Home Fragrances

[ICannotPlayBass]

Question:
Do you think that your home has a recognizable fragrance, aroma, or smell? If so, please share what it is, and why it is lingering. Also, do you recognize it, or would you expect a visitor to?

The reason for the question:
About a month ago, I stepped into my parents’ house, and I stopped halfway through my greeting to think, “Where is the flavored coffee smell?” This was odd since I grew up in the house, living there for 20 years, and neither of my parents drank coffee; however, they started a couple of months after I moved out. Apparently, I subconsciously noticed, and began to expect, the smell while visiting throughout the past year.

After I left, I started thinking about the smells in homes that I visited; the homes that came to mind belong(ed) to my grandparents’, my parents’, my best friends’ parents’, and the smoking friends that I have. The exception is an acquaintance that has a large dog, and I did/do not wish to think about it.

My answer:
It is not a sense of security, or a welcoming, but a set smell in a home provides me with something positive. I started burning fragranced oils about a week ago in an attempt to develop it, but I have quite a bit of circulation through my place. Now it smells like Satsuma, which I would describe as citrus.

Any responses are appreciated.
Kind regards.

 

[Twitch]

After long periods of closed door weather it's only natural that house and other buildings have stale air.

My favorite aroma is vanilla from the Glade oil thingy.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

A Golden Era tip for freshening up a home was to mix apples and cinnamon on the stove top. My Grandmother used to do this. It gave the house a wonderful apple pie smell.

Of course, it was also a little disappointing because there was no pie!

 

[Foofoogal]

I like this topic and will even try to make it vintage.
My grandpa who wore hats every day of his life and I have posted on here before dipped snuff. This has a distinct smell and until his home sold you could smell him on everything.
I have a friend who cries every time she smells L'air Du Temps Perfume as it was what her mother always wore.
No kidding when I say I have a better nose then the gas companies equipment. Several times their machines would not work but they ended up pulling meters or such as I found gas leaks. One time about 10 feet underground.
They say men respond to cinnamon.
As I can smell like a blood hound I am constantly spraying things to make house smell good. My latest is Glade Air Infusions apple cinnamon.
I do this since my honey smokes and I detest cigarette smoke.
The other night I saw a goofy new married show where the people had to find their wives blindfolded by smell. It works. Pheromones most definitely are real.
So to answer your question it is smoke, apple cinnamon and pheromones. lol
since my dog is now gone. Oh and pine sol the Texas cleaning secret. Always.

 

[pgoat]

Mine smells like new computer!

next to 'new car' or 'new bicycle', it's pretty sweet!


Of course, this is sometimes over-ridden if the cats have been at the litterbox with particular enthusiasm.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

When hubby's not there, mine smells like four pugs. Since some of you may be eating, I won't say what it smells like when hubby is there.
I got a Wisp air freshener free, and the only place I can find cheap refills is at the flea Markets of Marion, on my annual trip to Florida. Otherwise I use incense I get from KMart, of all places. I have used the spices in the glass teapot trick, but my gas bills are so high it's too expensive, darn.
My grandparents' house in Rome, Georgia smelled like a spice cupboard. They had an earth basement and every once in a while I come across that aroma, and I enjoy it. Reminds me of the pith helmet I wore fishing.

 

[kamikat]

I use apple cinnamon Glade plug-ins. I also burn incense on a regular basis, usually frankincense.

 

[Paisley]

If my house smells bad, it's usually because I need to clean the refrigerator. Otherwise, I either open a window or burn some incense.

However, my favorite dance place smells of coffee. Mmm.

 

[sweetfrancaise]

The other day, I walked into work (B&N) after being off for a few days, and that "new book" smell was there again. I've worked there for so long that I've gotten used to it, so the smell was refreshing! Made my job feel less common, even if it was only for a few minutes.

I've always noticed smells in other people's homes, some positive (like home-cooked meals or warm sheets) and others negative (not going to go there...), usually in those I didn't like to begin with lol .

 

[PS]

People always say mine smells like coffee and laundry. Which is fine by me, those are two of my favorite smells. But I always worry that it smells like my four cats or the 3 boys who live in the house. I always think someone is NOT telling me what it smells like because it smells bad. I always worry what the smell in my house is.
I hate to use commercial air fresheners because of all the chemicals.

 

[pgoat]

When hubby's not there, mine smells like four pugs. Since some of you may be eating, I won't say what it smells like when hubby is there.

goodness! What has hubby been up to?

