradise, embracing the fresh bliss of spring with open arms. Happy cleaning everyone!