How to Make Your House Smell Good Naturally

Natasha Bruce-Carline
How to Make Your House Smell Good Naturally
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As the seasons change, what better time to explore natural home fragrances? Get your house ready for the holidays and impress everyone who walks through the door. 

Join me to explore a range of quick, easy, and effective ways to keep your home smelling clean, fresh, and pleasant.

Why Choose Natural Home Fragrance

Cleaner Air, Safer Home

Most plug-ins and aerosol sprays contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and synthetic fixatives. These can linger in the air and contribute to poor indoor quality. With natural home fragrance, you choose pure ingredients and decide what circulates through your rooms.

Control What You Breathe

You cannot avoid every public scent, but you can set the standard in your own space. Selecting plant-based cleaners and natural fragrance blends gives you full control over what your family inhales.

Value That Lasts

Creating a fresh atmosphere does not have to strain the budget. Simple staples—baking soda, citrus peels, a few drops of essential oil—deliver a clean home fragrance for pennies. Vinevida’s concentrated essential oils stretch even further; a single bottle scents a diffuser for weeks.

The Vinevida Difference

Vinevida essential oils are GC/MS tested for purity, bottled in small batches, and never diluted with fillers. When you diffuse our oils or add a few drops to a DIY project, you know exactly what touches the air. That is a natural home fragrance you can trust.

The Beauty of Essential Oils

Fill your rooms with the beauty of flowers, woods, and herbs. Citrus essential oils offer incredible value for money. They are inexpensive to buy and are so great for uplifting mood. Lemon feels fresh and inviting. Orange is liquid sunshine in the air, and lime…well, how about a bit of salsa? 

How about a bit of geranium or lavender to create a lovely, harmonious bedroom? Or maybe some spices or woods for something a bit more masculine for the study. 

Add essential oils to many products, but the easiest and fastest way is to use a diffuser. Diffusers are portable, efficient, and scents are adaptable to your mood.

Top Tip: VINEVIDA diffusers are designed for essential oils and fragrance oils, but not all manufacturers’ models are the same. Always check your model for guidance on whether you need to dilute essential oils for your diffuser or not. 

Natural Home Essential Oil Diffuser Blends

You Will Need:

    • Small measuring jug
    • Stainless steel spoon
    • Small funnel
    • 5ml glass dropper bottle
    • Oil and waterproof label

Method:

    1. Simply combine all of the essential oils in the small jug.
    2. Mix thoroughly to combine.
    3. Decant into the 5ml dropper bottle using a funnel to keep things clean and oil-free.
    4. List all oils clearly on an oil and waterproof label and apply to the bottle.
    5. Add a production date and a 6-month expiry date

How To Use:

To use these natural home fragrance essential oil diffuser blends, follow your diffuser’s manufacturer’s instructions. 

Safety:

    • Not for tropical use
    • Keep out of reach of pets and children
    • Avoid diffusing around cats

The Blends

Freshness and Vitality

Use this essential oil blend to leave your home feeling refreshed and full of vitality. No synthetics, just pure essential oils, make up this stunning natural home fragrance blend. 

Invigorating and Motivating

This will fire up the creative juices and get you motivated and moving. Great for days when you have a lot to accomplish and need to stay on top of your game. 

Relaxing and Destressing

This blend will bring things down a notch and help instill feelings of relaxation. The high content of Mandarin is particularly useful for those of you who experience anxiety and need a little help to re-centre yourself from time to time. 

Joyful and Uplifting

It’s hard to smell this essential oil blend and not smile; it is instantaneously uplifting, and it certainly makes me feel more joyful. Lift your spirits and feed your joy with this bright and vibrant blend. 

Sensual and Sexy 

Slip into something comfortable and relax with this gorgeously sensual essential oil blend. It is just a little bit seductive too, so use it as a ‘not so subtle’ hint to your partner. 

Natural Home Fragrance Ingredients

We can create all manner of natural home fragrances to influence the overall smell of your home and make your home smell fresh, clean, and welcoming. The best thing is, you probably have most of these simple ingredients at home already. Saving you time and money! 

Deodorizers & Neutralizers

When you want to clear stubborn household odors, start with ingredients that neutralize rather than mask. Natural deodorizers change the air itself, so the scent fades instead of hiding under perfume.

Baking Soda

This cupboard staple traps odor molecules and neutralizes them on contact. Sprinkle a light layer on carpets or cushions, wait an hour, then vacuum. For sneakers, add a spoonful inside overnight and tap it out in the morning—simple and effective.

White Vinegar

Vinegar alters the chemistry of many smells, which is why it works on everything from cutting boards to laundry. Wipe hard surfaces with a diluted solution or simmer a small pan of vinegar and water to chase away cooking odors and stale smoke.

