{
  "id": 11611594,
  "title": "I tried 3 weird cleaning tricks to make my home smell fresh — here's what actually worked",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/i-tried-3-weird-cleaning-tricks-to-make-my-home-smell-fresh-heres",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-03T05:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tom's Guide",
    "slug": "tom-s-guide",
    "url": "https://www.tomsguide.com/home/i-tried-3-weird-cleaning-tricks-to-make-my-home-smell-fresh-heres-what-actually-worked"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "I tried three unusual cleaning techniques to freshen up my home and found out which ones actually worked. Keeping the living spaces clean is important to me, and I enjoy a fragrant atmosphere throughout the house. Using scent diffusers, scented candles, or essential oils are typical methods for improving air quality, but I stumbled upon some intriguing approaches that leave your home smelling amazing without breaking the bank. An expert confirmed that these tricks require minimal effort and can be accomplished while cleaning or sorting out clutter.\n\nThe first method involves scenting your vacuum cleaner. Although this might sound peculiar, your vacuum cleaner can distribute a pleasant aroma throughout the entire home while cleaning. To accomplish this, add a few drops of essential oil onto cotton balls, then place them inside your vacuum filter or dust container. As you vacuum, the warm air passing through the canister helps the scent evaporate, filling the room with fragrance. Yousof Fazelpoor, a fragrance expert from Royal Oud Leicester, suggests adding a couple of drops of essential oil to your vacuum filter before starting to clean. The peppermint or lavender scents work well, but remember not to oversaturate the cotton balls.\n\nNext, I experimented with a bar of soap in my closet. Closets often trap unwanted odors, especially when storing footwear. However, simply placing a scented bar of soap inside wardrobes can eliminate lingering smells and keep them fresh year-round. Wrap the soap or place it in a fabric bag before tucking it among clothes or bedding. Within a day or two, my closet had a pleasant aroma each time I opened the doors, similar to a bathroom rather than a bedroom. The only downside is that the smell fades after a week, but this may vary depending on the fragrance used. Lavender could be a better choice as it provides a stronger aroma than typical soap bars.\n\nLastly, I tried infusing my toilet paper roll with essential oil. This unconventional hack can create a fresh-smelling bathroom. By placing a few drops of essential oil on the cardboard tube inside the toilet paper roll, the fragrance is subtly released every time the paper is used. Spinning the roll while using toilet paper helps disperse the hidden scent into the air. Fazelpoor notes that this simple trick keeps the bathroom smelling fresh for an entire week, surpassing any store-bought air freshener. Just be cautious when using it around pets and children to avoid accidental ingestion or adverse reactions.",
  "summary": "I discovered these strange cleaning hacks to make my home smell amazing. But do they really work?",
  "key_points": [
    "Scenting vacuum cleaner distributes aroma throughout home while cleaning",
    "Bar of soap in closet eliminates unwanted odors and keeps fresh",
    "Essential oil on toilet paper roll creates fresh-smelling bathroom"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}