How to Make Your House Smell Good All the Time

A simple, low-effort plan to make your home smell good every day: fix the sources, choose one signature scent and place it where it counts.

Some homes always smell good. It isn't luck, and it isn't a candle burning all day. It's a simple system: remove what smells bad, add one scent you love, and put it where it counts.

Step 1: Remove the sources

Fragrance can't cover a problem, it just sits on top of it.

• Empty kitchen bins daily and wipe the lid.
• Wash throws, cushion covers and pet beds every couple of weeks. Fabric holds smells.
• Run the bathroom fan and open a window for ten minutes a day, even in winter.
• Clean the dishwasher filter and the washing-machine seal once a month.

Step 2: Choose one signature scent

Luxury hotels use one scent throughout the building. It's why they feel "put together". Pick one scent for the main living space, and let the rest of the home follow in the same family (fresh, woody or warm).

Not sure? Our guide to hotel scents will help you choose, or try all six in The Complete Hotel Edit.

Step 3: Scent the three places that matter

1. The entrance. It's the first thing you and your guests notice. A 200 ml reed diffuser on the entry table.
2. The bathroom. Small room, big impact. A 100 ml travel reed diffuser is the right size.
3. Where you relax. Living room or bedroom, away from the kitchen.

Step 4: Keep it going without thinking

• Flip the reeds on the same day each week.
• Keep a refill in the cupboard so it never runs dry.
• For the whole home, a cold-air diffuser connected to your HVAC does the work for you. Our Cold-Air Concentrates are made for them.

Blended and bottled by hand in Toronto. Ships across Canada and to the US, free on orders of $125 or more.

Explore: the Scaldera Arch · Shop the collection · Take the Scent Quiz · Membership · Refill subscription

More from the Journal

• How to Clean and Reuse a Reed Diffuser Bottle — Don't throw your reed diffuser bottle away. How to clean it, refill it with a new scent, and when to change the reeds.
• Why Can't I Smell My Reed Diffuser? 8 Easy Fixes — Reed diffuser stopped smelling? The most common reasons (nose blindness, clogged reeds, wrong spot) and eight simple fixes to bring the scent back.
• How Long Does a Reed Diffuser Last? (And How to Make It Last Longer) — A 200 ml reed diffuser usually lasts 60 to 90 days. Here's what makes it run out faster, and seven simple ways to make yours last longer.