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I like to dab essential oils (Lavender) on my duster when I dust, because I like the smell and it relaxes me because it is a spa-like scent. I don't like perfume-y or chemical smells, but this is something I do routinely because it pleases me. The smell dissipates after dusting, so it is not a constant like a plug-in would be. I am not looking to sell, but just wonder if this is an acceptable smell compared to the plug-in thing (thinking more on the lines of guests, etc.). I like it and I'm not covering anything up, but just wondering how others might react the the scent.
Interesting that the person from the San Francisco area, and the person from New Hampshire, would know the difference between natural and artificial fragrances, while the rest of America seems oblivious to the difference. Both the Bay Area and New England are noted for their wealth of desirable people - smart people - enlightened people. The foodways are better in the better areas, as are other approaches to everyday living - including the use of scents, and the avoidance of harmful scents/pesticides/herbicides/enzyme detergents.
Which leads me to an important point. Different 'scenting strategies' work for for different social classes (even out in the Heartland) - and yea - even for different ethnicities.
If you are going to be selling your house to people who enjoy firing-up a Fattie (a Blunt - a hollowed-out cigar, filled with 'weed', and then dipped in formaldehyde), while they're whipping up a batch of Meth; who consider 'Cooking' and 'Frying' to be synonyms; who enjoy dressing their many children in the latest hot pink WalMart fashions, and going outside to smoke a cigarette and play with their Pit Bulls... THEN BY ALL MEANS, you should have a 'Plug-in' in every room!
And if you are marketing to Polyester Blazer Republicans; who drive their puffy-faced offspring to baseball practice in ugly silver minivans; who are into 'Extreme Couponing'; who always use enzyme detergents; spray germicides all over every surface; never miss an opportunity to spray Roundup or Raid, whenever a weed or a bug is spotted; and who wonder why their children turned out slow/allergic/afflicted/ugly/obese, then, again, I definitely think that 'Plug-ins' are the smart way to make a home smell 'right'. For that demographic, the presence of plug-ins will create a familiar, "homey" smell. Keep repeating, "We don't believe in all that 'toxic' Jazz!". Repeating this talismanic phrase will keep you safe!
At the other end of the spectrum, if you are marketing a home to the crème de la crème , while the home is still occupied, then you should absolutely eschew all artificial fragrances, and instead do the sorts of things that aristocrats do, to have their homes smell so heavenly. I'm not going to give away trade secrets, but don't think it would be too traitorous to mention that it's nice to have a big bowl of good, all-natural, potpourri sitting about. Also, I think it's obvious to include a bowl of fragrant apples, a bowl of lemons, and a vase of fragrant flowers.
I think it's obvious to include a bowl of fragrant apples, a bowl of lemons, and a vase of fragrant flowers.
I hate Glade the way you hate pit bulls, Gloria (not that I'm a pit bull fan, either). If I want to make my place smell nicer, I like to stud lemons with cloves, and leave them in a bowl. It only lasts about a week, but it makes a nice impression when you have people over and they use the bathroom. It smells nice in the kitchen, too. And no stenchy chemicals.
Interesting that the person from the San Francisco area, and the person from New Hampshire, would know the difference between natural and artificial fragrances, while the rest of America seems oblivious to the difference. Both the Bay Area and New England are noted for their wealth of desirable people - smart people - enlightened people. The foodways are better in the better areas, as are other approaches to everyday living - including the use of scents, and the avoidance of harmful scents/pesticides/herbicides/enzyme detergents.
Which leads me to an important point. Different 'scenting strategies' work for for different social classes (even out in the Heartland) - and yea - even for different ethnicities.
If you are going to be selling your house to people who enjoy firing-up a Fattie (a Blunt - a hollowed-out cigar, filled with 'weed', and then dipped in formaldehyde), while they're whipping up a batch of Meth; who consider 'Cooking' and 'Frying' to be synonyms; who enjoy dressing their many children in the latest hot pink WalMart fashions, and going outside to smoke a cigarette and play with their Pit Bulls... THEN BY ALL MEANS, you should have a 'Plug-in' in every room!
And if you are marketing to Polyester Blazer Republicans; who drive their puffy-faced offspring to baseball practice in ugly silver minivans; who are into 'Extreme Couponing'; who always use enzyme detergents; spray germicides all over every surface; never miss an opportunity to spray Roundup or Raid, whenever a weed or a bug is spotted; and who wonder why their children turned out slow/allergic/afflicted/ugly/obese, then, again, I definitely think that 'Plug-ins' are the smart way to make a home smell 'right'. For that demographic, the presence of plug-ins will create a familiar, "homey" smell. Keep repeating, "We don't believe in all that 'toxic' Jazz!". Repeating this talismanic phrase will keep you safe!
At the other end of the spectrum, if you are marketing a home to the crème de la crème , while the home is still occupied, then you should absolutely eschew all artificial fragrances, and instead do the sorts of things that aristocrats do, to have their homes smell so heavenly. I'm not going to give away trade secrets, but don't think it would be too traitorous to mention that it's nice to have a big bowl of good, all-natural, potpourri sitting about. Also, I think it's obvious to include a bowl of fragrant apples, a bowl of lemons, and a vase of fragrant flowers.
