23 Best Smelling Essential Oils for the Home: A Guide, Uses and Tips
There are so many best smelling essential oils for the home, it’s difficult to know where to start! So whether you are a floral girl, love your botanic and clean scents, or even are a little spicier, there will be oil here perfect for your DIY home fragrance collection!
So you can get started right away, here’s the quick takeaway list of best smelling essential oils for the home, a quick overview of their scent, and which rooms they work best in. That way you have a handy reference guide!
Then we can take a deeper dive into each oil to discover more about their scents, how they work and why they have made my shortlist!
| Best Essential OIl for The Home | Essential Oil Aroma and Scent | Best Rooms in Home for Diffusing |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender oil | French country flower garden | Bedrooms, snugs, relaxing areas, reading corners, living spaces |
| Peppermint oil | Minty, fresh, menthol, and zingy | Kitchens, bathrooms, home office, study areas, home gyms |
| Rose oil | Warm, slightly spicy rose bouquet, | Lounging areas, bedrooms, entryways, dressing rooms, home spa areas, bathrooms |
| Cinnamon oil | Spicy, warm fresh baking | Kitchen and dining areas, living spaces, entryways, bedrooms, bathrooms |
| Lemon oil | Citrus, cleansing, uplifting | Kitchens, bathrooms, studies and home office, dining room |
| Ylang-ylang oil | Exotic, floral, spicy | Bedrooms, home spa, bathrooms, a home sauna |
| Geranium oil | Light floral aroma similar to Rose | Home gyms, dressing rooms lounging areas, relaxing home spaces |
| Sandalwood oil | Woody, spicy, warm | Entryways, bathrooms, home spa, bedrooms |
| Bergamot oil | Light floral citrus | Living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, beauty rooms, dressing areas, |
| Nutmeg oil | Rich, woody, and slightly balsamic | Living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms |
| Sweet orange oil | Rich, sweet citrus scent | Living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, home study and office, snug, entryways |
| Spearmint oil | Light ultra fragrant mint | Studies and home office, lounge, kitchen, bathrooms |
| Chamomile oil | Freshly mown lawn, floral, herby | Relaxing areas, bedrooms, snugs, reading corners, garden rooms |
| Rosemary oil | Herb garden, herbal, balsamic | Home office, study corners, lounge, kitchen, dining room |
| Grapefruit oil | Summer citrus, slightly bitter | Kitchens, bathrooms, lounge, entryways |
| Clary sage oil | Floral, slightly spicy | Dressing rooms, snugs, bedrooms, home spa areas |
| Cedarwood oil | Lighter refreshing pine | Bathrooms, cloakrooms, boot room, home spa, kitchens, |
| Eucalyptus oil | Menthol and medicinal | Home saunas, bathrooms, boot rooms, |
| Neroli oil | Warm, slightly spicy, citrus | Beauty room, dressing rooms, entryways, bedrooms, bathrooms |
| Basil oil | Herbal, spicy, aromatic | Kitchens, social areas, dining room, living room, study room or home office |
| Pine oil | Clean, fresh pine | Bathrooms, boot rooms, home gyms, |
| Mandarin oil | Spicy, warm citrus | Home beauty rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, study, and home office |
| Frankincense oil | Medicinal, exotic, warm, spicy | Home meditation rooms, prayer areas, and spiritual corners of your home |
1. Lavender essential oil
Lavender oil needs absolutely no introduction when I’m listing the best smelling essential oils for the home! For reasons not only down to its beautiful floral and slightly herbal fragrance but also due to its nostalgia-invoking perfume!
Lavender is probably one of the most well-known scents of any oil and most recognized. Its flower garden aroma is relaxing and soothing and is used extensively in perfumes, home fragrances and even washing powder.
Lavender’s aroma conjures up a French chateau and English country garden along with its antiviral and immune-boosting properties. It also helps to promote a healthy environment in the home by fighting bacteria, viruses and other nasties according to scientific studies.
Lavender oil fragrance benefits in the home
One of Its best benefits as a fragrance in the home is its ability to reduce stress and promote relaxation – which is an important factor for maintaining good overall health for the mind and body.
