How to Make Your House Smell Incredible: Real Estate Expert Secrets
Inside: Proven easy ways to make your home smell amazing for a showing, open house, party, or just for you!

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The most appealing homes are not necessarily the most finely decorated or the most expensive. How is it possible that we can enjoy our time more in an ordinary three-bedroom than a stately three-story?
It’s not about the eyes. It’s about the nose.
The most inviting homes have just a hint of scent—of fresh. And clean. And comfort. They make you want to linger. And maybe even picture yourself living there. That’s why real estate professionals have honed a shortlist of proven tricks over the years that make a house smell good enough to sign on the dotted line.
And why not enjoy a great smelling home whether we’re selling or not? Or at the very least, when we’re having people over? Because these tricks of the real estate trade are not only perfect for showing your home and for open houses, but for parties, gatherings, or any time you simply want your haven to smell ahh-mazing.
How to Make Your House Smell Good for a Showing.

We all have mental associations with smells—some positive, some negative. And it’s important to remember that other people may not share the same ones as you. So let’s talk about the three things you can do for a great-smelling house that will pass the sniff test with the most people.
- How to deal with unpleasant odors
- Pleasant, universally pleasing scents and ways to add them
- Things to avoid
1. Remove the Source of Bad Smells.
Before you even start adding pleasant scents to your home, you need to deal with the not-so-pleasant. Like garbage, cooking odors, pets, and smoke just to name a few.
- Open windows and doors to let in some fresh air.
- Clean, declutter, and dust to help combat mustiness and that stale smell.
- Make sure the garbage and trash cans are empty. If old garbage odor lingers in the can, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom, or use some fresh-scent trash bags.

- Freshen fabrics and carpets. Upholstery and rugs are big odor trappers. Sprinkle baking soda or carpet freshener on and let it sit for 15-30 minutes, then vacuum it away. As an added bonus, your vacuum cleaner will smell fresh too!
- Mist drapes and fabrics that aren’t easily vacuumed with a fabric refresher spray.
See more tips on removing smells and stains from fabric in the posts How to Get Rid of the Musty Smell in Old Furniture and The Complete Guide To Deep Clean Your Mattress and Bedding.
- Use activated charcoal or an air purifier to remove unpleasant smells.
- When cooking potent spices, onions, or frying food, remember to turn on the vent hood fan. And clean the filter if it’s holding onto a funky grease odor.

- Grinding half a lemon through the garbage disposal is the best way to freshen the disposal—and it will make the kitchen smell good too.
- Make sure the dishwasher doesn’t smell sour. If it does, run a dishwasher cleaner through on a hot cycle.
- Same with the washing machine, especially front loaders. I keep a box of washing machine cleaner in the cabinet all the time for when the washer accidentally gets closed when it’s still wet.
- Pour a cup of bleach into any smelly drains and let it sit for 30 minutes (just not the same day as having people over).

- Remove old food from the refrigerator and disinfect the microwave.
- Don’t stockpile smelly dirty laundry.
- Deodorize any stinky shoes in the closet.
- Deal with pet odors. Wash pet beds and blankets and remove litter boxes. Use enzymatic cleaner for dried pee accidents (my favorite way of finding invisible spots on the area rug is with this blacklight flashlight).

- Invite an honest friend over and ask their opinion. We really do become nose blind to smells in our own homes. You may not notice the dog smell or your favorite spice that you cook with every night but it’s probably the first thing someone from outside will.
Inviting Scents that Sell Houses.
Now that we’ve dealt with the bad odors, it’s time to add some pleasant scents that make our houses more appealing. Real estate agents have found that the smells that work best are the ones people associate with cleanliness, freshness, and the comfort of home.

- Fresh scents: Citrus scents like lemon, lime, and orange are fresh and invigorating, and can help make your home feel clean and bright.
- Clean scents: Freshly washed laundry and fresh linen are some of buyers’ favorites. Because clean smells make your home seem taken care of and well, clean.
- Comforting scents:
- Vanilla is a warm and cozy scent that makes your home feel inviting and comfortable.
- Cinnamon is a familiar and comforting scent that can create a sense of home and nostalgia.
- Lavender is a calming scent that can help make your home feel relaxing and peaceful.
- Pine is a crisp and refreshing scent that be used at Christmastime to create a sense of “home for the holidays“.
Twelve Ways to Make Your House Smell Good.