 

[BegintheBeguine]

House-itosis

lol Not much showering! My water bill only went up by about two dollars for the 3 weeks he was here on leave. His excuse was that he hadn't been doing anything all day, and so wasn't dirty. Ew. His whole side of the family dislike bathing, washing hair, hands, faces and clothing. Ugh. Oh, but he did turn up the thermostat instead of putting on a sweatshirt over his t-shirt each day, costing an extra $3 a day! Yeepers! It's like having a bad child. Aw, I know I'm mean, but he has a couple of good points.
This thread is entertaining. It reminds me of how I got started watching the TV show Everybody Loves Raymond. The first time I ever watched it I tuned in right as he was saying "Oh I don't like them. Their house smells like feet!"

 

[pgoat]

that's so funny.

I noticed the last few weeks I needed two showers a day, due to the weather warming up and the heat still on full blast at work and esp. on the subway (crammed in with a bazillion other people and all with our coats on in a heated tin can....lovely. Pee-yew. )

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I'm very wary of those plug in things as I worry they are just vapourising chemicals into the air. Not so much a problem for me but for the kitties who are in more than me.

I have some highly scented "Yankee Candles" which I burn occasionally - they probably also have the chemical issue but I rarely use them so it's less of a worry. My current scent is Frosted Pumpkin, which is delicious.

 

[pigeon toe]

I was actually thinking about this the other day. Since I've been living in Europe, away from home, family and my boyfriend, I was wondering if I would notice those particular "smells" that you get used to when you're around them all the time.

When I first started dating my boyfriend, he had this wonderful soapy sort of smell that was on his clothes and skin, but I could never figure out what it was. Then after dating for 2 years and seeing each other quite frequently, it "went away". So I hope after a 6 month hiatus I'll notice it again!

In terms of houses, my dorm's kitchen smells like something caught on fire! My guess is that someone left a grilled cheese sandwich in the press a little too long...

 

[dhermann1]

Uhhh . . . . well, one of my dear kitty cats has decided she thinks the bath tub would make a better litter box than the one I provided, so I'm usually greeted with a certain wonderful aroma wafting at me when I get home form work. Needless to say that is the VERY FIRST chore to be done in the evening.
But I've just started using a new brand of soap called Mrs Meyer's Clean Day. The label calls it aromatherapeutic. I tried the geranium scent, and it's really quite nice. Once that other, err, uhh, aroma is eliminated, the soap seems to permeate the apartment. They also have lavendar, and one or two others. It's really quite pleasant.
For a nostalgic aroma tho, I'm reminded of a number of people I knew in the 50's who used good old pine incense. Very cabin-in-the-woodsy.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Poor dhermann1!
I am wary of burning stick incense after a spark flew onto one of my favorite cocktail dresses and burned a tiny hole. Of course I don't leave a room when a candle, stove, or anything is lit so I noticed it right away but it could have been much worse.
Seems like cone incense would be safer and I happen to have some of that pine stuff from the Vermont Country Store. Pine always smells so warm in the winter and cool and refreshing in the summer.
Funny, with a 70-year-old pine tree blown over in my back yard you'd think I'd be sick of the smell of pine.

 

[vintageTink]

I have a husband, two boys ages five and three, and a dog. So my house usually smells like flatulence.

 

[Gregg Axley]

I have a husband, two boys ages five and three, and a dog. So my house usually smells like flatulence.

I don't think I've seen that in a Yankee Candle scent yet.

I'm a Yankee Candle connoisseur by nature.
Mine smells like Fresh Cut Roses from Yankee Candle. It reminds me of a Glade flowery spray my grandmother used to use.
If it's not a floral scent, it's a "Clean Cotton" scent from a YK plug in.
Without those the house would smell like a Red Heeler, because the other dog (a Bedlington Terrier) doesn't really give off a scent at all.
I've found you have to change up the scents from time to time, so as not to build up a tolerance to them.
BTW another "old" trick is to use extract of vanilla on the light bulbs. Gives off a warm scent of vanilla.
Of course now days it's hard to find bulbs that burn hot enough to do that.

 

[vintageTink]

I don't think I've seen that in a Yankee Candle scent yet.

It's in Walmart special brand, Frankee Yandle.
It's called "Good Lord, What Did You Eat?!"

I made the mistake of wandering in to the Yankee Candle store with my sons. My elder promptly knocked a jar off the shelf to the fake wood floor.