This oil has a sweet and floral scent that is best known for its calming abilities, but it’s also great for keeping your home smelling super fresh and clean.
Lavender can also help fight feelings of sadness if diffused in the home or simply inhaled from the bottle.
Lavender scent might be pleasing to humans, but bugs in your home don’t like it quite so much! For this reason, use it in your diffuser to remove flies and deter other flying creepy crawlies.
Lavender oil smells beautiful when added to a diffuser and in DIY cleaning blends, pillow, room sprays and more! so do pop over to discover my specially curated list of Best Oils To Blend With Lavender
TIP: Combine 5 drops of peppermint essential oil with 5 of lavender and add to 100mL of water, add to your diffuser in a hallway to greet your guests!
2. Why Peppermint oil fragrance is one of the best in the home
The aroma of peppermint is unmistakable and brings a bright, zingy, and uplifting aroma to your DIY home fragrances!
Peppermint has earned its place as one of the best smelling essential oils for the home as its super minty and refreshing aroma fills your living, working, and relaxing spaces with its stimulating fragrance.
Peppermint’s minty aroma promotes clarity.
One of my favorite reasons for harnessing Peppermint’s clean and fresh aroma is for promoting clarity, increasing mental focus, and memory recall. It’s, for this reason, it’s perfect to diffuse in your home office or study space.
I also like to inhale its beautifully fragrant uplifting aroma if I can feel a headache coming on.
Peppermint essential oil releases its aroma best when diffused or vaporized. It cleverly purifies and cleanses your surroundings of bacteria and other impurities, while also leaving a fresh-smelling home!
To find lots of lovely peppermint oil recipes to make your home smell fresh and vibrant, head over for Best Oils To Blend With Peppermint, Recipes, And Blends
3. Rose Oil – One of the best smelling essential oils
No list of the best smelling essential oils for the home would be complete without Rose figuring highly! I really don’t need to tell you how beautiful rose oil smells!
Its beautiful floral bouquet is exactly what it smells like in your home. Like you’ve brought home a bouquet of fresh roses!
Mix 5 drops of rose oil, with 3 each of lavender and Rosemary along with 100mL of water in a diffuser for a gorgeous spring garden fragrance! Perfect in your boudoir, dressing room, or snug!
To find out more about using diffusers or to find out What Else You Can Put In Diffusers Besides Oil, pop over to my other helpful blog!
4. Cinnamon oil is beautifully fragrant for your home
Who doesn’t love the smell of a batch of freshly cooked cookies? Cinnamon oil is, without a doubt, one of the best smelling essential oils for your home!
It’s almost sensuous, spicy, oil has a slightly bitter undertone which works beautifully with citrus oils such as orange.
This gorgeous spicy and aromatic oil invokes so many holiday and fall memories and of course is on everyone’s list of oils to use in your home during the festive period.
I love adding a couple of drops of cinnamon oil and 1 drop of orange oil to a standard pillar candle ( let it burn for a few minutes first). Using a pipette drop 2 to 3 drops on the melting candle wax avoiding the lighted wick). And voila! Your own easy scented candle!
“Cinnamon oil is, without doubt, one of the best smelling essential oils for your home!”
5. Lemon oil’s bright citrus scent is perfect to scent your home
The smell of lemon is certain to lift the lowest mood or brighten a dull day! Lemon oil has a light, fragrant, zingy aroma which is used extensively in commercial home fragrance products and cleaning.
The bright citrus smell of lemons gives your home a fresh and ‘just been cleaned’ aroma! It has the added therapeutic advantage of being packed full of compounds that cleanse and purify.
Diffusing lemon oil at home has many therapeutic benefits
Diffusing lemon not only keeps your home smelling like a walk in a lemon grove, it also helps to support your respiratory system and it is shown by many scientific studies to help combat symptoms of flu and colds.
Combine 3 drops of lemon oil with 3 each of lavender and sweet orange. Mix in a diffuser with 100mL of water to create a fragrant, revitalizing environment. Perfect for the gym, office, or home office.
