5 Underrated Ways to Use Room Spray That'll Fragrance Your Home Properly, for Longer, and Are Super Easy to Do

Don't waste your spritzes! Follow these professional tips to make the most of every spray

a shelf with a plant, picture frame, and jo malone candle and room spray
(Image credit: Luke Arthur Wells)

Considering the fact that I'm highly picky and spend good money on my home fragrances, you won't catch me wasting any of my products. Especially my home sprays, since they tend to be some of the stronger perfuming mediums in my collection.

So, take it from me, in order to make your home smell good, it's essential to properly understand how to use your room spray. It's not as simple as a spritz here and a spray there — there's more to making it last longer and actually impact your ambiance.

These five tips to follow will ensure that your home is well-perfumed and ready to make a great impression through scent at any given moment.

1. Don't Just Spray the Air

A mustard-brown living nook with a large colorful painting, a beige wall sconce, under-seating storage baskets, a maroon pouffe, a striped coffee table, stacks of books, a yellow table lamp, a vase of purple hydrangeas, and a candle

Utilizing the soft furnishings in your home is an untapped avenue of room fragrance.

(Image credit: Lisa Cohen. Design: Kim Kneipp)

Marissa Mosseri, co-founder of Set The Mood, tells me that just spraying the air is not actually the best way to go about fragrancing your home. "Soft textures like curtains, rugs, and throw blankets hold onto scent beautifully and offer little surprises of scent throughout the day," she notes.

David Aspinall, co-founder of Chase & Wonder, also finds that room sprays work best when they land on soft furnishings rather than disappearing into the air. "Our sprays, like The Tuscan Sunset, use perfumers’ alcohol, the same base in fine fragrance, which allows the scent to disperse instantly, settle cleanly, and last for longer without residue," he says.

"A light mist over curtains, cushions, or even lampshades helps the scent cling to fabric and release slowly. The caveat here is to avoid delicate materials like silk or untreated wood, but otherwise, let scent become part of your home’s texture."

Marissa Mosseri

Marissa is the co-founder of Set the Mood, a company where they develop signature scents and scenting programs that help brands create immersive, emotionally resonant spaces.

David Aspinall

David Aspinall is a co-founder of home fragrance brand Chase & Wonder. Alongside his wife, Faye Aspinall, he helps design every product from scent to container and even the illustrations plastered across packaging.

2. Layer, Don't Clash

A powder room with a green marble basin, bronze hardware, wallpaper, a black sconce, and a colored mirror

Bringing different but compatible fragrances together will take your ambiance to the next level.

(Image credit: Erik Bernstein Photo. Design: Jessica Gould)

"Think of fragrance as you would color or fabric — layering creates richness. If you already have candles or diffusers, then it's best to choose a room spray that complements them," says David.

"When scent-layering at home, I find that any matching or harmonizing fragrance family works beautifully. By mixing in a blend of notes, the aim is to create flow, not competition."

And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can always engage in smellmaxxing through room sprays. This will help you layer scents to create a bespoke fragrance cocktail that speaks to the overall vibe of your home, or the varying ambiance of each room.

3. Target the Right Zones

An open kitchen and dining room with black and gray bar stools, a textured vase, a round table with geometric chairs, and sheer textured curtains

Hitting the high-traffic spaces with a couple of spritzes will make all the difference.

(Image credit: Timothy Kaye. Design: Mckimm)

"Scenting a space completely changes the mood and atmosphere, depending on the fragrance chosen. It's similar to how you would choose an outfit, makeup, or accessories," says Amanda Morgan, managing director of Diptyque.

"As another way to allow your personality and how you’re feeling at that moment to be reflected. Whether it’s an uplifting or a more calming scent, fragrance is a crucial element of the sensory experience that enhances the overall ambiance through moodscaping."

However, it's just as important to target your room sprays at the right spaces, too. "Start with the rooms that define your day," says David. "A few sprays in hallways and stairways can help scent move naturally through the home, creating a welcoming sense of continuity. In smaller rooms, like a bathroom or study, one or two mists are usually enough."

Amanda Morgan

Amanda Morgan is the managing director of Diptyque, a renowned fragrance company famous for scented candles, room sprays, reed diffusers, and other perfuming formats.

4. Mist Post-Reset

A beautiful living room with a green sofa, a curved wood coffee table, a large floor lamp with a rugged white shade, a vase of flowers, a stack of books, and a bowl

The finishing touch to your freshly cleaned home should be a spritz of your favorite room spray.

(Image credit: Eugene Shishkin. Design: Tim Veresnovsky Studio)

You might be wondering if there's a right time to perfume your home with room fragrances. And while it's not quite about waiting for a certain time of day, Marissa tells me that there's definitely a good time to treat your home to a spritz.

"I recommend misting your home with room sprays right after you finish cleaning. Refreshed fabrics and surfaces absorb scent better, so this will help the scent last longer and feel fresher," she notes.

So if you're planning to reset your home for autumn or you're working through your household cleaning schedule, then take this tip to heart and reward yourself and your space with a lovely perfumed atmosphere for a job well done.

5. Less Is More

A minimalist fireplace with a stone mantel, a limewash accent wall, a vase, a stack of books, a beige Togo, and a tubular chair

You don't need more than one refresh a day to maintain your home's scent.

(Image credit: Timothy Kaye. Design: Mckimm. Stylist: Karin Bochnik)

It's easy to go overboard when you have a room spray in hand and you're spritzing your way through your home. But whether you're trying to make your living room smell nice, or any other key zone in your home, Daniel explains that a few mists every couple of days is all you need.

"The most memorable homes are those where scent feels like part of the atmosphere — quietly enhancing the space rather than dominating it," he says. "A well-placed fragrance should feel effortless, like good lighting: something you notice most when it’s just right."

Marissa also finds that it's important to refresh and not drench. "A couple of sprays in key areas is more than enough," she says. "Overdoing it can also make your nose adjust to the fragrance faster, leading to less of a scentual experience."

More Room Spray Favorites

The next stop on your journey to becoming a total fragrance aficionado should be our guide on how reed diffusers work. It'll tell you everything you need to know about these subtle formats and how to maximize them for a perfectly scented space.

Amiya Baratan
Home Wellness Writer

Amiya is a Home Wellness Writer at Livingetc. She recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and has lent her words to beauty, fashion, and health sections of lifestyle publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Health. Her experience as a research analyst has equipped her with an eye for emerging trends. When she’s off the clock, she can be found reading, listening to music, or overanalyzing her latest Co-Star update.