5 Houseplants That’ll Kill Stinky Smells

Try scented geraniums — there’s even a chocolate variety!

Geranium flowers on a home windowsill
Image: Annika Vannerus/Getty

Ditch heavy-duty commercial deodorizers.

Instead, try plants and herbs that you can grow in your kitchen or garden to give your home a fragrant boost. Plus they're so much prettier than spray cans.

Top 5 Fragrant Plants for Indoors

  • Scented geraniums: This member of the herb family is incredibly fragrant, plus there are dozens of varieties that come in different scents. Some smell like chocolate, orange, and even nutmeg. 
  • Anise hyssop: If you love the smell of licorice, the leaves and flowers on this plant are both heavily scented and edible.
  • Basil: This herb known for making recipes sing is available in a wide range of scented varieties, like lemon or lime.
  • Mint: Mint has a fresh, clean, potent scent that makes it perfect for the kitchen or bathroom.
  • Lavender: Not only is this a beautiful herb to look at, but most folks think its sweet, deep scent is divine. Plus, if you keep some growing in your garden, it makes a great deer deterrent.

Related: 10 Strategies to Stop Murdering Your Plants

Deirdre Sullivan bio photo
Deirdre Sullivan

Deirdre Sullivan is an NYC-based writer who's obsessed with maximizing every inch of her urban dwelling. She's a former fashionista who has worked for Lucky Magazine and InStyle. She recently traded her high heels and Fashion Week pass for a drill and bandsaw. Follow Deirdre on Twitter, and Pinterest.