TIP: Lemon essential oil can also be used as a lemon juice substitute when used in cooking, along with Orange and Lime and oil. Find out more!
6. Ylang ylang oil – one of the best smelling oils to use in your home
Best known for its sensual, aphrodisiac-like fragrance, ylang-ylang essential oil has a gorgeous fragrance that brings life and joy into your home!
Ylang ylang is one of the most used oils in the perfume industry and is one of the main fragrance notes in Chanel no.5! So it’s not surprising that ylang-ylang makes it on my list of best smelling essential oils for the home.
Its delicate floral scent mixes beautifully with other floral oils such as lavender, rose, and geranium.
Mix ylang Ylang with floral and herbal oils in your home
Ylang-ylang works beautifully in diffusers and home fragrances too with the more balsamic oils such as rosemary, eucalyptus, and tea tree.
I love to mix ylang ylang ( 2 drops for each oil) eucalyptus and tea tree to diffuse in bathrooms in a ceramic burner.
One of my other go-to blends is mixing it with florals for a summer bouquet scent!
Discover more gorgeous home fragrances such as room sprays and diffuser blends in my other helpful article How To Blend Ylang Ylang and Lavender
“ylang ylang essential oil has a gorgeous fragrance that brings life and joy into your home!”
7. Geranium essential oil for home fragrance
Geranium oil scents your home with the aroma of a flower garden! Not only does geranium smell divine when diffused at home, it can also help balance a high metabolism.
This delicate scented floral oil when used in your home can also help to ease feelings associated with stress, tension, and depression. It is such a good all-rounder for home use including for fragrance, and wellness.
Fragrant geranium oil when used in the home is:
- anti-inflammatory
- antidepressant
- A natural sedative
- anxiety-reducing,
- muscle-relaxing
- circulation improving
- Good for fighting symptoms of respiratory illnesses such as coughs and colds
Diffusing geranium oil in the home before exercising may also improve your workout results with added energy!
To discover 30 Oils and Blend Recipes for Geranium oil, head over to discover DIY cleaning recipes, diffuser blends, and room sprays
TIP: Mix geranium 5 drops of geranium oil with 2 drops each of ylang-ylang and lemon oil. Add to your diffuser along with 100mL of boiled and cooled water. This gorgeous smelling diffuser blend brings flower power to your living spaces and home office!
“Not only does geranium smell divine when diffused at home, it can also help balance a high metabolism.”
8. Sandalwood essential oil
Sandalwood oil has been used for centuries in holistic medicine and aromatherapy. It’s spicy and woodsy scent is also used in many fragrances. This is why it just had to be on my list of best smelling essential oils for the home!
Not only is it best known as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory according to clinical research, but it’s musky scent is one of the best for relaxation and creating a calming environment.
Sandalwoods spicy fragrance is used in commercial beauty products
Its anti-aging proven properties mean it’s also used extensively in beauty and skin products.
It blends beautifully with other warming spicy oils such as Frankincense, ginger, and nutmeg. In a diffuser, those oils give your home a nostalgic festive aroma perfect for the holiday season!
TIP: Combine 5 drops of sandalwood oil, 3 each of frankincense, and 2 of clary sage with 100mL of water in your diffuser to discover a perfect blend recipe for your meditation rooms!
9.Bergamot essential oil
Bergamot essential oil has the scent of citrus crossed with the best Botanics! Its depth of fragrance makes it one of my go-to best smelling essential oils for the home!
Used extensively in many fragrant products, including Earl Grey Tea, and has a bright uplifting fragrance that’s perfect to use in home DIY cleaning blends, pillow sprays, and diffuser recipes!
Bergamot oil smells gorgeous in your home with therapeutic properties
It not only fills your home with the scent of a Mediterranean orange grove, it also has a wealth of therapeutic properties!
10. Nutmeg oil is one of the best smelling oils for your home
Nutmeg is an extra special favorite oil of mine for using to diffuse in my home study, bedroom, and living areas.
It’s such a versatile and gorgeous smelling oil with a rich deep woodsy and slightly herbal scent. I love to combine it to ‘temper’ some of the more floral-smelling oils, such as lavender and ylang-ylang. It’s a little like how gin and tonic works!
