11 Aug 2026
The psychology of scent cheat sheet:
- Smell is linked to the brain’s emotion and memory centres
- Scents can change how you feel and how you react to certain spaces
- Fragrance influences our behaviour without us realising
- Personal preference plays a huge role in how scent is experienced
- Layered fragrances can create longer-lasting emotional impact
- Lab-made fragrance is often more sustainable than essential oils
Ever walked into a room and felt calmer for some reason, without knowing why?
Perhaps it was down to the smell.
Because, as it turns out, there’s real science behind that idea.
In fact studies now show that scent can shift our mood in all the right directions. Which has real implications for how we clean our homes.
Scent changes how you feel.
Most of our senses carry information on a bit of a winding journey to the brain. Smell doesn’t.
When you sniff a scent, the details go straight to the limbic system; a part of the brain that’s responsible for our emotions and our memories. No wonder then, that a fragrance can evoke a memory or make a space feel calmer or more cosy.
And it’s all happened before you’ve even had time to think about it.
Researchers have long shown that scent is linked to emotions and mood¹ which makes fragrance a powerful, personal thing. Studies² have found it can influence our:
- Stress levels
- Mood and emotional state
- Perception of cleanliness and comfort
- Willingness to want to stay in a space
So when your home smells calm or uplifting, it’s not just a nice extra, it could actually be impacting your whole experience of being there.
Fragrance expert Suzy Nightingale describes scent as doing some of the "emotional heavy lifting" in our homes. That's because smell has a uniquely direct route into the parts of the brain responsible for emotion and memory, helping shape how a space feels often before we've consciously noticed it.
More than meets the eye.
Traditionally, cleaning has been about whether a space looks clean or not.
But the feeling we have of something being clean? That’s where scent can come into play.
Because a fresh, clean scent makes us feel a certain way.
“We don't just remember places visually. We often remember how they smelled too. A favourite hotel, a family home or a memorable holiday can all be instantly brought back through fragrance alone. That's why scent can play such an important role in creating atmosphere at home.” - Suzy Nightingale
Scent is personal.
Not everyone experiences fragrance in exactly the same way.
Our memories, experiences and preferences all influence how a scent makes us feel.
One person may find woody fragrances deeply comforting, while another prefers bright citrus notes that feel uplifting and energising.
That's why Clean Reset includes a variety of fragrance personalities, from the sunshine-filled optimism of Mango Leaf & Jasmine to the grounding calm of Vetiver & Sandalwood.
There isn't a right choice. Just the one that feels right for you.
Shifting moods.
This is exactly the thinking behind our beautifully fragranced Clean Reset range.
Surface Reset. Bathroom Reset. Floor Reset.
Each one is designed to shift the mood of your space through exceptional scent, while cleaning as well as the big brands.
- Layered fragrances
- Top, middle and base notes
- Scents that build as you clean and stay long after you’ve finished
And we’ve got the science to back up the shift in mood.
Clever fragrance technology.
Our Clean Reset sprays make use of some pretty clever fragrance technology. It uses natural ingredients that bring about a desired emotion with brain imaging (fMRI) to understand how certain scents can trigger emotional responses like feelings of calm, comfort or happiness.
So the scents we use? We know how they make people feel.
Why not just use essential oils?
smol has used essential oils in fragrance right from the start, but we want them to be ethically sourced.
It’s easy to assume “natural” always means better. But when it comes to fragrance, it’s not that simple.
- It can take 250kg of lavender flowers to produce just 1kg of lavender oil³
- Thousands of rose petals are needed for a few drops of rose oil
- Large-scale farming needs vast amounts of land, water and energy
It’s such a lot of resource for a very small amount of scent.
Modern fragrance.
Carefully developed fragrance blends (including those made in a lab) can:
- Use fewer natural resources
- Be more consistent and stable
- Reduce pressure on crops and ecosystems
- Be designed to minimise common allergens
So while essential oils have their place, they’re not always the sustainable or practical option.
A clean that makes you feel different.
As Suzy Nightingale puts it, fragrance can help with some of the emotional heavy lifting.
The right scent can make a room feel brighter, calmer, more comforting or more uplifting. It can transform cleaning from a task on a to-do list into a small ritual you'll genuinely look forward to.
Because when your home smells incredible, you're not simply noticing a fragrance.
You're noticing how that space makes you feel.
The psychology of scent FAQs.
¹ Herz (2016) Odour-evoked memory in psychological and physiological health
² Spangenberg (2006) Ambient scent in a retail environment
³ International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT)
Catherine Green, Cleaning Expert
Catherine has been on a mission to revolutionise the way we tackle chores since the dawn of smol and is an advocate for making more sustainable living accessible to all, with a strong focus in cleaning that’s heavy on dirt, lighter on the planet and gentle on the skin. Catherine has tested hundreds of hacks to make tackling chores easier, safer, and better for the planet and our homes.
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