Make your home smell like 'fresh cookies' with simple 80p oven trick

If you love the smell of freshly baked cookies but don't have the time to get your bake on, an expert has shared a simple way to fill your home with the scent

By Nicola Roy, Spare Time writer

cookies in the oven

The smell of fresh baking makes your home smell so warm and inviting (Image: Getty)

There's truly nothing like the warm, delightful aroma of fresh baking wafting through your house to make it feel instantly more homely and inviting.

The scent of baking is a universally accepted signal that a home is both appealing and welcoming.

Thankfully, for those who might not have time to indulge in regular home baking, there exists an alternative method to create this atmosphere without resorting to pricey candles or diffusers, and it costs as little as 80p.

This savvy household tip comes courtesy of Aussie lifestyle guru Chantel Mila, better known to her expansive TikTok audience as Mama Mila.

With a following that exceeds 1.5 million people, her advice on maintaining a clean and cosy home is always simple to follow.

In a recent video compiling five of her most popular home hacks of the year, she has divulged a genius trick on her TikTok account that is perfect for anyone yearning to infuse their living space with the continuous essence of warm vanilla.

To achieve this inviting scent all over your home, all you need is a bottle of vanilla extract, available for a mere 80p at Asda or for £1.50 at, reports the Daily Record.

Chantel explained: "Place vanilla extract in your oven to make your whole home smell like cookies."

By simply placing a few teaspoons of vanilla into an oven-friendly dish and heating it at 180C for around an hour, it won't be long before your entire home is full of the warm scent.

Also in the video, Chantel shared a simple trick to keep annoying flies and insects at bay, particularly when enjoying an outdoor gathering on a warm summer evening.

The method involves filling a glass or vase with rosemary stems and lemon slices, then topping it up with water. The potent scent of these ingredients is disliked by flies and other insects, making them likely to avoid areas where these mixtures are placed.

Additionally, she proposed a brilliant solution to prevent your oven from rusting - a common issue that can make your entire kitchen appear grubby and neglected.

This tip also utilises the natural cleaning properties of lemons. Simply halve a lemon, sprinkle some baking soda on top, and use this to scrub away any marks which should vanish promptly.

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