Cheap non intrusive way to make a room smell good?

dekaspace

Years ago I used to use Shake and Vac but the nice smell only lasted a few hours to a day and the weaker smell lasted a few days.

But its £1 a pack now and I need almost 2 packs to cover my flat and if I do it every few days the cost will mount up.

I also have a proper Vax carpet cleaner (got on sale reduced from £250 to £30) but never used as liquid costs so much (though have 2 greasy stains on carpet when pc fell over before so wanted to get rid of them and carpet is darker in areas I live in than spare bedroom which I dont use)

Air fresheners never seem to last.

Opening a window helps get a little freshness in but means have to put heating on to compensate and a few hours later the nice smell is long gone.

chella

I don't like the heat so my windows open more often than not. Gives a nice fresh breeze throughout. Upstairs I have a Lavender plug in. I only buy them when they are on offer, Airwick ones. Downstairs I use zoflora with hot water and a rag over the floors.

When hoovering I always keep the cylinder as empty as I can, I find it it gets much in it the house starts to smell dodgy. It must be the heat of the motor and the dust etc.

I buy glade candles when on offer at £1.75 and keep one in each bathroom. When the door is shut the room smells lovely. I only light them if I have guests.

I use shake and vac too, I love the citrus one and the lily of the valley, but like you I get through them too often. They smell lovely though!!

I do have an oil which I bought t Christmas, a cranberry scented one. I sparingly wipe it over my hallway radiator at the back of it, and when it heats up it smells really nice. Maybe best not to do if you hang clothes on the radiator as the oil might damage clothing.

lessonlearned

I hate artificial synthetic smells like air fresheners. They are not very healthy either, lots of nasty chemicals. They always make me cough and gag so I don't think we should really be breathing them in if w can avoid it.

First if all I open the windows every day to get rid of stale air and lingering odours, last nights curry for example...... :rotfl:

Then I use entirely natural products.

Essential oils don't cost much and can be used sparingly. Add a few drops to water to make a spray, or just wipe the oil onto light bulbs or a radiator, or a few drops onto soft furnishings. Make sure you do it where it can't be seen just in case it leads to discolouration or staining..

Plants can be used to purify the air and improve air quality. Spider plants are great near computers, taking negative irons out of the atmosphere. Peace lilies also clean the air and have a lovely white flower. Both are virtually indestructible so don't worry about not having green fingers.

Flowers and plants are the best natural fragrances and neednt break the bank. I currently have a bowl of white hyacinths in my bathroom, they cost me £2 and have been in bloom for about three weeks now. They smell lovely.

Pots of herbs are great in the kitchen and don't cost much. Some, like lavender or or tyme, even keep insects away as well.

I bought a bottle of cheap eau de cologne - reduced to £2 in a local chemist. I decant It into a cheap spray bottle 80p and I use that as an air freshener. It has a lovely light citrusy smell, much nicer than commercial room sprays and air fresheners and it doesn't make me cough. In the summer I spray my bed linen with either eau de cologne, or any citrus oil mix just before getting into bed.....it keeps the mozzies away.

For cloakrooms and bathrooms, I often place a little bowl or dish containing a couple of nice smelling guest soaps. I also put them in my clothes drawers, makes things smell nice and deters moths - they can't stand the smell.

SailorSam

Get some essential oils and paint a few drops onto a radiator, as they heat up they let out the aroma.

bexster1975

Hi

I would second plants/flowers. I have just bought a jasmine plant for the bedroom. It wasn't cheap as it's quite established but I have bought smaller ones for £3 or £4 and they last ages if you look after them. I'm also a big fan of lush cosmetics. I have one of their massage bars on the go at the minute and I leave it on the bedside table wrapped in the original wax paper and it releases a lovely smell. Less than £7 and it does double duty for about six weeks!

Hope you find something you like

Bexster

missbiggles1

Just open the window in the day when it isn't cold - nothing worst than covering an unpleasant smell with something else.

Valli

dekaspace wrote: »

I also have a proper Vax carpet cleaner (got on sale reduced from £250 to £30) but never used as liquid costs so much (though have 2 greasy stains on carpet when pc fell over before so wanted to get rid of them and carpet is darker in areas I live in than spare bedroom which I dont use.

In all honesty, if your carpets have been down a good while and they are greasy then all shake and vac, or anything else is doing, is masking any smell. Deep cleaning of carpets, curtains and upholstery will have a long lasting effect and if you bought the vax you might as well give it a go! A thorough spring clean, moving furniture and cleaning under and behind, can be very effective!

MMF007

'Friad I'm another one against synthetic air fresheners. Shake n vac makes my nose run like Niagra and other sprays make me wheeze!

I often use orange peel - if you wipe the cut peel on the underside of a table the essential oils smell lovely for a good while. I also use a couple of drops of eau du cologne (yes, that is manufactured but not aerosol or fine powder!), as others have said, just wipe it on radiator or nearby furniture - NB, do not put it on surfaces that show. Wood will stain and paint may well bubble, depending on what you are using.

Definitely, no matter what, open the windows from time to time!

You could try the old trick of cooking up vanilla or cinnamon flavoured biscuits!

Oh, and , fairly obvs, don't let dirty washing fester Put it in the machine asap and never leave sheets on the bed, or towels in the bathroom when you go away. I always put mine in the wash the evening before I go if I am leaving early in the morning so the fresh replacements are used only once, or on the morning of departure if possible. Get them out to dry as wel , of course, or you'll really have problems!

HTH

GwylimT

We don't use air freshners etc.

If your home is clean and well aired it doesn't need to be scented. We have our windows open 24/7 and our home isn't at all cold. It's lovely right now as having the living room window open means we can hear the birds sing.

dirty_magic

Flowers and plants are the best natural fragrances and neednt break the bank. I currently have a bowl of white hyacinths in my bathroom, they cost me £2 and have been in bloom for about three weeks now. They smell lovely.

I don't like the smell of most cut flowers! I hate the smell of hyacinths and I don't like lillies or daffodils either. I find them too overpowering indoors.

I love lavender and daphne outside though, and herbs in the kitchen. I also like those oranges with cloves in at Christmas.

I use Yankee candles because they really do make the room smell nice. Not too fussed about the chemicals, everything gives you cancer anyway!

kazwookie

I don't have any form of air freshners or shake and vac type stuff.

I clean regulary, and open the windows when we get up, close when the last one heads out to work.

Change bins / sheets / towels often.