It adds a clean herbal smell to diffuser blends and I love it in a room spray!
Nutmeg room spray
Simply add 5 drops of nutmeg, 3 each of cedarwood and lavender to a 4oz spray bottle. Fill with water boiled and cooled to enjoy nutmeg’s balsamic clearing fragrance throughout your home.
It is also packed full of antioxidants and bacteria-busting power, so is also perfect for DIY home cleaning blends and helps to boost a flagging immune system.
Head over to another of my helpful articles and discover more of The Best Oils To Boost The Immune System!
11. Sweet orange essential oil
Along with the other citrus oils such as grapefruit, lime, and of course lemon, sweet orange is often referred to as one of the best smelling essential oils for the home!
Although aromas are down to personal taste, the uplifting zingy and fresh clean smell of citrus oils is always going to figure fairly highly on any list of best smelling essential oils for the home!
Sweet orange smells uplifting in home blends
Sweet orange is probably one of my most used oils for diffusing and in DIY home cleaning blends. This is not simply for its restorative scent, but also for its wealth of antioxidants, antibacterial, antiviral, and relaxing properties.
Head over to discover lots of gorgeous smelling Orange Oil Blends along with 30 oils and recipes to use with orange oil for you and your home!
Tip: Add 5 drops each of sweet orange, lemon, and rosemary oil to a 4oz amber spray bottle. Fill with boiled and cooled water. Use as a room spray in your study, bathroom, bedroom or anywhere you want to enjoy its bright citrus scent!
“sweet orange is often referred to as one of the best smelling essential oils for the home!”
12. Spearmint essential oil
Spearmint oil is right up there with one of my most used oils around the home. Its gorgeous light minty fragrance brings a much more subtle fragrance note to your home blends.
I often substitute spearmint oil instead of peppermint if I want to enjoy its lighter and more aromatic fragrance. This is because spearmint contains less menthol than peppermint
Spearmint oil is one of the best smelling essential oils for the home
I absolutely love using the cool, subtle mint aroma of peppermint in home room sprays and diffuser blends. Spearmint is perfect for diffusing in living spaces, kitchens, and bathrooms. It also works brilliantly in home DIY cleaning oil blends.
Its light herbal minty scent works beautifully when blended with nutmeg, rosemary, and any citrus oil.
“I absolutely love using the cool, subtle mint aroma of peppermint in home room sprays and diffuser blends”
13. Chamomile essential oil
Chamomile’s sweet mown grass aroma demands to be included on anyone’s list of best smelling essential oils for the home!
Its slightly floral, calming spring meadow scent is perfect to use in your home oil blends and recipes.
Not only does it smell amazing, it also is well known for reducing anxiety, dispelling excessive mind chatter, and promoting restful sleep. .
The scent of chamomile in bedrooms helps with sleep apnea
Chamomile is also well known for helping those suffering from sleep apnea.
So if you are a sufferer or a partner of a sufferer, and want to find out how to ease symptoms such as snoring, check out Best Essential Oils for Sleep Apnea to find diffuser blends, pillow sprays, and more!
Chamomile oil smells divine and is perfect to diffuse in your bedroom
When mixed with lavender, chamomile is super effective and smells glorious when diffused in your bedroom. It can help you relax while drifting off into restorative sleep.
Simply add 3 drops of chamomile and 3 drops of lavender to a cotton wool ball and pop into your pillowcase to help you drift off
If you want to discover more about whether you can Sleep With A Diffuser Switched-On pop over to find out the definitive answer!
14. Rosemary essential oil
Rosemary oil is also one of my most favorite oils which smells glorious in your home! It’s herbal botanical scent blends beautifully with other oils similar such as thyme, oregano, and basil.
However, it also adds a balsamic edge to floral or spicy oils to create fresh-smelling rooms anywhere in your home.
Rosemary’s aromatic properties cleanses your home
Rosemary has properties that aid study and concentration so is a perfect diffuser in your home office or study area. While it is helping you focus, its clean herby fragrance energizes you and supports concentration.
