Checklist for Keeping Your Home Smelling Fresh

Can you think of someone's house who always has an inviting aroma? You wonder how in the world it always smells so good whenever you visit and buy all kinds of products trying to get your own home to smell fresh, too. But sometimes air freshener and hazardous, strong cleaners aren't necessary.

Tip One: Clean your home regularly. No matter how much air freshener, vacuum deodorizer or plug-ins you buy, doing basic things like keeping your carpet free of debris and food particles or cleaning the bathtub every night will do wonders for your home. You don't even have to use lemon-fresh cleaners. Baking soda and a touch of lemon will leave a clean and fresh scent in your home.

Tip Two: Use plug-ins that you won't get tired of. That chocolate cake plug-in or lavender scent may smell great from a brief sniff, but by the time you get home you may feel like you've been in a bakery or perfume department too long. Find fragrances that you wouldn't mind wearing all day. Scented lotions are an easy way to figure this one out. That'll give you an idea of what you can handle your home smelling like, too. (Note: See "Why Air Freshener in Your Home May Not Be Safe")

Tip Three: Although vacuum deodorizers are great for a couple of days, the smell tends to disappear too quickly. And if you have children in your home who like to touch floors and stick their fingers in their mouths, you may have a problem on your hands. Try baking soda instead, which is a natural cleanser and can be used for cooking so you know it's safe. If you just have to have a more pronounced scent, consider regular baby powder. You can usually use less to get an inviting smell. Don't believe it's true? Smell a shirt that you've worn with baby powder underneath. Chances are you'll be able to smell the powder immediately.

Tip Four: Try natural deodorizer candles if you get tired of a scent after awhile or use decorative candle wax products. They add a little spice to your home without knocking you and your guests out when they walk in the door.

Tip Five: Mop behind sinks, toilets, bathtubs, kitchen cabinets, refrigerators and stoves. Your home can smell delicious when there's a home-cooked meal on the stove, but when those scents die down, sometimes they don't leave the best smell behind. Mold, dirt and dust love to have a party around wet areas of your home, and so do rodents. Sweep and wash your dishes regularly to make sure they don't have much to snack on. Empty garbage cans as soon as they are full because mice and roaches eat hair, including the clumps in your bathtub drain and in the garbage can. They're also more likely to invade your home during cold winter months, which Chicago is known for.

Tip Six: If you wake up missing your significant other but can smell his cologne or her perfume on the sheets, that's not always by accident. When that fabric softener wears off, you can lightly spray your favorite perfume or cologne on the sheets. Like fabric softener, it rarely hurts the eyes. If you're asthmatic, this may not be such a good idea though.

Tip Seven: Open your windows when you cook. You may want that home-cooked smell to be inviting to friends and family, but do you want to sit on your couch later and still smell garlic bread? Let your furniture air out while you're cooking those heavy meals. As long as the food is there, your guests will smell it, but you don't need to smell the meal for the rest of the day.

Tip Eight: Empty the cat litter box and take your dog out regularly to use the bathroom. Pet waste and pet hair can make a guest run out the door. Your guests don't want to leave with pet hair on their clothes so keep the pets off the furniture or keep your pets groomed regularly. And always make sure that your pet's smell doesn't overpower your home or your clothes.