Using Essential Oils to Make Your Home Smell Like Fall

Bonfires, walks in the woods over freshly fallen leaves, warm apple pie, pumpkin carving– I love fall and all it’s wonderful scents!

But I don’t like using artificial products to get those fall scents in my home.

I used to use wax melts, potpourri, room sprays, wall plugins, and candles that I bought at the mall.

But I gave those up years ago when I discovered how bad those chemical-laden artificial fragrance products were for me and my family.

Now, I use essential oils to naturally make my home smell like fall, and I can’t (or don’t want to) imagine it any other way!

Fall Essential Oils

Which essential oils do you think of for fall scents?

Many people think of cinnamon, clove, and orange as fall essential oils.

Do you also think of ginger, cassia, nutmeg, and cardamom?

Here are some you may not have thought of, but combined with other essential oils, they evoke the feeling and scent of fall:  tangerine, coriander, black pepper, cedarwood, cypress, arborvitae, sandalwood, frankincense, sage, rosemary, patchouli, vetiver, and juniper berry.  click here to read more about essential oils that smell like fall along with the therapeutic benefits of each oil.

15 Ways to Use Essential Oils to Make Your Home Smell Like Fall

click here to get a FREE PRINTABLE of all 15 ways to use essential oils to make your home smell like fall

1. fall diffuser blends

Diffusing is one of my favorite ways to make my home smell like fall!  Not only do you get the great fall scents, you also get all the therapeutic benefits of the essential oils.  Here are a few fall diffuser blends to try, and click here for 20 more of my favorite fall diffuser blends {and get a free printable of all the diffuser recipes, too!}

Spiced Chai Diffuser Blend

3 drops cardamom essential oil

1 drop clove essential oil

1 drop cassia essential oil

1  drop ginger essential oil

Apple Pie Diffuser Blend

2 drops clove essential oil

2 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

2 drops ginger essential oil

1 drop nutmeg (optional) essential oil

Sweater Weather Diffuser Blend

3 drops eucalyptus essential oil

2 drops juniper berry essential oil

1 drop sage essential oil

2. fall room sprays

Rooms sprays (a.k.a. air fresheners) are one of the easiest and most versatile ways to use essential oils to make your home smell like fall.  It just takes 3 ingredients and about 15 seconds, and you have your own all-natural, chemical-free air freshener.  Here’s my basic recipe for room sprays:  1 cup distilled water, 1/4 cup witch hazel (to help the essential oils mix with the water), and 40-50 drops of essential oil.  Here are a couple fall room spray recipes to try and click here for 20 more of my favorite fall essential oil room sprays

Pumpkin Spice Room Spray

add the following to a 16 ounce spray bottle and shake to combine.

1 cup distilled water

1/4 cup witch hazel

15 drops cinnamon essential oil

10 drops clove essential oil

10 drops ginger essential oil

10 drops wild orange essential oil

5 drops cardamom essential oil

Flannel Room Spray

add the following to a 16 ounce spray bottle and shake to combine.

1 cup distilled water

1/4 cup witch hazel

20 drops cardamom essential oil

10 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

10 drops wild orange essential oil

5 drops clove essential oil

3.  fall linen sprays

Another great way to use essential oils to make your home smell like fall is to make a DIY fabric refresher (a.k.a. linen spray).  Use this linen spray to scent your upholstered furniture, refresh blankets, revive curtains and drapes, apply to entry rugs to greet guests with a fresh welcoming scent as they entire your home, and more.  My linen spray recipe is very simple:  2 cups vodka and 40-50 drops of essential oil.  Unlike the room sprays above, you want to use vodka for a linen spray because (1) alcohol helps clean and (2) alcohol evaporates more quickly than water (so it won’t cause mold and mildew on fabrics).   be sure to spot test linen sprays on small discrete place on fabric

Here are a few recipes for fall fabric refreshers (click here for step-by-step instructions for how to make and use linen spray like this)

Harvest Gathering Linen Spray

2 cups vodka

20 drops cassia essential oil

15 drops cedarwood essential oil

10 drops wild orange essential oil

Snuggle Blend Linen Spray

2 cups vodka

15 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

15 drops clove essential oil

15 drops white fir essential oil

Wassail Linen Spray

2 cups vodka

25 drops wild orange essential oil

15 drops juniper berry essential oil

5 drops ginger essential oil

5 drops clove essential oil

4. freshen as you vacuum

Love this one! Who doesn’t want their house to smell fresh & clean every time you vacuum?!! It’s simple– all you do is put a few drops of your favorite essential oil (or EO combination) on a small piece of a napkin or tissue and then vacuum it up. As you vacuum, your whole house will smell AMAZING!