This super useful and aromatic oil also dispels bacteria and keeps air fragrant, while stimulating energy and physical harmony.
To discover more Benefits Of Rosemary in a Diffuser, head over to find out more reasons why rosemary is one of the best essential oils for the home!
15.Grapefruit essential Oil
Grapefruit essential oil has a gorgeous fruity light scent which is used extensively in home fragrances. So it’s not surprising that it’s made my list of best smelling essential oils for the home!
It’s perfectly suited for creativity and cleansing, so I love to diffuse it when I’m writing or in my crafting room!
Its light citrus aroma lifts moods, promotes happiness and well-being, along with increasing positivity and creativity!
TIP: Combine mandarin with your grapefruit essential oil to encourage alertness and energy throughout your day!
16.Clary sage essential oil
Clary sage essential oil has been used throughout history to stimulate hormones and enhance mood. Its floral aroma with a hint of warmth and Botanics means it’s earned its place on my list of best smelling essentials for the home!
This warm, musky scent can also be used for respiratory issues, stress relief, and depression.
Clary sage – one of the best smelling essential oils for the home
Clary sage is probably best known for its ability to balance hormones and increase levels of progesterone – stimulating relaxation and, again, reducing stress. It’s brilliant if you are suffering menopausal symptoms too when diffused.
It can be used to promote tranquility and restful sleep or in any areas, you would like to relax, such as a reading corner or your favorite snug!
Clary sage also helps with emotions of stress and anxiety, bringing a sense of relaxation and inner peace.
For some of my favorite Diffuser Blends For Calm and Relaxation, pop over for more help!
TIP: Place a couple of drops of clary sage oil on your feet before bed to aid rest and relaxation.
17. Cedarwood essential oil
Cedarwood has a gorgeous gentle pine refreshing scent which makes it one of the best smelling essential oils for the home!
It’s not quite as pungent as scotch pine or spruce oil which can be quite ‘medicinal’ smelling. I do use these oils in the home, however, for heavy bacterial removal such as cloakrooms and down loos.
Cedarwood oil’s pine scent deodorizers your home
Its lighter balsamic scent makes it perfect to diffuse in any rooms you want to clean, refresh and deodorize. I love how it blends beautifully with so many other oils to use all around the home!
To find out a list of other best smelling essential oils for the home which blend with Cedarwood, pop over and discover more! Cedarwood Blends Well with Tip: Add 3 drops of cedarwood with 1 of Eucalyptus into the bottom of your shower. Let it run for a few minutes and step in for a home spa experience!
18. Eucalyptus essential oil
So eucalyptus oil can be a little divisive when it comes to being offered up as one of the best smelling essential oils for the home!
This is because It does give a very balsamic and medicinal aroma which can be a little harsh on the nose if used in too larger quantities! However, adding a few drops to a warm running bath with a teaspoon of your favorite carrier oil can bring a ‘home spa’ feel to bath night!
Eucalyptus smells amazing when added to your home sauna
Eucalyptus is also perfect when added to coals for anyone lucky enough to have their own home sauna!
The best use for its scent is by bringing instant relief to anyone congested or suffering from flu symptoms. When diffused with peppermint its comforting aroma will help to clear blocked sinuses and bring relief.
Using eucalyptus oil in a diffuser also helps keep your home clean and fresh smelling. I prefer to mix it with a bright clean citrus oil such as lemon and orange to balance the scent.
Head over to my other helpful article with more information on How to Use Eucalyptus In a Diffuser and bring its clearing scent to your home!
“The best use for its scent is by bringing instant relief to anyone congested or suffering from flu symptoms “
19. Neroli essential oil
Neroli oil is a slightly less well-known oil but has all the uplifting aroma of sweet orange, bergamot, and other citrus oils. It’s one of my go to oils for home fragrances as it’s such a warm, spicy, welcoming scent!
Neroli oil smells beautiful when used for home fragrance
I often diffuse 6 drops with 1 each of cinnamon and nutmeg for a cozy festive scent in my entryway to welcome guests!
