At this time of year, I buy cinnamon sticks, put some in a small pot with water and let it simmer. The only problem, if the water boils away, you'll have a smelly mess or possibly a fire if you don't keep an eye on it! if the weather is nice, open windows and let fresh air in. That gets rid of any bad stale smells.

I open the windows and get fresh air in the house.

ctstar:

I hope you don't have people around you who have allergies. You may like your house to smell of those perfumed things but one sniff of your house would have me heading for the door.

There is nothing like the smell of fresh air. Open your windows for a bit and your house will smell good or put some water laced with spices in the microwave for a minute and let that smell permeate your house--it's much more welcoming and you are not breathing in those chemicals

I like Mrs. Meyers or Yankee Candle plug-ins -- but I set them at their lowest level and don't leave them in indefinitely-- or candles. I've found that the nicer brands smell much more "true" and less artificial than the Glades and Airwicks and such.

Using chemicals in the house to reduce odor will eventually cause the house to have a chemical smell. It happened to our house. I now use vinegar and alcohol for cleaning most things and fresh air. House no longer has a chemical smell.

Baking soda sprinkled over carpets to absorb some of the odors. Carpets absorb household odors, especially cooking odors.

I Save any citrus peels and spices that are too old to use and boil them in a pot with a little hot water. They make the house smell lovely for next to nothing. I also ground up cinnamon sticks for cinnamon and saved the bits that were too big for my spice bottle for a simmer pot.

Look for a unit with a removable carbon filter. They come in small plug-in outlet sizes (such as the "TrueAir" brand) to larger desktop and floor models (I like the VitaPur brand).

What you really want is air without stink, not artificially polluted "smells like an ocean breeze" chemicals that simply mask the smell with an overpowering man-made chemical.

Remember: Anything which is unnatural and gives off a scent is polluting the air we all breathe.

I learned in 4th grade from my teacher Mrs. Hall that fresh air and sunshine are the best deodorizers, and free. Open your windows! Even 15 minutes is enough!

fresh aid from outside even in the winter. I do use "Oder-Cide in the bathroom and kitchen when necessary. Most air fresheners even non fragrant's bother me. Oder-Cide will also if I use to much, doesn't take much. I can't find it in stores anymore and order it online.

I have to agree with all those saying please stop polluting your home and lungs with all those chemicals! Just reading what you describe made me have difficulty breathing. You can't smell these products after 2 days, but they definitely still smell - you're just getting used to them!

Fresh air is best, and if you have an odor problem you may need an air cleaner with a charcoal filter to actually remove odors from the air.

Air textile items in the sun when you can.

If you have carpets get them professionally cleaned.

I agree re fresh air. However, when it's freezing cold & I'm a heat miser, I put a small saucer or small bowl w/white vinegar in it in a discreet area. If you insist on using sprays, I only use Zero Odor which I order on line. There is no scent & it immediately removes odors.

My Mom was a smoker all her life. I'm talking junior high school till she died at 87. She especially liked to sit in the kitchen, watch late night TV and smoke. One "good" thing she did was pour some white vinegar in a saucer and leave it out at night when she went to bed. The evaporating vinegar somehow helped clear out the ciggie funk.

I remember once, we went to MILs for a grandchilds birthday party held in her decorated basement. MIl apparently had sprayed "something" to get rid of any musty or dusty type odors. She was a clean freak. Both I and one SIL went down there and had asthma attacks. I dealt with mine by leaving the house, SIL had to go to the hospital for a few hours. If only MIL had opened a window down there rather than spraying that poison!