We all want a house that is fresh, clean, soothing, and inviting. After all, our house is where we sleep and spend a lot of our free time and precious moments with family and friends. Part of what makes a house a home is its general atmosphere, including its scent. Do you feel surrounded by people and things that you love and enveloped in an understated but present ‘homey’ scent? Or is “gee, I really need to take the trash out” the only message your nose receives upon coming home?

Whether your home has ongoing odor issues or could just use its own signature scent to elevate its aura, lavender is an excellent option for use throughout your home.

What is lavender and why does it smell so good? 

Lavender is an evergreen shrub related to the mint family and is characterized by its deep purple flowers. The lavender plant has a rich history, dating all the way back to ancient Egypt when it was used in the embalming tradition. Primarily native to areas located around the Mediterranean Sea, today it has spread to virtually every country. Its name comes from the Latin word - lavare -  which means “to wash,” as it was used in baths and other cleansing rituals as far back as the Roman Empire. Throughout the centuries, lavender has been used in perfumes, medicines, and beauty products. Clearly, lavender has long been recognized for its incredible scent, but what is the reason behind its frequent use and popular fragrance?

 

Certain parts of lavender’s biological makeup is responsible for its unique scent. Organic compounds known as terpenoids are present in lavender and give it its unique scent. This was included in the plant’s design to attract pollinators and repel herbivores but has the additional benefit of producing a pleasing aroma for humans to enjoy!

Beyond its alluring scent, lavender offers a great deal of additional benefits! These include reducing anxiety, improving sleep, helping with skin issues, easing blood pressure and even reducing asthma symptoms. These only make the decision to add lavender into your house easier!

How do I make my house smell good with lavender?

Now that you are aware of lavender and its benefits, you’re ready to add it into your home. Luckily, there are a multitude of ways to incorporate lavender’s delightful scent into your house.

Add a lavender bundle anywhere within your home. 

The beautiful thing about a lot of these strategies is their simplicity. This first one starts off strong in the simplicity category; all you need to do is purchase a lavender bundle and find a place to display it in your home. This could be in a vase on the kitchen table, on a bookshelf, or on top of your bedroom dresser…or all of the above! Not only will it smell good, but it provides aesthetically pleasing decor and solves the problem of looking for a table centerpiece whenever you have guests coming over.

Burn a lavender candle. 

Sometimes the best way to fill your home with a scent is to burn a candle! There are plenty of lavender-scented candles available for just this purpose. Not only will a candle spread the scent of lavender, the flame itself also provides a calming and homey effect.

Add lavender buds to small spaces to infuse a fresh smell. 

You may not be familiar with lavender buds, but they are just what they sound like: the dried-up buds from a lavender plant still replete with its lovely scent. Lavender buds come in small sachet bags and are perfect for drawers, closets, and even laundry baskets (it’s best not to throw them in the washing machine though). Not only are they small, inobtrusive and easily portable, they also fight against smelly or musky odors in the places you need it most! 

Add lavender-scented soap to your kitchen and bathroom sinks.

Here is another simple yet effective one! To add the fragrance of lavender into your home, simply switch out your soaps for lavender-scented soaps. When you wash your hands, you will get to enjoy the smell of lavender and reap its benefits!

Create your own lavender room spray.

Here we have an opportunity for a DIY project! Lavender room spray can serve as a natural air freshener and by making it yourself, you can bypass some of the chemicals present in standard air fresheners. To make a 16 ounce room spray, you’ll need: 

1. 25 drops of lavender essential oil
2. 2 cups of distilled water
3. 3 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol. 

For good measure, you can add in lavender buds, but it’s not required. 

Simply mix the three liquid ingredients together, adding the essential oil drops gradually, and then funnel into the spray bottle of your choice. 

You can use the room spray to freshen up your entire house or to target specific areas like making your pillowcases smell extra fresh for a good night’s sleep. It’s up to you!

Grow a lavender plant. 

This one will require a little more elbow grease than the rest of the tips, but a surefire way to have a lavender scent in your home is to get an actual lavender plant! Not only are houseplants great decor, having living plants in your home has been linked to a number of benefits for your physical and mental health such as reducing stress levels and improving productivity. For more information on how to care for a lavender plant, check out this article from the Smart Garden Guide.

How long will the lavender scent last in my home? 

Now that you are adding lavender into your home, your next question is likely, “How long will this last?” The answer is that it depends on which method you are using. When it comes to a lavender bundle, you will typically have the scent in peak condition for around a month before it begins to fade away and be in need of replacement. In terms of a candle, soap, or room spray, the scent will remain as long as the product remains and isn’t used up. With items such as the lavender buds, their longevity mainly depends on the individual location in which they are stored; however, they should last roughly six months before beginning to lose their natural fragrance. Of course, the beauty of a lavender plant is that it will have its scent for as long as it lives. Therefore, the longevity of the lavender scent depends on which strategies you use to add lavender into your home and should be taken into consideration as you brainstorm.

As you look to add the scent of lavender into your home, consider shopping and purchasing from Self-Care Shower. At Self-Care Shower, we offer a variety of lavender products from a dried lavender bundle to a dynamic duo bundle consisting of lavender and eucalyptus! We also offer lavender buds, soaps, and essential oils. No matter what you choose, you can bring lavender into your home with a Self-Care Shower lavender product, sustainably hand-picked and grown in the United States!

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