a few other options to get the same result…

Here are a few ideas of essential oils to use as you vacuum to make your home smell like fall:  cinnamon, clove, orange, ginger, cassia, nutmeg, cardamom, tangerine, and juniper berry

Or try a fall blend of essential oils like  eucalyptus/juniper-berry/sage or orange/clove/rosemary or clove/cinnamon/ginger/nutmeg   

click here for more ideas for fall essential oil blends

5. make your home smell like fall as you clean {it’s a two-for-one!}

disinfecting essential oils (that smell like fall):  cinnamon, tea tree, clove, orange, pine, thyme, coriander, and rosemary

deodorizing essential oils (that smell like fall):  sage, tea tree, orange, cinnamon, patchouli, cypress, cedarwood, orange, white fir, juniper berry, eucalyptus and others

Here’s the basic recipe for my All-Purpose Cleaner (great for counters, sinks, appliances, faucets, and more)– To make: to a glass spray bottle add ¼ cup white vinegar, 1 ½ cups distilled water, and 25 drops essential oil.  To use: shake to combine, spray on surface, and wipe clean.

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

fall all-purpose cleaner #1

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 1/2 cups distilled water

12 drops orange essential oil

5 drops cinnamon essential oil

5 drops clove essential oil

3 drops rosemary essential oil

fall all-purpose cleaner #2

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 1/2 cups distilled water

10 drops orange essential oil

8 drops juniper berry essential oil

2 drops ginger essential oil

5 drops clove essential oil

click here for more DIY cleaning recipes using essential oils {Mold & Mildew, Soft Scrub, Daily Shower Spray, Wood Floor Cleaner, Dusting Spray, Wood Polish, All-Purpose Cleaner, and Mirror & Window}

6. dusting spray

Basic recipe for dusting spray: to a glass spray bottle add 1 cup distilled water, ¼ cup white vinegar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and 15 drops essential oil.  To use: shake to combine, spray on surface to be cleaned, wipe clean with microfiber cloth

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

fall dusting spray #1

1 cup distilled water

¼ cup white vinegar

2 Tbsp. olive oil

10 drops orange essential oil

3 drops patchouli essential oil

2 drops cinnamon essential oil

fall dusting spray #2

1 cup distilled water

¼ cup white vinegar

2 Tbsp. olive oil

10 drops orange essential oil

3 drops rosemary essential oil

2 drops clove essential oil

click here for more DIY cleaning recipes using essential oils {Mold & Mildew, Soft Scrub, Daily Shower Spray, Wood Floor Cleaner, Dusting Spray, Wood Polish, All-Purpose Cleaner, and Mirror & Window}

7. super charge your mopping

Add a few drops of pine, orange, or melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil to your mop water.  They have powerful disinfectant properties and also leave your room smelling great!

8. make a reed diffuser in fall scents

Reed diffusers are great for small spaces and rooms where you may not have easy access to a wall outlet.  They’re perfect for bathrooms, foyers, and closets!  It only takes a few ingredients, and you probably have most (if not everything) you need already in your kitchen.  Here’s the basic recipe: 1/4 cup of a light oil like apricot kernel oil or safflower oil, 15-20 drops essential oil, and 2 Tbsp of alcohol to help oils travel up reeds (vodka works great).  click here for the full reed diffuser recipe with step-by-step instructions and recipes for 20 fall reed diffuser scents

“Orange Pomander” reed diffuser blend

1/4 cup of a light oil like apricot kernel oil or safflower oil

2 Tbsp of alcohol

10 drops orange essential oil

5 drops clove essential oil

5 drops rosemary essential oil

“Spiced Chai” reed diffuser blend

1/4 cup of a light oil like apricot kernel oil or safflower oil

2 Tbsp of alcohol

9 drops cardamom essential oil

3 drops clove essential oil

3 drops cassia essential oil

3 drops ginger essential oil

“Sweater Weather” reed diffuser blend

1/4 cup of a light oil like apricot kernel oil or safflower oil

2 Tbsp of alcohol

9 drops eucalyptus essential oil

6 drops juniper berry essential oil

3 drops sage essential oil

9. gel air freshener

1 tsp water-storing crystal (click here to see what these are and where you can get them), 1 cup hot water, and 20 drops essential oil.  Stir together until well mixed.  Keep gel freshener in glass jar without a lid (so that the gel/oil mixture can easily scent the air).  click here for step-by-step instructions on how to make a gel air freshener

