Experts Reveal How to Make Any Room Smell Fresh Fast
These easy strategies can freshen up a room quickly.
It’s a familiar scenario: an unexpected family member or friend is dropping by, and you need to quickly freshen up your home. There’s nothing quite like the inviting aroma of a clean home, but it can feel a little overwhelming to freshen up when the clock is ticking. Instead of masking odors with heavy sprays, there are several ways to achieve a clean, natural scent.
If you’ve got less than an hour to freshen up your home, you can take a multi-step approach that includes cleaning surfaces, removing odor-causing sources and using natural aromatics. These easy strategies can eliminate the stinkiness and provide a quick sensory reset so you can focus on welcoming guests. To find the most effective shortcuts, we talked to North Carolina-based home organization expert Sidney Ayers Young and Tricia Holderman, author of Germinator: The Germ Girl’s Guide To Simple Solutions In A Germ-Filled World, for tips on how to make any room smell fresh fast.
Burp your house
“House burping” comes from the German practice of lüften, which refers to opening your doors and windows for a short burst to let out stale air and let in fresh air. “It only takes 15 to 30 minutes, and it instantly resets the air so your home feels lighter, cleaner, and more breathable,” Young says.
Tackle kitchens and bathrooms
After you’ve let in some fresh air, Young says to tackle the smelliest rooms in the house first, which are usually the kitchens and bathrooms. “Add a few drops of nontoxic cleaner and warm water to the kitchen sink and a few drops of cleaner to each toilet bowl and let it sit while you do other tasks,” she explains.
Clean Carpets
Often, our carpets trap odors, and we can start by removing items like shoes, backpacks, toys, and clothes and putting them in their rightful places. “Once the carpets are clear, a quick vacuum helps reset the space,” Young says. “And if you want an extra boost, sprinkle a nontoxic carpet powder or baking soda before vacuuming to help neutralize odors.”
Wipe down trash cans
Another culprit for stinky odors is the trash can, and wiping down your trash cans is a five-minute job that can make a huge difference. “Some of the strongest smells in a home come from places we barely notice, like the trash pullout that gets wiped less often than the counters,” Young says. “Use a warm water rinse and a wipe with a nontoxic citrus cleaner.”
Use vinegar to clean surfaces
For a non-toxic cleaner you may already have in your pantry, Holderman says to reach for vinegar when you’re short on time. “Clean key odor spots with vinegar,” she says. “You can also use a vinegar and water solution to wipe trash cans, bathroom surfaces, and pet areas, which neutralizes odors naturally.”
Toss stinky sponges
Sometimes smells can be hiding right in front of us, and Young says to take inventory of any kitchen sponges that may need replacing. “While your sponges may not look dirty, they hold onto odors in a way that affects the whole room,” she says. “Swapping out a sponge takes less than a minute, but instantly freshens the space.”
Simmer a pot of citrus, spices, and herbs
Once you’ve removed stinky odors, you can focus on adding a welcoming aroma. Holderman says to add sliced lemons and oranges, a few cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and herbs to a pot of water and set it to simmer on the stove. “The steam lightly scents the air without synthetic fragrance,” she explains. “You can turn it off after 20–30 minutes, and you can also re‑simmer the same spices later the same day.”
Use a DIY room spray
Fabrics like curtains can often retain odors, and as a final touch, you can quickly freshen them with a DIY room spray. “In a 4 oz glass spray bottle, add one tablespoon of witch hazel and 2-3 drops of pure essential oils (like lavender, lemon or orange), then top with distilled water and shake,” Holderman advises. “Give your curtains a gentle spritz before diffusing the scent into the rest of the room.”
Mariette Williams is a freelance writer living in South Florida. She covers topics such as travel, culture, books, and wellness, and when she's not traveling, she's lost in a good book.
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