1. Simmer scents on the stovetop starting an hour before your event. Here’s a popular blend stovetop potpourri recipe from Real Simple:
- Bring 2 cups water in a 1-quart pot to a boil
- Add 1 lemon, cut into thin slices, 3 sprigs rosemary, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon orange zest (or some orange peels).
- Lower the heat and simmer to release the fragrance throughout the space.
SH&H Tip: Place a simple bowl of lemons on the counter for another home staging go-to trick that’s a great way to convey freshness.
2. Use essential oils in a diffuser with citrus, vanilla, or minty-spa scents. An essential oil diffuser is great for large open areas or a reed diffuser is an easy way to scent a small space like the bathroom. Try a combination of lemon, lavender, and eucalyptus.

3. Bake the cookies. You’ve probably heard of this trick to attract buyers—because it works. The easiest way is to buy precut ready-made cookie dough or canned cinnamon rolls that you only have to pop onto a cookie sheet and bake. Or toast some slices of cinnamon raisin bread. Time the baking right before people come so that the scent is at its peak, but you won’t get distracted and burn anything.
And if you’re going to fill the room with one of these homey aromas that bring the buyers to the yard, make sure to make the treats available to visitors on the kitchen counter.

4. Place a dish of white scented soap in the bathroom for another easy trick we use in home staging. Buy a pack of original Dove brand white soap (not unscented) and place it in a dish or bowl on the bathroom counter. It fills the bathroom with a wonderfully fresh clean scent that lasts a long time.

5. Make a room spray with essential oils for a fragrance more subtle than store-bought.
6. Hide a few DIY laundry scent bead sachets. Make your own sachets with inexpensive organza bags filled with a laundry scent booster like Unstoppables. Tuck them in drawers or hide them in bedrooms, closets, and bathrooms.

7. Scent large fabric items like throws and towels to serve as air fresheners. Wash them with fresh scent fabric softener and laundry scent-boosting beads and use them to freshen rooms. Drape a laundry-scented blanket on the living room sofa or on the foot of the bed. Stack some fresh-smelling white fluffy towels in the bathroom.

8. Dab a little essential oil or vanilla extract on cool lamp lightbulbs before turning them on. The warmth from incandescent bulbs will give off a nice hint of scent.

9. And add a few drops of essential oil to the furnace air filter to lightly scent the entire house.
10. Soak some cotton balls with essential oils. Hide them away or place them in a dish on the bathroom counter.
11. Add a few drops of essential oil to the inside of the cardboard toilet paper roll.
12. Tuck fabric softener dryer sheets in closets or musty, stale areas.

Always remember to use these scent ideas in moderation! While subtle and pleasant smells can help create a positive impression, the bombardment of different fragrances can have visitors looking for the quickest exit possible.
What to Avoid.
Don’t Use Strong Fragrances.
You want only a subtle hint of scent. Even the universally loved citrus, vanilla, and laundry can be so overpowering that people can’t wait to leave. When you scent too heavily, it can also look like you’re trying to cover up a smelly problem.
And never stray into other fragrances when selling your house just because you think they smell amazing. Steer clear of roses, florals, and baby powder. And the fruity, woodsy, spicy, or musky.

Don’t Use Plug-ins, Candles, or Room Sprays.
Plug in air fresheners are too strong to be subtle. Especially for people who are hypersensitive to smells (or should I say scent-sitive)?
Candles can also come off too strong and overpower the room. Plus it’s dangerous to leave them unattended while you have groups of people coming through.
And store bought room sprays are too intense and are a big clue that you’re trying to mask something unpleasant.

Stay Away from Chemical Smells.
Although you want your house to seem and smell clean, be careful with cleaners. You don’t want your home to smell like chemicals, and a lot of people are sensitive to the fumes. (I know I’m 100 percent guilty of associating the smell of clean with bleach.)
For a freshly scrubbed bathroom right before a gathering, try using natural products like Mrs. Meyers. Or Fabuloso lavender cleaner has a good reputation for a light pleasant scent. And did you know that people associate classic Lemon Pledge furniture polish with the smell of a clean home? So a light last minute dusting with Pledge can add a touch of lemony freshness to the living room.

Don’t Overdo it with Different Scents.
The best smell to sell a house is really no smell at all. So if you plan to use some of these scent tricks for showing your home, don’t go overboard. There’s no need to add a fragrance to every room.
When choosing subtle scents to add, keep in mind:
- How different scents will work together. Choose a single scent, or make sure different fragrances are well separated or will flow well together.
- Choose aromas for the kitchen that are fresh and citrusy or that evoke that “home” feeling.
- Choose scents for the bathrooms that smell clean, spa-like, or like fresh laundry.