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

“Orange Cinnamon” gel air freshener

1 tsp water-storing crystal (click here to see what these are and where you can get them)

1 cup hot water

10 drops orange essential oil

10 drops cinnamon essential oil

“Crisp Autumn” gel air freshener

1 tsp water-storing crystal (click here to see what these are and where you can get them)

1 cup hot water

9 drops orange essential oil

9 drops patchouli essential oil

3 drops clove essential oil

“Wassail” gel air freshener

1 tsp water-storing crystal (click here to see what these are and where you can get them)

1 cup hot water

9 drops orange essential oil

6 drops juniper berry essential oil

3 drops ginger essential oil

3 drops clove essential oil

10. scented fire starter

Use essential oils to make great smelling fire-starter pinecones.  All it takes is pinecones, twine, candle wax, cooking oil, and essential oil.  These smell amazing and make great hostess gifts for fall parties and events.  get the step-by-step instructions here

11. scented pinecones

If you have collected pinecones from your yard or nature, then first start with baking the bugs out of your pinecones.  Bake in 200 degree oven for 1 hour and then let completely cool

If you bought your pinecones at a store or are reusing ones from your collection of decorations, then you can skip the baking step.

Place your pinecones in a large glass or stainless steel bowl.  Sprinkle  pinecones with 15-20 drops of cinnamon essential oil (or fall essential oil blend of your choice).  Toss them to coat.  Cover bowl tightly.  Every couple of days shake pinecones to distribute essential oil and scent.  After a few weeks the pinecones are ready to use.

12. dryer balls

Have you switched to dryer balls yet? I used dryer sheets for years, but I’m so glad I discovered dryer balls. They have none of the toxic chemicals found in dryer sheets, are significantly less expensive to use, and reduce drying time (which saves me even more money because we’re using less energy to dry our clothes)!!  Just add a couple of drops of essential oil to your dryer balls and put them in the dryer along with your clothes.  You can use a single oil or make your own blends.  Here are some great fall scent combinations to try …

orange & cinnamon

juniper berry & orange

rosemary, orange, & eucalyptus

cinnamon, clove, & cedarwood

You can make your own dryer balls using yarn and an old pair of nylons (check thrift stores for some if you’re like me and haven’t worn nylons in at least 20 years), or you can take the even easier route and buy wool dryer balls like I do.  I love almost every diy essential oil craft, but for some reason making wool dryer balls is not my thing.

13. cotton balls in trash cans

no more trashcan stink- simply add 2 drops of a disinfecting and deodorizing essential oil  (like cinnamon, clove, orange, tea tree, or rosemary) to a cotton ball and put the cotton ball at the bottom of a trashcan.  They will disinfect and deodorize, keeping your trashcan smelling fresh and clean!

14. toilet paper roll

Put a few drops of essential oil on the cardboard tube inside a roll of toilet paper.  Every time someone unrolls some toilet paper air will flow across the essential oil and diffuse it into the air.  Use single oils like orange, cinnamon, or clove.  Or combine a couple different essential oils for great new blended scents.  Here are a few to try for a fresh and clean fall scent your bathroom:

orange, ginger, & cinnamon

cypress, white fir, & cedarwood

orange, patchouli, & ginger

juniper berry & orange

15. air filter

Put a few drops of essential oil on your furnace filter.  When the furnace blows air over the filter the essential oils will be diffused throughout your home and your whole house will smell like fall.  The scent will fade after a couple of days.  You’ll need to add additional drops of essential oil to the furnace filter every couple of days.

click here to get a FREE PRINTABLE of all 15 ways to use essential oils to make your home smell like fall

If you liked this post, here are a few other essential oil posts that I think you’ll like:

25 essential oil recipes for immune support

how to make shower steamers

25 essential oil diffuser blends that support clear breathing

20 best fall diffuser blends

15 ways to use essential oils to make you home smell like fall

favorite winter diffuse blends

20 Favorite Roller Bottle Blend Recipes and Free Printable Labels

How to make essential oil inhalers + 24 favorite inhaler recipes

Clever & Creative Ways to Use Empty Essential Oil Bottles

Best deals for essential oil supplies– diffusers cases, spray bottles, carrier oils, essential oil tools

Interested in more recipes, tips, and ideas for how to use essential oils?

Please join us…

we’re on Facebook here

we’re on Pinterest here

click here to sign up our email newsletter

Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link.