There is one mystery in my home I have never been able to solve, and it’s drawers that suddenly smell musty despite being clean and organized. DIY scented drawer liners have transpired to be the key.
They get rid of that faint, stale smell that can otherwise cling to fabrics, making your belongings feel less than fresh, and with pre-made liners often being pricey and failing to last, making your own will help.
Luckily, these three-step scented liners can be refreshed time and time again, and don’t contain any toxic fragrances to help you make a home smell nice from top to bottom.
How to make DIY scented drawer liners
To make scented drawer liners for nice-smelling closets and dressers, you will need the following:
- A base: I use thick wrapping paper such as Kraft paper from Amazon, but you can also use fabric cut-offs, wallpaper, or even parchment paper, such as Reynolds parchment paper from Walmart.
- Scissors and a tape measure: to cut your liner to size.
- Essential/fragrance oils: I love gourmand scents, so I opt for bakery fragrance oils in a set from Amazon. You can also get an essential oil starter kit from Walmart if you want to mix and match scents. The higher the quality of your oils, the longer they will last.
- Plain water from your tap is fine.
- A spray bottle: You can find affordable misting bottles at Walmart. I find spritzing the mixture over the paper the best method to avoid over-saturating.
- Optional: Cotton balls and a small dish. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can use cotton balls, from Target, dipped in a small container, to dampen your liner.
1. Pick your paper
Before starting, you need to pick what kind of liner you want to use. I use thick wrapping paper as it is recyclable when I am finished with it, helping to avoid creating unnecessary trash at home. Alternatively, for an even more eco-friendly option, you can use washable fabric and hold them down in your drawer with some double-sided tape from Target.
Taylor Riley, partner at GermSmart Commercial Cleaning, also suggests using parchment paper, which is affordable and simple to cut to size.
When cutting your paper to size, I find it easiest to measure the interior base of the drawer first (emptying it to make it easier) and then mark the lines of the paper roll before cutting.
2. Mix and apply your scent
To create your fragrance mixture and make your home smell expensive, combine one to two drops of oil per 50ml of plain water in either a spray bottle or a small container (that you do not use for food) and mix this by shaking or stirring accordingly. If you are keen to try non-toxic ways to make your home smell nice, opt for pure essential oils over fragrance oils, as these can contain artificial compounds.
When using a spray bottle: Hold the bottle above the paper and mist lightly. You want to slightly dampen the paper without oversaturating it, else you risk it tearing. This is not as much of a concern for fabric liners, but they will take longer to dry.
When using cotton balls: Steven Ip, cleaning expert at Cleanzen, adds, ‘Alternatively, you can use a cotton ball, dipping it in your mixture before slightly wringing it. Then, apply the scent to your liner by dampening it. Make sure not to soak or wet it.’
3. Dry your liner
Before you can line your drawers, you need to let the liner dry completely, or you risk mold and discolored garments. Laying the liner somewhere with good ventilation, such as on my laundry drying rack from Walmart, can speed this up without the risk of the liner being damaged. I usually leave them overnight to be safe.
One dry, place the liner in your drawer and organize dresser drawers as normal. It really is that simple.
As with any drawer liner or DIY lavender sachets, these DIY scented drawer liners will not last forever. As such, Steven reminds us to replace them as needed. While you can usually get away with respraying a paper liner a few times, he warns, ‘repeated use can wear it out,’ so you may need to trash them and start again.
Alternatively, Steven adds, ‘If you used fabric liners and want to use a different aroma, launder first in cold water without fabric softener before applying the new scent.’
What to shop
Looked at the method and want something quicker? Taylor suggests, ‘You can also revert to using pre-scented fabric sheets as your liner. They’re thin, breathable, and carry a pleasant fragrance that lasts for weeks.’
Alternatively, for an even easier scented storage option, Taylor recommends, ‘You can also tape or tuck a small potpourri pouch in the drawer. This way, the scent stays strong without loose materials getting into your clothes.’
These super fine misting bottles are ideal for misting paper liners without over-saturating them.
This high-strength wrapping paper is perfect for drawer liners and is recyclable after use, too.
This oil set comes in 10 different pure aromatherapy essential oils, including lavender, sweet orange, and cedarwood.
Fancy something longer lasting and more colorful than paper liners? These fabric quarter bundles are ideal.
Meet the experts
Adding liners is just one of the things people with clean home storage always do to beat odors. They have some great tips for making items last longer and keeping storage looking its best for longer, too.
