Although candles are essential to the plain-to-hypnotic-home pipeline, we did some digging and found that having an aromatic living space goes deeper than lovely scented wax jars. So we wrangled 18 products that will have your space impressing olfactory systems day in, day out. From eco-friendly deodorisers to luxury cleaning products, scent bags to hang in your wardrobe and, of course, candles, the following picks will guide you to a good-smelling home.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by us. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, we may earn a commission.
Deodorisers
Sometimes, your best bet is to stop bad smells at the root. Damp, warm areas can be breeding grounds for unpleasant odours. Counteract this by placing dehumidifying deodorisers around your space or busting out odour-neutralising sprays for lingering pet stench.
Bad Air Sponge The Original, £29.22 £22.48
Despite its humorous packaging, the Bad Air Sponge takes its job seriously. According to on-site Amazon reviews, the absorbent neutraliser is “a terrific air freshener with a clean scent that works well” and is “worth the money”.
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Bad Air Sponge The Original Odor Absorbing Neutralant, $, available at Amazon
Angry Orange Citrus Deodoriser, £47.79
Pets — whether it’s because of litter boxes or wet fur — are some of the biggest culprits for unpleasant indoor odours. Fortunately, Angry Orange’s citrus-scented product deodorises any and all wafts of urine and animal waste in the home. You can use it on tiles, upholstery, rubbish bins, and more.
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Angry Orange Pet Odor Eliminator for Strong Odor, $, available at Amazon
Arm & Hammer Carpet & Room Pet Fresh Odour Eliminator, £16.93
Baking soda is the oldest trick in the book for getting rid of unwanted scents. Instead of rummaging around in your kitchen cupboards, open up one of these odour-eliminating packs that you sprinkle on your carpet and hoover up.
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Arm & Hammer Carpet & Room Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator – 30 oz, $, available at Amazon
Aromatic Cleaning Products
To add some extra oomph to your cleaning regimen, invest in a bougie surface cleaner. They get rid of the same germs as your tried-and-true £2 cleaner but leave lasting aromas for everyone to enjoy once you’re done tidying up.
Diptyque Multi-Purpose Cleaner With Vinegar, £32
Last summer, cult-favourite fragrance brand Diptyque debuted its first-ever cleaning line, which included this luxury multipurpose cleaner. After testing out the spray myself, I can attest to the sparkly sweet scent it left on my coffee table for days. Prepare for notes of lavender, cedar and fig tree to dance around your home.
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Diptyque Multi-Surface Cleaner with Vinegar 500ML, $, available at Diptyque
Norfolk Natural Living Multi Surface Spray, £12
With a limonene-derived degreaser, purifying orange oil and locally sourced, Norfolk lavender, this is a formidable foe against bad odours.
Norfolk Natural Living Multi Surface Spray, $, available at Norfolk Natural Living
Homecourt Steeped Rose Surface Cleaner
With a coconut-derived degreaser and purifying cypress oil, Homecourt’s floral cleaning spray is quite the formidable foe against bad odors. To top it off, it features a shocking 5-out-of-5-star rating across 92 reviews — meaning 100% of reviewers recommend this product. According to on-site reviewer Jennifer R., “The surface cleaner is perfect. The scent is amazing and lingers, leaving the kitchen and bathrooms with a great smell hours after use.”
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Homecourt Steeped Rose Surface Cleaner, $, available at Homecourt
Mrs. Meyer’s All-Purpose Peony Cleaning Spray, £4
If you’ve ever washed up with Mrs. Meyer’s popular hand soaps, then we need not explain why the brand’s spray made its way onto our list. For those unfamiliar with Mrs. Meyer’s intense ways, just know this highly saturated, cruelty-free formula will leave notes of fresh peony lingering throughout your home all day long.
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Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, All Purpose Cleaner Spray, Peony, 473ml, $, available at Amazon
Candles & Incense
Incense and candles (odour-removing or otherwise) won’t completely cure your home of unwanted wafts but they’ll enhance your space after it’s deodorised.
Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Home Candle, £55
There’s a reason why Jo Malone’s candles consistently make ‘best of’ and ‘editors’ favourites’ lists: in no time at all, they fill entire rooms with their delicious scents. This one is a brand bestseller. Notes of peppery basil, white thyme and lime bring a fresh, zingy energy to your home. Ideal for your big spring clean.
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Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Home Candle, $, available at Jo Malone
UmeIncense Point Lobos Natural Japanese Style Incense Sticks, £25
This 90-pack of incense sticks fills your space with the fresh, fragrant, green scent of wild cypress.
UmeIncense Cypress 100% Natural Japanese Style Incense Sticks, $, available at Etsy
SURPOINT Japanese Incense Pack Of 25
This 25-pack of 5-inch incense sticks emits your choice of either earthy sandalwood or spicy matcha.
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SURPOINT Japanese Incense Pack Of 25, $, available at Etsy
Diptyque Odour Removing Candle with Basil, £53
Another member of Diptyque’s upscale cleaning line is the Odour Removing Candle. Less expensive than its scented candle brethren, this specific formula, according to its on-site description, is “based on a technology that targets and eliminates the molecules responsible for unpleasant odours”— perfect for that post-meal, kitchen clean-up.
