Do you love the smell of perfume but don’t want to put any chemicals on your skin? Or maybe you’re looking for a more natural way to leave a fragrant scent on your clothes and wardrobe?
The importance of a naturally fragrant closet
We might not think about it too often, but the truth is that our clothes and wardrobe can start to accumulate some pretty unpleasant smells over time.
Whether it’s from our body odor, the detergent we use to wash them, or just musty scents from being stored in a closet, sometimes our clothes could use a little freshening up.
And while there are plenty of scented fabric sprays and perfumes on the market that can help with this, they often contain harsh chemicals that can be irritating to our skin or respiratory system.
And in my experience, they often leave me feeling nauseated or cause headaches through the day.
This is why I think a natural approach to perfume your wardrobe, is still the best way to keep it smelling fresh.
How do you make your wardrobe always smell fresh and inviting?
There are 3 things to note: prevent odor, deodorize, and ventilate.
When you do all these, you can move on to perfuming your wardrobe however you want.
Prevent odor in the first place
Avoid putting shoes in the same closet so that their smell does not stick to clothes.
Avoid putting clothes that are used even for a day inside the cupboard, and use an external hanger to hang these items on until you wear them again, or wash them before putting them in the cupboard.
Deodorize if there is unwanted odor in the wardrobe
Deodorize with milk
In the event that a foul odor suddenly spreads in the cupboard, boil a little milk and pour it into a cup, put it inside the cupboard and leave it until it cools, and you’ll notice that the stench has completely disappeared from the cupboard.
Deodorize with tea or coffee
Tie tea or coffee bags in hangers, or place a bag or two in a little organza bag and leave in drawers. These will not only help neutralize any odors, but also leave a pleasant, grounding smell.
Deodorize with baking soda
Place an open box of baking soda in your wardrobe. Baking soda is a natural odor absorber, so it will help to eliminate any bad smells. Just make sure to change the box every few months.
Deodorize with charcoal
Wrap pieces of charcoal and place them in the corners of the closet in perforated fabric to prevent it from crumbling inside the closet.
Charcoal prevents moisture from getting into the closet and keeps the smell of clothes and wood from musty smells associated with dampness.
Prioritize air flow or ventilation
Set aside another well-ventilated closet in a separate place from the wardrobe, or at least a separate shelf in the closet. This will be used for your too-clean-for-the-laundry but too-dirty-for-the-closet clothes, and also for dirty shoes and accessories.
Get in the habit of taking clothes out of the closet every so often, and placing them near the window so that they are exposed to the air and the sun, and this ensures that small insects and microbes that spread annoying odors do not spread.
How do you scent a wardrobe naturally?
Using scented sachets
One of the simplest and most effective ways to perfume your wardrobe naturally is to use scented sachets. Just place a bag or two in your closet or dresser drawers and they’ll help to keep your clothes smelling fresh.
You can purchase these online or at many home goods stores, or you can make them yourself using a small muslin bag and some dried aromatic herbs like crushed and dried cloves, rosemary, orange peel, or lemon peel.
You can also use dry flowers, ground musk, or aromatic candle pellets inside the bag. As the herb sachets dry, they will release their fragrance into the air, perfuming your clothes with a natural scent.
Leave a potpourri.
Another easy option is to leave a potpourri dish filled with scented herbs or oils in your closet. This will help to diffuse a pleasant scent throughout the space and can also act as a natural moth repellent. Just be sure to refresh the potpourri every few weeks to keep the scent strong.
Essential oil diffusers
If you want to perfume your whole closet or bedroom, using an essential oil diffuser is a great option. You can purchase an essential oil diffuser online or at many health food stores. Just add a few drops of oil to the diffuser and it will help to keep your whole room smelling fresh.
Use lava rocks or rice grains as diffuser
If you don’t have an electric diffuser, bring some lava rocks or a few grains of rice and sprinkle some drops of your favorite essential oils or perfume on it.
You can put it in cloth bags or in small bowls and distribute it in different places in the cupboard, this method keeps the smell of perfume in the cupboard for long periods.
