Ever since getting a puppy, how my house smells has been something I think about more than ever. I think that's normal! When you go from two adults who clean up after themselves to having a puppy who does everything but clean up after herself, the smell is top of consideration when cleaning.
I'm going to keep this post relatively short because talking about smells is not my thing but I think there are a few people who are probably asking all the questions I was at the beginning!
So first up we tried plug ins, every plug in I could find I tried but with the soaring energy prices/ trying to be more sustainable they just aren't practical. That being said, if you do want one you can't go wrong with AirWicks!
Eliminating Smells
It goes without saying that the best way to have a nice smelling home is to eliminate smells in the first place, and thats where my first favourite comes into plat. I was gifted the Bio One Pet Odour Remover earlier in the year and have been testing it out for a few months. I'll leave the details below but in my opinion this is a perfect way of making your house smell pet free. It's 100% natural and completely pet safe and can even be used on furry friends beds. Obviously, if the bed needs a wash, it needs a wash but I've been spraying this on Bettys bed each day between weekly washes and it completely removes any tell-tale dog smells!
The scent is Lemon and Neroli meaning it smells super fresh. Bio One recommend it for eliminating smells on soft furnishings, carpets, hard floors, pet beds, astro turf and in the air. I'm always cautious when spraying the couch incase it leaves a watermark, but I've taken one for the team and tested it and my couch survived and smelt gorgeous!
Scenting a room
Now you've eliminated your smells, it's time for the best part... candle shopping. I'm joking but I'm also not. I have two favourite candle brands and they're both small businesses! The first is Olivia's Haven who have a scent called The Secret Library which is described as 'Deep, Musky & Masculine. A nostalgic scent which evokes the romantic feeling of an old library with bound books.' This made me hesitate when ordering as I definitely prefer a sweeter smelling candle but the name alone sold it and it's actually not as deep as I was imagining (I imagined an aftershave smelling candle arriving!) but this is the perfect balance of a musky, yet not overly heady candle.
I also have a Spring Rhubarb candle (this was a limited edition gift with purchase) and Under the Palm Tree Wax Melts. Spring Rhubarb was a gift with purchase and actually the reason I placed the order! I love Ruhbarb and this doesn't disappoint. I haven't burnt it yet however, the smell is strong enough that you can smell the candle as you walk in the room so I' going to hold off burning it until that goes away as it doesn't look like I'll be able to repurchase it!
Finally Under the Palm Tree is the perfect summer smell. It's described as 'Sweet, Warm & Tropical. Think Pina Colada' and I completely agree, there are hints of pineapple mixed with a creamy summer scent. It's definitely one I'm saving for warmer months when I need a little escapism!
My other favourite is The Liverpool Candle Co. Before Christmas they kindly gifted me a candle Beside the Fire. The candle is beautiful, it was a Christmas special so I can't find it online but they have so many amazing sounding smells! My next purchase is definitely going to be Sunday Morning Coffee.
Keeping the Smell Away
Having only ever used cheap reed diffusers which I've off smell for a few days and then essentially die I was sceptical about using them in my home. Since it's unsafe to leave a candle burning, expensive to keep plug ins running and bad for the environment to constantly use aerosols, I was leaning closer and closer to trying a diffuser. When Arran asked if I would like to try their Bergamot & Geranium Reed Diffuser I jumped at the chance (it has 84 five star reviews on their website!). I think the beauty of the reed diffuser is it's now become a part of the room. I use this in my home office as the scents are intended to increase concentration and after a few days I thought the smell had left and moved it into a smaller room, only then did I notice it's absence! Thankfully it is now back pride of place on my desk, hopefully improving my concentration!
[originally posted Mar 11, 2022]