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Diptyque Odour Removing Candle with Basil 190G, $, available at Diptyque
Room Sprays & Diffusers
For those looking to freshen up a uni room or any rented space with strict no-fire rules, skip the smoke and head for the scented liquids. Plenty of aromatic fanatics opt for room sprays for an instant refresh while others prefer diffusers for around-the-clock good smells.
DedCool Room + Linen Spray Milk, £40
We fell in love with DedCool the moment our deals writer Mercedes Viera tested the brand’s trendy laundry detergent. So it’s only natural we jumped for joy once the fragrance brand launched its first-ever room spray. As a proud owner of said spray, I fully recommend spritzing it around your living space for crisp bergamot aromas complemented by sweet amber notes and a dash of musk. Even better, you can mist some on your clothes to delay the dreaded laundry day.
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DedCool Room + Linen Spray Milk, $, available at Dedcool
P.F. Candle Co. Golden Coast Reed Diffuser, £30 £24
Our diffuser of choice? P.F. Candle Co.’s apothecary-inspired Golden Coast. Albeit a subtle throw, its reeds will surprise you with earthy, eucalyptus scents throughout the day without lighting a single match.
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P.F. Candle Co. No. 21 Golden Coast Reed Diffuser, $, available at Naturisimo
Piglet In Bed Calming Room & Pillow Mist, £19
For a calm, inviting space, a truly restful night’s sleep and an improved mood, you can’t beat Piglet In Bed’s combination of organic lavender, frankincense and chamomile.
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Piglet In Bed Calming Room & Pillow Mist, $, available at Piglet In Bed
Brooklinen Happy Hour Room Spray
Brooklinen’s Happy Hour concoction not only produces a lovely cardamom-geranium fragrance blend, but it’s also said to provide “instant gratification,” and “spark creativity,” according to its on-site description.
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Brooklinen Happy Hour Room Spray, $, available at Brooklinen
Scent Bags, Sachets & Ceramics
Pop a scent bag, sachet or ceramic in your wardrobe and you’ll be greeted with enticing aromas every time you open the door. Plus, many will keep your clothes smelling fresh long after they’ve left the dryer.
Diptyque Ceramic for Wool and Delicate Textiles with Cedarwood, £39
What appears to be Diptyque’s famous logo come to life is in fact a white porcelain aromatic medallion. The ceramic perfumes wardrobes, drawers and homes to the max with warm, dense notes of cedarwood and crisp lavender.
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Diptyque Ceramic for Wool and Delicate Textiles with Cedarwood, $, available at Diptyque
LadyLettiesEmporium Lavender Linen Drawer Bags, £8.99
Open up your drawers to the inviting scent of lavender.
LadyLettiesEmporium Lavender Linen Drawer Bags Set 3, $, available at Etsy
ZemalaNatural Scented Sachets
An aesthetically pleasing soy wax sachet available in a myriad of aromas — citrus, pine, jasmine pineapple, and more.
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ZemalaNatural Scented Sachets, $, available at Etsy
The Master Herbalist Scented Wardrobe Freshener, £4.48
These English rose-scented bags keep wardrobes and homes smelling fresh and floral for several weeks.
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The Master Herbalist Scented Wardrobe Freshener, English Rose, $, available at Amazon
Rituals Wardrobe Sachet
These Indian-rose-scented bags keep wardrobes and homes smelling fresh and floral for up to eight to 10 weeks.
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Rituals Wardrobe Satchet, $, available at Rituals
Air Purifiers
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Consumer Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home declares that “no air cleaner or filter will eliminate all of the air pollutants in your home”, though many contain a filter for gases that emit odours. Nonetheless, it can’t hurt to have one whirring away in your space, destroying airborne bacteria or the occasional smelly gas.
Levoit Core Mini Air Purifier, £59.99 £49.99
A powerful air purifier needn’t cost you an arm and a leg. This one from Levoit is an Amazon bestseller with a 4.4-star rating and over 7,900 reviews, and is currently less than £50.
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Levoit Air Purifier for Home Bedroom, $, available at Amazon
Levoit Core Pet Care True HEPA Air Purifier, £119
If you have pets, it’s likely you need something stronger. This pet-centric purifier helps remove airborne pet hair, dust and other allergens in the home thanks to its powerful HEPA filter.
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Levoit Core Pet Care True HEPA Air Purifier, $, available at Amazon
Dyson TP09 Hepa Cool Formaldehyde Purifyer, £600
Dyson’s copper-hued purifier detects and destroys formaldehyde (among other pollutants) for allergen-free air. You don’t have to hide it away thanks to its sleek, unique design.
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Dyson TP09 Hepa Cool Formaldehyde Purifier, $, available at Argos
Molekule Air Mini+
Molekule’s Air Mini+ is FDA-cleared to destroy viruses and bacteria. According to the brand’s blog, its products’ PECO technology (as opposed to the more common HEPA filters) subsequently “eliminates odors by generating free radicals that break down all VOCs, including those that cause smell.”
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