I love a good fall candle, but why stop there? This season, I wanted my entire house to smell like fall, from the blankets coming out of the dryer to the kitchen counters and living room.
But layering fragrance throughout your home is an art. It takes more than using an assortment of room sprays, candles and diffusers and hoping the scents play nicely together. This year, I got strategic. I made it my mission to test some of fall's coziest fragrances and find the perfect pairings to make my home smell intentionally curated, not overwhelmingly scented.
I tried dozens of fall cleaning products, diffusers, room sprays, candles, laundry detergents and more to find the ones that made my home smell the coziest. Along the way, I also discovered which
fragrances work best together. These are the standout products and scent pairings I'd recommend for creating that same layered fall fragrance at home.
1. Wash your blankets in a fall-scented laundry detergent
Start with the things that hold onto fragrance: blankets, sheets, pillow covers and other washable textiles. Personally, I wash all my blankets biweekly so that they smell fresh. For fall, choose a scent that's recognizable, but not so overwhelming that you don't want to snuggle up with it.
For the holiday season, Gain has partnered with the Grinch to bring us a limited time laundry detergent with hints of pine and mint, making it perfect for transitioning from fall to winter. For a fresh citrus that could be paired with vanilla, Orange House offers a natural laundry detergent that's hypoallergenic and good for sensitive skin.
Buy Gain X the Grinch laundry detergent
2. Add a seasonal laundry scent booster
Don't want to swap your everyday detergent? A scent booster lets you bring a fall fragrance to certain loads. You have a lot more opportunity to play with scents here, as major brands like Gain and Downy all have unique scents for fall. Some of my favorites that make my laundry smell amazing include:
- Cuddle Weather by Downy: Hints of Chai tea and vanilla make this laundry scent booster equally calming and cozy.
- Gain Apple and Mango: Want something a bit more crisp? Gain's Apple and Mango Tango combines fresh citrus flavors for a scent meant to last.
- Laundry Sauce - Laundry Fabric Softener (Australian Sandalwood): This fabric softener is laundry luxury. It makes your clothes, blankets and sheets as soft as can be while leaving behind a woodsy scent.
3. Make your cleaning products smell like fall
I'm biased, because I believe that Mrs. Meyers owns the fall cleaning product space. I've been using their fall line for years, and my absolute favorite scent is Acorn Spice, but Apple Cider is a close second.
Every time I use these sprays and someone walks into my home, they comment. And not just a, "what's that smell." More often than not, people will immediately ask what smells so good, and whether I'm baking something because it smells that fresh. Unlike some scents on here, you can even mix and match Mrs. Meyer's cleaning sprays to get the ultimate fall vibe in your home.
Buy Mrs. Meyers fall scents cleaning sprays
4. Use a diffuser for steady background fragrance
A diffuser makes sense in areas where you want fragrance throughout the day rather than only when you're actively using a product. I've had a Pura diffuser since last fall, and love that I can easily switch out fragrances as the seasons change. For fall, my favorite scents are Simmer Pot, Cozy Cashmere and White Pumpkin.
With a Pura diffuser, you can set timers for when it's on, meaning you can set it for the times when you're home or expecting guests. I set mine to start diffusing right before I wake up in the morning so I can walk out to my living room and be met with a fall smell. I set it to stop as I leave for work, and then turn on again about half and hour before I get home.
Shop Pura diffusers and fall scents
5. Put plug-ins in high-traffic spots
Mrs. Meyers is back at it again with one of the best plug-ins you can get. You can buy fall scent kits in my favorite Acorn Spice, and it will keep your home smelling divine all day long. We have ours right in the entry way so that whenever someone walks through the door, they're met with a heavenly fall scent.
Shop Mrs. Meyers plug ins
6. Keep a fall room spray handy
Room spray is useful when you want fragrance quickly, especially just before company arrives or in the bathroom (if you know what I mean).
I've always been a fan of Poo~Pourri, and of course they have Pumpkin Spice in their product line. Put this in the bathroom and it will smell like fall instantly.
Find deals on Poo~Pourri Pumpkin Spice
7. Light a fall candle last
Once your home is freshly spritzed in fall scents, a candle is next on your list. It will keep the fall vibes fresh after the cleaning products have started to wear off. My main tip: you don't need to keep a candle running the entire time, but instead making it the candle on top of the cake, so to speak.
Rather than burning one continuously to scent your whole home, make the candle your final layer once you're settled in for the evening. Think beyond straight pumpkin, too: apple, cinnamon, vanilla, sandalwood, cedar, amber and fireplace-style fragrances can all read as fall.
My favorite is the Pine & Pillow Naturally Scented Beeswax Candle, a collaboration between Naturepedic and Fontana Candle Co. The MADE SAFE® certified candle blends crisp black pine and black spruce with softer notes of ho wood and vanilla, creating a warm, woodsy scent that feels just right for fall.
The fall scent combos that work the best together
The number one thing I learned while testing all these fall scents is to NOT go overboard. With so many amazing scents, it's too easy to get into the habit of mixing... but not necessarily matching. Instead of doing everything, try to keep it simple by choosing a theme that best fits your home and preferences.
For example, you might choose one of these three champion scent combinations.
Vanilla + orange: Warm and cozy
This is the softest, warmest fall profile and a good alternative for people who don't want their house smelling explicitly like pumpkin spice. It's best for anyone who wants a sweet fragrance that isn't overwhelming.
Layer it like this:
- Laundry: Cuddle Weather by Downy, with hints of chai and vanilla.
- Cleaning: Mrs. Meyers Clementine multipurpose cleaner for counters and high-touch areas.
- Room fragrance: With your Pura diffusers, use Simmer Pot for a citrusy scent.
- Finishing scent: Poo~Pourri Pumpkin Spice and a Luxury Vanilla Soy Candle by 96North.
Woodsy + pine: Crisp and outdoorsy
For a classic fall scent combo that leads you directly into the Christmas season, pine should be the center of your fragrance layer. Best for anyone who doesn't like things overly sweet, a good pine or mint can make your home smell fresh and homey.
Layer it like this:
- Laundry/textiles: Gain X The Grinch uses hints of pine and mint to make your linens smell crisp.
- Room/linen spray: Poo-Pourri Cypress Woods is the perfect last minute spray that will make your rooms smell fresh.
- Diffuser: Mrs. Meyers Iowa Pine diffuser set is best put in a high traffic area to make your home smell woodsy.
- Candle: Go warmer and woodier rather than adding another pure pine, the Pine & Pillow Naturally Scented Beeswax Candle by Naturepedic and Fontana Candle Co.
Apple + cinnamon: Quintessential fall
Apple and cinnamon are the definition of fall, and one that will instantly trigger autumn when guests walk through the door. This combination doesn't have to be overly sweet, especially if you lean into cinnamon more than anything else.
Layer it like this:
- Laundry: Gain's Apple and Mango Tango will make your blankets and linens smell like crisp apple.
- Surface cleaner: Apple Cider cleaning by Mrs. Meyers.
- Diffuser: Air Wick Essential Mist Diffuser Oil Refill, Apple Cinnamon Medley is about as close to fall as you can get.
- Candle: Yankee Candle Sugared Cinnamon Apple is a classic fall candle.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The best products for making every room smell like fall
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