I am going to have to agree with you, even though I didn't want to say it because I am sure we will both be flamed.
Plug ins are simply low class.
If you want a vanilla smell in your home, put a couple real scraped vanilla beans in a bowl or on a tray. If you want pine, throw some pine cones in a bowl. If you want a rose smell, roses in a vase. Citrus? put a lemon down your garbage disposal. Coffee? Brew a pot of coffee. Cinnamon? A bundle of cinnamon sticks somewhere. Etc, Etc.
Plug-ins align you with people of past generations who had those crochet skirted dolls on their extra toilet paper. Or black velvet art.
If you present yourself as low class, your home subliminally comes off as low class even if its an otherwise lovely home.
When our house begins smelling funky -- it happens in every house from time to time -- I launder all the linens and check the shoes. Truth be told, it's almost always the shoes in a house with teenagers. Oh, who am I kidding? A whiff of just one pair of ripe shoes from my son's room could scare off the most intrepid of guests. A buyer would run screaming. Seriously, though, odors most often arise from pets, kitchen garbage bins, and laundry. Keep those clean, and you won't need an air freshener.
Cooking can also be the problem especially if you made fish the night before a showing......
I am going to have to agree with you, even though I didn't want to say it because I am sure we will both be flamed.
Plug ins are simply low class.
If you want a vanilla smell in your home, put a couple real scraped vanilla beans in a bowl or on a tray. If you want pine, throw some pine cones in a bowl. If you want a rose smell, roses in a vase. Citrus? put a lemon down your garbage disposal. Coffee? Brew a pot of coffee. Cinnamon? A bundle of cinnamon sticks somewhere. Etc, Etc.
Plug-ins align you with people of past generations who had those crochet skirted dolls on their extra toilet paper. Or black velvet art.
If you present yourself as low class, your home subliminally comes off as low class even if its an otherwise lovely home.
"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Blondy again."
I'm sure someone has said it by now - haven't read all 7 pages - but those things aren't exactly healthy. And they can be fire hazards. Just sayin'. We pretty much can't stand them.
My girlfriend and I were looking at model homes. There was a stone pathway from the first, to the second, to the third house. So we followed the pathway and after looking at the first two models, walked up and entered the third "model home.". We opened the door and walk in. Something wasn't right. Standing in the foyer, we hear Little Wally polka music playing, a partially furnished living room in disarray, with a Hamtramck style lamp on a table, and then realized we were smelling fresh Polish kielbasa cooking. First, I thought "yum!"...then I thought "Yikes! We have walked into somebody's house!" Apparently not a model anymore. We promptly left. These was model homes in Shelby Township just off of 25 Mile Rd on one of those lakes. We chuckled over that experience for years.
This made me lol. Did they catch you? That reminded me of the time my sister & I went to a "yard sale". While handling their stuff, they told us they were just cleaning out the garage. I'd love your secret to cover up cig smells.
If you're so "fragile" that a glade plug-in will send you into a spin, you should only be looking at new builds. My costco store has 2 pallets of plug-ins on the floor, because lots of normal (non delicate) people enjoy them.
I think they're disgusting and can not bear to be in a house that has them....they literally make me sick (migraine, or sinus issues). I was a realtor and could not show houses with them.
I agree with the OP, do NOT have them in your home if you're selling.
On a side note I believe they're carcinogenic.
Last edited by adventuregurl; 04-09-2016 at 05:28 AM..
Eh, associating class with plug in usage is going off the deep end.
Due to the charity events I've been involved in organized, I have been in the homes of several wealthy people. None have plug-ins. Ditto the homes of our upper middle class acquaintances.
They don't use contact paper for the kitchen backsplash, their counters aren't crowded with toasters, coffee makers, blenders, boxes of cereal, loaves of bread.... don't have dusty plastic flower arrangements sitting around, don't have pictures of dogs playing poker on the walls, don't leave their toilet plungers in plain view or their BMWs sitting on blocks in the front yard.
There are scented candles, vases of flowers, and instructions to the housekeeping staff (overheard) to wipe down the bathrooms with citrus scented cleaning wipes, but Glade plugs-in? Oh, but no.
They have housekeepers that keep things spiffy, so perhaps that's why they've no need for artificial air fresheners.
Those who want to get the highest price possible for their homes try to make it appear as if it is a bargain, i.e. buyers are getting a much classier home than they are paying for.
Aside from the carcinogenic business and the suspicion that the plug-ins are covering up something besides poor housekeeping, plug-ins create an impression of a lower-class home.
Not that this is a bad thing. If that's your target audience and you want them to feel at home, go for it.
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Did they catch you? That reminded me of the time my sister & I went to a "yard sale". While handling their stuff, they told us they were just cleaning out the garage. 
I'd love your secret to cover up cig smells. 
