The enchanting aromas of the holiday season are a big part of what makes it such a festive time of year. Sugar cookies fresh from the oven, the sweet smell of peppermint, and the aroma of freshly cut evergreen are all holiday scents that can fill a home with cheer.
But other smells may not be quite as jolly. The typical kitchen gets a workout over the holidays, and your trash can, sink, and garbage disposal can start to smell decidedly Grinch-like after a while. Though most cooking smells are pleasant, empty not all are, which adds to the problem.
This medley of aromas can start to stifle the mood when “the weather outside is frightful,” preventing you from opening a window to air the place out a little. Here are some simple, easy ways to ensure visitors are greeted with fresh, clean, and inviting holiday scents.
Ways to Freshen Up Around the Holidays
To get your home (and everyone in it) in the holiday mood, there’s nothing like decking the halls with festive decorations and the soft, cheerful glow of holiday-scented candles. You’ll first want to ensure your décor has the best possible backdrop, so a little pre-holiday cleanup might be in order.
Winter follows autumn, and autumn brings pollen, dust, and leaf mold , which can be tracked in on shoes and clothes. The winter holiday season comes in the middle of cold, wet weather as well, and foyers and entryways may need a little TLC before you can spruce the place up.
Dust furniture and sweep or mop these areas to remove any residual dust, dirt, or grime. Apply a few drops of your favorite holiday essential oil blends on a dust cloth, broom, or outside of a vacuum cleaner bag to make your home smell fresher, cleaner, and more festive while you clean.
Holiday Scented Candles
Even with some dusting and cleaning, stale smells can still be trapped in your house. The ghost of Christmas Past is one thing, but phantom smells from Thanksgiving or Halloween can leave your home smelling more haunted than ho ho ho.
Lighting a candle or two can do a lot to eliminate any lingering odors—and holiday candle scents are a lot more cheerful than the ghostly aroma of old pumpkin or giblet gravy. Better still, holiday-scented candles often come in festive shapes and colors.
Candles that resemble Christmas trees, gingerbread men, and even red-and-white striped peppermint tapers or pillars can delight the eye and the nose equally, setting the mood while masking or eliminating outdated odors.
Getting Rid of Christmas Decoration Odor
Part of the ritual of decorating for the holidays is retrieving everything from strands of lights to tree skirts or centerpieces from attics, basements, or other storage. A little untangling or artful arranging may be all it takes to get these things looking festive, but they may have picked up stale, unpleasant odors.
To truly banish the smells of “auld lang syne,” you must remove them at the source. Odor eliminators like Fresh Wave Odor Removing Spray are just what you need. The active ingredients in these sprays don’t just mask unpleasant smells. They get rid of them by breaking down the chemical bonds between the molecules of which they’re composed. Best of all, they’re made from all-natural ingredients and nontoxic essential oils, making them safe for your home.
Eliminate Lingering Holiday Cooking Odors
The busiest room of the house during the holiday season is invariably the kitchen. All manner of good things come out of it, but you can’t make nog without breaking a few eggs. Kitchen refuse can leave your home smelling distinctly bah humbug, and these lingering scents can be some of the most challenging smells to be rid of.
A little strategic forethought is called for if you want your home to smell clean, fresh, and welcoming to visiting friends and family. Fresh Wave Odor Eliminating Gels placed near the source of potentially unpleasant smells can eliminate problem odors before they have a chance to dampen any spirits.
Tuck one away behind your kitchen trash or recycling bin, or place one under the sink to ward off any unpleasant aromas from garbage disposals or drains. They’re also great to place near entrances, fireplaces, and pet beds to keep your home smelling its best.
Holiday Essential Oils
We’ve already mentioned essential oils, but they’re worth returning to. A few drops of your favorite holiday essential oil blend on the underside of a table runner or the hems of any curtains or other window treatments can be a subtle way to fill your home with pleasant smells.
Pine-scented holiday essential oil sprinkled on a tree skirt is an excellent option for anyone using an artificial Christmas tree. It’s equally suited for wreaths made from dried or synthetic materials—place a few drops on ribbons, bunting, or on the material of the wreath itself.
If one of your New Year’s Resolutions is to get a head-start on next year’s decorating, a little forethought and preparation are all it takes. To ensure cloth or other decorations made from porous materials smell less like the inside of a box and more like the holiday, essential oils are key. Apply your favorite holiday essential oils to packing material or the inside of box lids to ward off unpleasant smells and lock in your favorite holiday scents.
A Fresh, Clean Smelling Home Year-Round
Whether trying to mask or eliminate unpleasant smells, enhance your holiday decorations, or just create an air of festive cheer, holiday-scented candles and holiday essential oils are great options. Combined with odor-eliminating gels and sprays, you can be sure your home smells fresh, clean, and inviting.
Most importantly, you can do it safely with simple, natural chemistry. Fresh Wave products are made from all-natural, plant-based substances like pine, clove, and cedarwood, making them nontoxic and safe to use all over your home.
Keep your home smelling bright and beautiful this holiday season—and beyond—with Fresh Wave odor-eliminating gels, sprays, and candles.