Coffee Grounds and Citrus Peels

Used coffee grounds or fresh lemon peels quietly absorb unwanted scents. Place them in a small bowl near the source and compost them later.

A Finishing Layer of Fragrance

Once the air is clean, add a subtle scent if you wish. A few drops of a Vinevida fragrance oil—such as NO. 188 Crisp Morning Air with moss and wild blooms or NO. 191 Creamy Oatmeal with cocoa and butter—mixed into a DIY room spray or diffuser base provides a gentle, lasting aroma without heavy chemicals.

Herbal Harmony, With a Modern Twist

Fresh herbs remain one of the easiest ways to bring natural fragrance into a home, but you do not need a garden to enjoy their aroma. Hang small bundles of rosemary, thyme, or lavender to dry, and you will notice a clean, refreshing scent as they cure. Dried herbs slip neatly into cotton sachets for drawers and closets. Classic lavender is lovely, yet blends of lemon balm, lemon verbena, or marjoram create long-lasting, invigorating aromas.
For a stronger scent, simmer a handful of herbs in a pot of water and let the rising steam carry their volatile oils through the room.
If fresh herbs are hard to find, give the idea a modern twist. Add a few drops of Vinevida essential oil—try Rosemary, Lavender, or a ready-made blend like NO. 189 Twilight Grove with berry, vanilla, and wood—onto dried botanicals or into the simmer pot. You capture the same herbal character without needing to grow or harvest anything.

Spicy Scents With a Medieval Touch

In medieval Europe, every household kept a bowl of potpourri. It scented the air, deterred insects, and brought a touch of beauty to even the simplest room. The idea still works beautifully today—and feels far gentler than many shop-bought mixes, which can smell sharp or overwhelming.
Create your own potpourri with warming spices such as cinnamon, clove, and star anise. Add dried petals or small pine cones for texture. Give the bowl a quick stir every few days to refresh the fragrance and keep the scent moving through the room.
Seasonal door wreaths or small bundles of greenery tied with cinnamon sticks also welcome guests with a soft, natural aroma. Sturdy flowers and herbs—rosemary, bay, or marjoram—dry well and add both color and fragrance.
For a stronger scent, simmer whole spices with citrus peels and a few sprigs of fresh herb in a pan of water. The rising steam carries a balanced, comforting aroma throughout the house.
If you prefer a quick update, sprinkle a few drops of a warm Vinevida fragrance oil—such as NO. 4209 By the Fireplace with chestnut and clove or NO. 178 Buttery Pecan with maple and pumpkin—onto your dried blend. It gives the traditional craft a modern twist while keeping the fragrance soft and inviting.

Creative Recipes with Natural Home Fragrance

Traditional plant methods still work beautifully—and you can make them your own.
Here are a few time-tested ideas with a modern twist.

Smudge Sticks

Smudge sticks release fragrant smoke that gently scents and purifies a space.
Choose herbs that dry well and hold their shape—lavender, rosemary, mint, tarragon, lemon verbena, sweetgrass, marjoram, juniper, cedar, cypress, fennel, hyssop, lemongrass, or eucalyptus.
Avoid brittle plants that drop tiny flowers, like flowering mugwort.

You Will Need

    • Cotton string or natural twine (not synthetic)
    • Paper-lined tray
    • Elastic band

Method

    1. Harvest 10–20 soft, 12-inch herb cuttings on a dry day.
    2. Lay them on a paper-lined tray overnight so some moisture evaporates.
       Woody plants such as rosemary or juniper may need an extra day.
    3. Bundle the herbs neatly, folding ragged ends inward.
    4. Tie twine tightly at the base and wind diagonally to the top, then back down to create a criss-cross pattern.
    5. Secure the twine and trim the ends.
    6. Slip an elastic band around the base and hang the bundle in a cool, airy place for two weeks or until fully dry.

Safety 

    • Always burn smudge sticks over a fireproof bowl.
    • Extinguish completely after use and check for re-ignition before storing.

Lavender & Herb Bags

Simple herb sachets freshen drawers, wardrobes, and even shoes while deterring insects.

You Will Need

    • Cotton fabric
    • Matching thread and needle
    • Natural filling (wool, cotton, or bamboo fibre)

Ingredients 

Dried lavender, rosemary, mint, marjoram, juniper, bay, clove, lemon verbena, or any favourite herb.

Method

    1. Sew three sides of a small fabric square, right sides together.
    2. Fill with herbs and a little natural stuffing.
    3. Add a few drops of essential oil if desired, though it may mark the fabric.
    4. Stitch closed or tie with ribbon and add a loop for hanging.