Make a Natural Linen Spray
Another great way to keep your clothes and wardrobe smelling nice is to make your own natural linen spray. This is very easy to do and only requires a few ingredients that you probably already have in your home.
You’ll need:
-a small glass spray bottle
-distilled water
- vodka or rubbing alcohol (this helps the scent to last longer)
- perfume or essential oils of your choice (I like using lavender or lemongrass)
Just mix all of the ingredients together in the glass spray bottle and give it a good shake. Every week or two, mist your clothes, sheets, or anywhere else that could use a little freshening up.
Use scented drawer liners
You can purchase these scented sheets of paper online or at some home goods stores, or you can make them yourself by soaking some plain tissue paper in a mixture of water and essential oils.
Just line your dresser drawers with the scented sheets before arranging clothes in it to help keep your clothes smelling fresh.
Burn a scented candle or incense in your wardrobe.
If you want to perfume your wardrobe quickly, and with much more intensity, you can always burn a scented candle or some incense in it.
The smell of the incense will permeate the clothes, as long as you use a good type of incense. This will help to mask any unpleasant smells and leave your clothes smelling nice for a long time.
Place the incense or oil burner under the cupboard where you hang your clothes, leaving the doors open for a while. Before closing the door, be sure to blow out the candle or incense so that there’s no risk of starting a fire. The lingering fragrant smoke should stay on your clothes.
Leave a scented cube, soap or candle
Put fragrant cubes, scented wax cubes, musk cubes, or pieces of facial soap with a beautiful strong scent that you like. The fragrance will circulate inside the cupboard and leave a soft and natural scent in your clothes.
Can you use your own body fragrance to scent your wardrobe?
Yes, perfuming your wardrobe is a great way to make your clothes smell nice and scented without having to wash them all the time. You can use your own perfume, or essential oils to scent your wardrobe naturally.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when perfuming your wardrobe:
Make sure the perfume you’re using is alcohol-free. Alcohol can dry out fabrics and damage them over time.
Don’t spray directly onto clothes. Spray into the air and let the scent settle on the clothing. This will help to prevent any staining.
Do a patch test first. Spray a small amount on an inconspicuous area of the clothing to make sure it doesn’t cause any staining or damage.
Use scents that are appropriate for the season. In the spring and summer, use lighter scents like citrus or floral. In the fall and winter, heavier scents like vanilla or musk are more appropriate.
How do you put perfume in your closet?
Here are a few ways you can create a scented wardrobe with your body fragrance:
When storing clothes:
Sprinkle your favorite perfume or a long-lasting oil perfume on some tissue paper, and place it between the folds of your clothes.
You can also buy wet wipes and let them dry completely, then spray them with your favorite perfume and put them between clothes. Otherwise, scented dryer sheets work well too.
Every once in a while, you can spray your perfume again on the tissue to reuse it, so your perfume will smell from the clothes and will last for a long time.
Take out all the undergarments from the closet and mist it with a solution of fragrance and rose water, then let it dry before putting it back in the drawer.
When washing clothes:
Spray a little of your perfume in the washing machine on the last rinse cycle, or put a few drops of your essential oil or your favorite perfume.
When ironing clothes:
When ironing out the wrinkles in your clothes, you can use your DIY linen spray or your water-perfume solution to mist the clothes with.
When cleaning the wardrobe:
To create a fragrant cleaning spray, you don’t need any fancy ingredients, just a bit of perfume and some plain old water (or your regular cleaning solution recipe). Simply mix the two together, put in a spray bottle, dampen a cloth, and wipe down surfaces like drawers, shelving, and the interior of your closet or dresser. The result? A gorgeously scented wardrobe that feels extra clean.
CONCLUSION
There’s nothing like the feeling of opening your wardrobe and being greeted by a beautiful, scented floral fragrance.
It’s easier than you might think to create your own scented wardrobe!
Just use a bit of dried herbs, natural fragrance oils, or even your own body perfume to make your space feel clean and special. It’s a simple way to add a touch of luxury to your everyday life.
Don’t forget to ventilate your wardrobe regularly so that odors don’t have a chance to build up. Order and cleanliness are important, but so is ventilation.
With these tips, you’re sure to have a sweet-smelling wardrobe in no time!
