5 tricks to make your house smell good all the time, according to experts

A good-smelling all-purpose cleaner can provide just the right amount of zip to help you get through your chore list. This spray from Method kills 99.9% of household germs and comes in energizing Citron, as well as Bamboo and Wildflower scents. 

When it comes to laundry, I've been loving this ultra-concentrated Seventh Generation soap, which holds enough formula for 66 loads in every compact bottle and has a measured, controlled spout to help minimize over-pouring or spills. 

The brand's fabric softener sheets, plus new laundry detergent sheets, offer other ways to infuse a fresh lavender scent without the use of any dyes or artificial fragrances.

If you're set on your laundry detergent, and just want to enhance the fragrance a bit, in-wash boosters and beads offer another way to lock in extra fragrance. 

This formula from Ensueno promises 13 weeks of long-lasting "Spring Fresh" laundry with every bottle, particularly useful when it comes to tackling sweaty or stinky sportswear.

Michelle Spitzer, cleaning expert and owner of MaidPro Naples, Florida, recommends "keeping a box of baking soda open inside the refrigerator to absorb any odors." 

Baking soda shakers are also convenient for sprinkling onto mattresses, as well as into laundry and trash cans, or around sinks and bathtubs as a way to deodorize while providing a cleaning boost.

You can skip the sprinkle by purchasing products, like these trash bags from Hefty, with a layer of baking soda protection built in. 

The brand also offers baking soda versions with fragrances, such as Citrus Twist, for another layer of defense — particularly helpful when it comes to trash cans that contain food that could be rotten.

These top-rated laundry detergent sheets from Arm & Hammer are formulated with baking soda, along with a fresh linen scent. Just tear half of a pre-measured, quick-dissolving sheet and throw it in your load. 

Not ready for laundry sheets? The Arm & Hammer line includes dryer sheets for those who want to stick to another laundry detergent but could use a little added odor control.

Clear the air with this hard-working disinfectant spray from Lysol, which promises to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses including Covid-19. "Lovely smell and works in killing germs in every room. Good price and size. Will buy again," wrote one of the spray's 8,000+ loyalists. 

We personally like the Fresh Lemon scent for the kitchen, and the Early Morning Breeze for combatting germs in the bathroom and kitchen — a household staple year-round but especially during colder months and holiday seasons when people are more likely to get sick.

For an air freshener sans disinfectant, Febreze is another good bet, with more than 13,000 Amazon reviewers backing the brand's Linen & Sky scent. "Refreshing, light air freshener," wrote one enthusiast. 

Febreze's lemon-centric Kitchen Odor Fighter is another popular choice for its ability to stop unruly kitchen odors in their tracks, while Caldrea's Sea Salt Neroli Linen and Room Spray is among our personal favorites. It's a bit of a splurge but it mentally transports us to a beach in Sicily ... and it lasts!

Turn any room into your own apothecary with this relaxing mist from Muse, infused with aloe, eucalyptus and lavender for a calming vibe. 

We especially like this for bed linens and towels. You can also spritz some on wool dryer balls, such as these best sellers from Handy Laundry Store, before using them.

No potpourri? No problem. Pourri's room sprays remove funky scents so well, it's as if they never happened in the first place. 

The pet-friendly formulations and sophisticated blends — including Fresh Air, Lavender Sage and Driftwood — work all around the house, including on linens. We also like the brand's smaller Poo-Pourri sprays for keeping things classy in the bathroom and while traveling.

This essential oils kit includes some of Derrick's go-to fragrances, plus orange, lavender and refreshing peppermint. A whopping 89,00 shoppers gave it a five-star rating, raving about the oils' strength and quality.

If you're in the market for a diffuser itself, this one from Asakuki is worth a look. It's a diffuser, plus a humidifier, with seven different mood lighting colors — and the streamlined design also has an auto-shutoff for added peace of mind. 

Choose from 300 ml., shown, or 500 ml. in a range of wood finishes and styles.

For an appliance-free — plus wallet-friendly — option, consider a reed diffuser. 

Sandalwood and Balsam & Cedar scents are calming, the Citrus and Sweet Cherry uplifting (with scents like Moroccan Amber falling somewhere in between). 

Luis Enrique Hill, an interior designer at Safavieh, loves placing diffusers in bathrooms to create a zen-like experience as clients are getting their day started or winding down. 

"My go-to Nest scent is Bamboo," he says "which provides an abundance of floral and lush green notes." 

For a less costly alternative, check out XCleen's Fresh Bamboo Reed Diffuser or Febreze's Bamboo Refills with Plug-in.

If you like the idea of a diffuser or incense but want a more natural fragrance, Christian Schulz, partner and design director at Studio Collective, and his wife are big fans of palo santo sticks. 

"We often burn a few each night when we get home from work to set our brains at ease and transport us to another place," he says. Luna Sundara works with farmers in Peru to ethically source its palo santo sticks. 

For easier handling (and added beauty!), consider splurging on this ceramic holder handmade by Peruvian artisans.

For a more rugged vibe, consider this soy candle, which has notes of bergamot, a citrusy scent that complements lavender beautifully. It's made with natural essential oils, so you know it'll smell authentic.

This charming soy-wax blend from Yankee Candle features notes of lavender, paired with citrus, for a scent that's equal parts soothing and uplifting. 

Burn it for up to 65 hours, and consider scooping up a few other colors/blends for different spaces (we like how the uniquely shaped jars also add another decor element).

If you have a little more to spend (or are looking for an elevated gift option), Neom's 100% natural, slow-burning candles are a worthy investment. 

I'm currently burning the Perfect Night's Sleep, a relaxing blend of lavender and jasmine, in my bedroom: I use it in conjunction with this lavender linen spray, while the brand's Happiness scent is my go-to spring scent.