It’s used extensively in skin care and high-end fragrances. The Tom Ford one is a sneaky favorite of mine! so for this reason it’s always going to be on anyone’s list of best smelling essential oils for the home!
Neroli is one of my favorites to for adding to my skincare routine. Mainly because of scent and skin softening properties. It’s perfect to add to any of your favorite creams and moisturizes and smells divine when diffused in your dressing toom!
For more Ways to Use Essential Oils for Glowing Skin, take a look at my other helpful article
“It’s one of my go-to oils for home fragrance as it’s such a warm, spicy, welcoming scent!”
20. Basil essential oil
Basil oil has a gorgeous warm spicy herbal scent just like a warm Mediterranean evening!
However, it’s worth knowing oils such as basil and oregano are lovely to use to scent your home it’s worth knowing that less is more!
It can be easy to overdo basil scent so just a few drops added to a diffuser blend can help to restore that late afternoon slump, fight headache symptoms, and hit your memory banks for that sunny holiday in Italy!
A little-known fact about basil oil is that it promotes sociability, to perfectly diffuse in your dining room or social areas!
Basil is one of the best smelling essential oils for home fragrance
Its uplifting herbal scent can lift mood, helps boost the immune system, and also promote focus so perfect for diffusing in your home office or study. Especially if you are feeling a little under the weather!
To discover more ways to use basil and other oils to help revive and restore The Best Diffuser Blends For The Immune System has my favorite oil blend recipes.
TIP: Mix 3 drops basil with 5 drops each of lemon and sweet orange. Add to 100mL of water and diffuse in your dining room or social area for a warm welcome for guests!
21. Pine oil
Pine essential oil brings a sense of serenity and cleansing to the home. It has a woody, earthy scent that calms and soothes at the same time.
Its natural fragrance can help make you feel like you are on a mountain walk, no matter where you are in your home!
Use it in a diffuser by itself or with other essential oils which blend well such as cedarwood, lemon, and eucalyptus to create your own signature ‘home spa’ scent.
TIP: A super cheap way to enjoy the pure fresh smell of pine is to pop on a cotton wool ball in a muslin bag and hang on your radiator.
22. Mandarin Essential Oil
With a sweet, fruity citrus scent best known for its zesty aroma, mandarin essential oil is wonderful when diffused throughout the home during times of mental fatigue or sluggishness.
Mandarin’s bright citrus fragrance makes it suitable for all areas of your home! Especially perfect to enjoy diffusing in your beauty or dressing room!
Mandarins uplifting scent is one of the best oils to diffuse at home
I especially love mandarin oil when used in the morning to promote an uplifting fresh start to the day with the scent of fresh fruit to invigorate and prepare you for a busy day!
Mandarin brings a beautiful restorative scent to your home when added to a DIY Reed diffuser too!
Head over to discover Whether Reed Diffusers are Better Than Candles in one of my other helpful blogs!
23. Frankincense oil
Frankincense has a slightly medicinal smell but is also described as spicy, sensuous and exotic! It’s best known use is for spiritual ambiance.
It’s also known for its woody scent and is best diffused around the home within meditative or reflective spaces.
It can be used to create a calming, centering atmosphere in your home.
The aroma of Frankincense works in meditation or prayer areas of your home
The reason why Frankincense is one of the best smelling oils for the home is that it promotes feelings of mental clarity and relaxation, so it’s perfectly suited for meditation or prayer.
Use 3 drops of Frankincense, 2 each of rosemary and clary sage oil to a ceramic burner and diffuser in areas of your home used for meditation, prayer, or reflection.
The scent of Frankincense can also help those suffering from grief. For more Oils to Support Grief and Loss, discover more in my comforting article.
TIP: Finding good quality frankincense can be difficult, so be sure to purchase it from a reputable supplier.
And to finish on…
I hope you found this blog article helpful in deciding which oils smell best for use in your home!
Although scent and what is deemed ‘best’ can alter a little from person to person, I hope this is a handy guide that you can use in your DIY diffuser and other blend recipes.
Have fun experimenting and I’ve inspired you to create beautiful fragrant essential oil blends for everywhere in your home!
