Make Your Home Smell Better Immediately With One Obvious Hack (Without Spending A Dime)

We spend most of our days at home (even more so now with remote work), so it's only natural to want your surroundings to smell good, not just for you, but for your family and the occasional guest. Sometimes, though, our homes develop lingering odors we wish we could just flush out. And guess what? You actually can, simply by opening your windows. Doing so not only improves your air quality (out with the old, in with the new) but also helps prevent bigger issues from developing, like creating an environment where mold spores can grow.

Our homes are closed-off spaces, which means smells from cooking, moisture, and other everyday activities tend to cling to surfaces and fabrics. That's why you might still catch a whiff of the smoky dinner you made last night or even notice a faint musty odor. Now, there are plenty of ways to mask unpleasant smells, from lighting scented candles and using air fresheners to running an oil diffuser. You could even try simmer pot recipes to give your house a refresh, like the coveted Williams Sonoma-inspired simmer pot (which calls for lemon, black peppercorns, rosemary, and vanilla extract, in case you're wondering). But these remedies cost money, take time, and only offer temporary relief. Once the fragrance fades, those unpleasant smells usually creep right back.

A simple (and free) habit you can adopt to make your home smell fresher instantly is to open your windows regularly. This releases stale, stagnant air that has built up over time and replaces it with fresh air. It also helps remove cooking odors that have settled in your home and reduces excess moisture that can promote mold growth, which can contribute to a much bigger and more costly problem. In areas with poor ventilation, like basements, consider using a fan while the windows are open to help flush out the air and improve airflow.

Try to open your windows for at least 10 to 20 minutes a day, or longer if possible, during cooler times like early morning or evening. This allows any pollutants or allergens that have built up inside your home to be flushed out, along with those unwanted smells. However, you may want to avoid opening your windows in the middle of the day, especially during the summer, as it can let in too much heat, making your home uncomfortable and forcing your HVAC system to work harder.

Keep in mind that if you are sensitive to outdoor allergens like pollen, you'll want to avoid opening your windows during high-pollen season, which usually peaks in April. Instead, focus on keeping your home well-ventilated. This might include using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter or investing in air purifiers that can be placed around your home to clean the air your HVAC system is circulating.