4 Things to Do Today That'll Make Your Home Smell Fresh, Naturally — According to Professional Perfumers

Natural home deodorizers can bring in a sense of calm, beauty, and blissful energy; after all, no one wants a musty-smelling home. In order to bring natural forms of fragrance into a space, you can do this with a few things that may already be in your home. An eco-conscious or, even more pressingly, budget-conscious resolve, perhaps?

Contrary to the excessive nature of a new year, you don’t need to change your entire lifestyle or establish a home scenting fund to make your home smell good. Some simple changes can neutralize home smells and still align with your values and goals for the year.

If you’re unsure what natural home deodorizers you can use — we’ve collected tips and tricks from scent experts that are easy, inexpensive, and effective.

1. Bowls For Stylish Scenting

"Decorative bowls filled with lavender buds, or cloves, or rose buds are always beautiful and smell wonderful," Emily Voth, perfumer at Cade Black, says. "They can be refreshed with an aromatherapy mist or drops of essential oils." We also love these Dried Lavender Flowers from Walmart.

Decorative bowls are a great way to seamlessly incorporate natural deodorizers into an aesthetic home — if they aren’t used, they’ll just sit and collect dust. This way, you can justify having decorative pieces and collectibles in your communal spaces.

"The key is to choose products that not only mask odors but also transform the ambiance of your home." Yohanes Wahyudi, founder of Islescentes, says. What you put in the bowls can also be a styling experiment — there are houseplant-worthy herbs that will make your whole home smell fantastic. If you don’t live near a farmer’s market and you’ve got some garden space, why not grow your own? Walmart sells a variety pack of scented and edible herb Herb Garden Seeds , priced at just $17.89.

If you need to freshen areas of the home that aren’t well-ventilated, like a basement or a windowless room, Emily suggests putting vinegar in a bowl to help with stale air.

Yohanes Wahyudi

Meet Yohanes, an entrepreneur and founder of Islescentes—a brand redefining the art of aromatherapy with sustainably sourced, 100% natural incense. With a deep passion for holistic wellness and an unshakable commitment to eco-conscious living, Yohanes has created a line of premium incense inspired by the lush beauty of Bali, offering an elevated sensory experience that soothes the mind, body, and soul.

2. Natural Ventilation

Wondering how often you should open windows in winter? Well... "The behavior of not opening up windows to bring fresh air in is a bad habit," Emily says. "Air it out baby!"

Although it seems simple and obvious, it’s easy to forget, and it can make a massive difference to the general scent of your home. Opening windows after cooking, using the bathroom, showering, and cleaning can really help neutralize lingering odors.

If your climate doesn’t allow regular window openings or your home is prone to pests lingering outside the windows, you may want to invest in natural filtration solutions.

A stylish and environmentally friendly natural solution we love is a carefully curated set of houseplants around the home. "Certain plants, like peace lilies or snake plants, can purify the air and help reduce odor naturally," Yohanes says. These humidity-loving varieties might just be the best remedy for damp spaces.

3. Repurpose Wool Balls

"What most consider bad smells come from closets with clothes not always washed or perhaps filled with pheromones," Emily explains. You should be regularly keeping track of laundry and keeping your closets clean and fresh.

"Spray wool balls with an aromatherapy mist and place them in closets or shoes." You can use generic ones that go in the tumble dryer — if you don’t have a tumble dryer and don’t have any wool balls, this six-pack of WoollyPals Wool Dryer Balls from Amazon will suffice.

When scenting closets, pantries, and enclosed storage spaces, it is important to strike a balance between a unique and fresh smell and not making the space feel suffocating, as it is already compact. Opt for a light but standout scent to keep those closets fresh without removing the air from the space.

4. Use Lemons Around the Home

Use indoor fruit trees to keep your home smelling fresh. As it turns out, lemons are not only tasty crops that will thrive inside — they also have many natural properties that make them effective cleaners in the home.

Because of its citric acid, lemon juice is a natural mold killer and antibacterial cleaner. You can spray the juice on, apply it with a sponge, or use a cloth. However, it is worth noting that lemon juice can bleach fabrics and is only useful for small spots of mold because it contains 5% citric acid. Larger and tougher problem areas may require stronger solutions.

Yohanes suggests cleaning with the peels to cut through grease and grime. The oils in the peels are responsible for their effectiveness with grease. Emily suggests using the peels in the decorative bowl tip.

"Bad home smells are often born in hidden or high-use areas where moisture and bacteria thrive," Yohanes explains. "Kitchens are common culprits, with odors arising from garbage bins, spoiled leftovers, cooking oil residue, and even neglected corners behind appliances. Bathrooms are another hotspot, where mold, clogged drains, damp shower carpets, and product residue on sinks accumulate over time. Living areas, often overlooked, can harbor odors in upholstery, carpets, and improperly cleaned spills. These smells may seem subtle at first but can quickly overtake the comfort of your home."

While we all face this, the buildup of specific scents is down to our individual behaviors and neglect of the home: "Everyday habits play a significant role in creating bad odors," he says. "Leaving dishes unwashed, delaying laundry, or letting wet towels or clothes sit too long contribute to musty smells. Ignoring ventilation traps stagnant air, while failing to promptly clean up spills or tackle trash allows odors to fester. By addressing these habits, you can prevent many odors — but enhancing your routine with natural fragrances elevates the space further, creating an environment that feels fresh, balanced, and intentional."

Yohanes doesn't put home odors purely down to habits: "Home odors stem from poor ventilation, moisture buildup, and organic matter breaking down in forgotten or overlooked spaces," he adds. "Regular cleaning efforts can help, but inconsistency or lack of attention to detail often allows these smells to linger. Even clean homes can carry residual odors if ventilation is inadequate or specific areas, like drains or corners, aren’t given proper care."

He recommends his personal routine to maintain freshness in the home:

Daily: Ensure proper ventilation by opening windows, remove waste promptly, and address spills as they occur.

Weekly: Tackle moisture-prone areas like bathrooms and kitchens with focused cleaning, including sinks, drains, and corners.

Fortnightly: Perform a deep clean—vacuum carpets, wash curtains, and use a carpet cleaner for a refresh.

Final Touch: Every few days, burn natural incense after cleaning to elevate the air, replace lingering odors with natural fragrance, and create a tranquil, welcoming atmosphere.

We love these tips because of how easy they are to implement, but we also love them because they are zero waste — many of the items are just things we find in our fridges and pantries.

We hope you'll love these expert tricks, too. Use this if your house smells musty, and we promise this will give your space an invisible revamp that nobody will miss.