Slip sachets into drawers, cupboards, shoes, storage boxes, gym bags, or even inside toilet-roll tubes. A lavender bag under your pillow brings a gentle bedtime fragrance.

Potpourri

Centuries ago, every household kept a bowl of potpourri. It still offers a soft, natural scent—without the sharpness of many commercial blends.

You Will Need

    • Decorative bowl or vented container
    • Selection of dried plant matter (rose petals, pine cones, berries, wood chips)
    • Large zip-lock bag

Suggested Autumn Mix

Mix the oils into the carrier oil, then blend with the orris root.
Combine all ingredients in the bag, shake well, and allow to sit for a few hours before displaying.

Optional Fragrance Boost
For a longer-lasting aroma, enrich your mix with a few drops of a Vinevida natural fragrance oil. These blends combine pure essential oils with safe botanical fixatives, so they stay true to nature while holding their scent beautifully.

Try one of these favourites:

Sneaker Sanitiser

Baking soda neutralises odor, and this simple recipe keeps shoes fresh.

You Will Need

    • Large airtight container or strong zip-lock bag

Ingredients

Method

    1. Mix baking soda and cornstarch.
    2. Dilute the essential oils in the carrier oil and drip over the powder.
    3. Shake well, breaking any clumps.

Use 

Direct contact: Spoon powder directly into sneakers and leave for 24–48 hours. Indirect contact: Fill an old sock with the mix, seal it in a bag, and place it in the shoes. Alternatively, for a subtle, freshly laundered scent, substitute a few drops of Vinevida fragrance oil:

Other Exciting Ways To Use Natural Home Fragrances

Our blog is full to the brim with multitudes of recipes utilizing natural home fragrances. There are a plethora of exciting articles showing you how to use essential oils to scent your home. 

Here are just a few. Should you want to explore more ideas, hints, tips, and recipes for keeping your home smelling great. 

Learn how to layer scent within your home to build up more effective layers of scent. It makes a good economy and can expose you to fewer synthetic ingredients or harsh chemicals. Layering Perfumes With Essential Oils - The Home Edition.

Learn How to Make Scented Candles and use a variety of essential oils to scent your home beautifully.

If you learn How To Make Reed Diffuser With Fragrance Oils & Essential Oils, you will find you can create gorgeous nooks of fragrance throughout your home. Once you start making one, you won’t be able to stop yourself from making more. Such a quick and simple project and ideal for beginners. 

It is important that you learn How to Make Essential Oil Room Spray properly. You need both a dispersant and a preservative for the best effects. Omitting these is often what leads to disappointment with homemade room sprays. Learn the best way and fill your home with bespoke natural home fragrances to wow your friends and family. 

I have swapped to using the Best Essential Oils for a Chemical-Free Clean Home, and so can you. Find some simple recipes using natural ingredients, save money, and reduce your and your family’s exposure to harmful or toxic chemicals. Take control today! 

Essential oils aren’t just confined to use in natural home fragrances; you can use them in toiletries, skin, and hair care, too. Find links to Unlock the Power of Aromatherapy: 100 Ways to Use Essential Oils.

The Final Word On Creating Exciting Natural Home Fragrances

I hope I have given you some food for thought on using more natural home fragrances. 

Making the switch from synthetic air fresheners and cleaning products can:

    • Improve the air quality of your home
    • Reduce your exposure to harmful and toxic chemicals that impact your health and wellbeing
    • Give you back control through the power of choice
    • Save you money

Assess your cleaning products and practices and switch to using natural and effective odor neutralizers and deodorizers. Try using essential oils in your natural-based surface cleansers and laundry detergents. 

Capitalize on citrus fruits, herbs, spices, and essential oils to create a myriad of exciting natural home fragrance projects like smudge sticks, potpourri, and herb bags.

Familiarize yourself with natural ingredients that help you keep your home smelling great. Learn how to use neutralizing and deodorizing items like baking soda and white vinegar. But also learn to be resourceful and use up excess citrus peel and used coffee grounds to absorb unwanted odors.

Let the fresh air in and give it a chance to circulate throughout the entire house, moving out stale air and replenishing it with fresh.

Keeping things clean will also help; keep on top of emptying and wiping down garbage bins and sanitizing the garbage disposal. Air out stinky shoes and gym bags, and use odor neutralizers. 

Using natural home fragrances in your diffusers is a no-brainer, super quick, marvelously easy, and highly effective way of making your home smell great. 

So.. have a go! Switch to using one natural home fragrance and more will surely follow as you realise the benefits. Enjoy! 

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