I’m feeling extra zen as I sit in my home writing today. Because I’ve been treating myself to a couple of these tricks and the house smells AMAZING. (Why don’t I do this more often??)
In our never-ending quest to make our homes more attractive and comfortable, we only focus on them through our eyes. Let’s take it to another level and make sure they smell as good as they look.
Did I miss any tips that you like to make your home smell great? Tell us in the comments!

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I am one of those “scent-sitive” people you mention. I get migraines from many different scents – especially florals and woodsy scents. I’m always amazed when I walk into a home and the smell is overpowering. Makes me wonder do they clean or simply mask odors with strongly scented plug-ins. I have found a few scents that I use in my home that I can (usually) tolerate and even enjoy. Tyler Candles used to make one called Birthday Cake – well, they still make it, but it’s only available in a very small candle as part of their Happy Birthday Gift Collection set. I had more than one person come to my home and want to know what I was baking when I was burning those! Target also used to carry a Chesapeake Bay Candle in their Home Scents line called Almond Macaroons – though, the picture on the label was actually macarons. It was a wonderful, homey scent. Most recently, I’ve found Swan Creek Candle Company at my local Market Street grocery store. They have a couple of “comfort” scents. Their Cherry Almond Buttercream is delicious, though it might be a little strong when burning it. Sometimes I think it’s strong enough to just have the lid off of the jar without actually lighting the candle. Whipped Almond Frosting is another scent of Swan Creek’s that I love. It’s still warm and homey without being too overwhelming. Swan Creek also makes wax melts that you can use in warmers – those seem to be a little lighter-scented. I posted these in case any of your subscriber are also “scent-sitive” (BTW – I love that play on words!) and would like to try something to make their homes smell better without giving them a headache!
Thank you for all of the recommendations my sweet friend! I can attest that the Almond Macarons candle from Target is great, but now I can’t find it anymore. I’m going to check out the Swan Creek candles next time!
Interesting that you associate bleach as the smell of clean. My mother rarely used bleach, preferring elbow grease to chemicals, but my mother-in-law was rather slovenly, then would have an intense cleaning fit where she used bleach liberally to remove stains and grime (and unbelievably disgusting scum rings from the bathtub). For me, bleach is a repellent smell, and I have to remind myself that it is NOT normally indicative that people are dirty, it’s the opposite.
awesome tips!!! i love the stove top simmer but i use half water and half pineapple juice. takes the aroma to another level. thanks for sharing such useful information.
Thank you Bonnie! I will have to try the pineapple juice this summer. And it’s a great way to use up the rest of an open can!!
I enjoy reading your posts.
This one however, regarding scents, I would not use dryer sheets to freshen anything!
As a person with a very sensitive sense of smell, dryer sheets are overpowering and usually made with artificial/chemical ingredients.
I use dryer balls in my laundry, never dryer sheets!
I do like the other ideas though.
Hi Sheryl! Yes, dryer sheets are not for those that are sensitive to smells as they are definitely strong. I’ve used them for a quick fix in musty areas, but I love the smell of fresh laundry and don’t mind it. Scents are so subjective and that’s why it’s better to have no smell at all if you’re opening your home to other people! I use dryer balls too. Dryer sheets are terrible for the auto sensors in your dryer.
Hi Kate, I just recently found you & am loving your posts! I feel such a kinship with you & your wonderful ideas as I too enjoy being creative in my house & home. I do, however, want to point out that you should never pour bleach down your drains as the bleach will corrode your pipes over time & could result in an expensive plumbing bill. Baking sofa is a much better & less harmful alternative. Thanks again for all your inspirational ideas! Looking forward to your next post! ☺️
Hi Maria! I’m so happy you’ve found me!! I’m no plumber and I’m sure that’s correct. I’m so old school I use bleach way too much. What’s funny is, a plumber at one time suggested I do that periodically upstairs to clean out our air conditioning drain lines.🤔
Such great tips! This will come in handy!
Thanks Irene
Happy New Year, Kate. Thank you for a wonderful year of idea posts that we can adapt to our own homes.
Thanks again,
Nancy
Happy New Year Nancy and thanks for being here!
Great ideas! I just pinned! (I had to do it manually because the pin button didn’t show up….not sure if it’s an issue on your end or mine.) Thanks for sharing!
Shelley
Thanks Shelley! And thank you for the heads up on my “pin” button not working. It wasn’t and I didn’t even know!!
This is awesome. I would love to add this to my newsletter this week. Hugs to you, my friend.
Thank you so much Renae – I appreciate the share!!