20 ways to make your home naturally smell amazing

Essential oil diffusers, which combine essential oils and water to create a scented mist in the air, are an affordable way to add scent to your home without noxious chemicals. Just be aware if you have pets, though: some essential oils can be toxic to dogs and cats. 

Before running the vacuum, lightly sprinkle carpets with baking soda to remove musty odors and pick up excess dirt.

Bags of activated charcoal can be found at many retailers, and are great for absorbing smells from smelly closets, car trunks, and other damp, dark places. Apply a few drops of essential oil to add scent or purchase bags that contain fragrant herbs like lavender alongside the charcoal. 

With a little water, rubbing alcohol, and essential oils, it's easy to make a DIY room spray that will make your space smell great. Added ingredients like vodka and vinegar can help neutralize odors in soft surfaces like couches and carpets. 

Forget a load of laundry for a couple of days? Add in a cup of vinegar to remove mildew smells from towels and other garments. Vinegar can also be used to clean the washing machine, or as a germ-killing additive in loads of laundry with smelly workout gear. 

Making DIY cleaning products is easy and affordable, but they don't generally come with the nice scents available in commercial products. Fortunately, it's easy to add a few drops of peppermint or lavender essential oil for a light, natural scent. 

One of the oldest tricks in the book for a home that smells great, simmering herbs and spices in a pot of water on the stove will fill your space with a cozy aroma. In the fall, consider warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, while leftover lemon peels and fresh ginger can add a bright, springy scent. 

Dried lavender looks lovely in vases as a decorative accent, and its muted purple buds retain their floral scent even after being dried. Just remember to swap your bouquets out occasionally for maximum scent power, or add a few drops of lavender essential oil to boost the smell. 

Everyone knows that mixing baking soda and vinegar creates a fizzy reaction, but that reaction can also provide powerful cleaning power in your sink and tub drains. Add a cup of baking soda, then pour over an equal amount of vinegar before cleaning the drain with super-hot water. 

Garbage disposals harbor bad smells, but a few kitchen leftovers can make them disappear quickly. Toss a few chopped lemon peels into the disposal for a burst of fresh scent every time you run the disposal, and add a few cubes of ice to help sharpen the blades. 

Coffee grounds are surprisingly great at soaking up odors, making them an excellent choice for removing bad smells from tight spaces like cars and closets. Tie up the dry coffee grounds in a couple of layers of cheesecloth, then allow to sit for 2-3 days for maximum smell absorption. Adding a bit of baking soda to the mix will help boost the deodorizing power. 

Both aesthetically pleasing and fragrant, fresh flowers add a burst of color and fresh scent to any space. Roses are always a classic choice, as are lilies and bright, fresh lemon balm blooms. Once they've lost their luster, dry the blooms upside down for scented petals to use in sachets. 

When it comes to making your home smell great, getting rid of bad odors is just as important as introducing pleasant smells. Consider buying an air purifier with a HEPA filter to both remove allergens from the air and eliminate odors from cooking and pets. 

Want a seriously fresh home? Let in the fresh air! Opening the window on a nice day can work wonders in sweeping out stale odors, and the sanitizing power of sunshine will also assist in eliminating odor-causing bacteria. 

Houseplants like pothos and birds of paradise work to filter the air, which means that they can help make your space smell fresher by purifying the air. 

Looking to get rid of wasteful, pricey dryer sheets without losing the wonderful smell of fresh laundry? Add a few drops of lemon or lavender oil to wool dryer balls for a natural scent that will stick around. 

Little sachets of dried herbs like rosemary can both add a nice scent to closets and drawers while warding off unwanted pests, like sweater-eating moths. 

Candles are a go-to for many folks for decorative reasons, but many throw harmful chemicals into the air every time they're lit. For a more natural option, choose soy candles with wood wicks that are scented with essential oils, which burn more cleanly. 

Reed infusers are a popular decorative choice, and they're easy to make at home. Using essential oils and a carrier oil, like grapeseed or safflower oil, and bamboo skewers, you can make a scented piece of decor that will eliminate odors in the living room, kitchen, or bedrooms. Scope out this tutorial from Apartment Therapy for more tips on how to DIY. 

It seems like a no-brainer, but the best way to make your home smell better is to remove bacteria, spills, and other odor-causing gunk. Figure out your home's regularly smelly culprits, and set a schedule to clean them regularly. Once they're clean, give them a spritz with DIY room spray or an essential oil blend for a fresh scent.