Your carpets have been working hard. Between kids tracking in mud, pets doing what pets do, and whatever mystery smell seems to creep up every spring, the floors in most suburban homes take a beating. Replacing carpet costs thousands. But there’s a two-ingredient trick that can make your house smell fresh in under 20 minutes, and you probably already have everything you need in your kitchen cabinet.

The recipe is almost too simple. One cup of baking soda, 10 to 20 drops of your favorite essential oil, and about 15 minutes of patience. That’s it.

Mix the baking soda and essential oil together in a small bowl, using a fork or whisk to break up any clumps. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over your carpet, paying special attention to high-traffic spots or anywhere your dog likes to nap. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes. An hour gets you a stronger effect. Then vacuum it all up.

The science behind why this works is actually pretty satisfying. Baking soda doesn’t just cover up bad smells. It neutralizes them at the molecular level. Cleaning expert Allen P. Rathey explained it this way: “Baking soda (alkaline) is attracted to human sweat, pet urine, and body oils (acidic) — which cause bacterial odor in carpet — and can neutralize them for a time,” he said. Rathey also pointed out that carpet odors sometimes come from mold. “Odors may come from mold (also acidic) in carpeting, and baking soda is a chemical ‘match’ that may also help neutralize the odor,” he said.

Good to know, especially if you live somewhere humid.

Carpet odors get worse when moisture, a food source, and relative darkness combine. That’s exactly the environment sitting under your feet right now in almost any carpeted room, and it’s exactly why this trick helps.

For the essential oil, you’ve got options. Lemon gives you something clean and citrusy. Bergamot leans warm and cozy. If you want that specific “boutique hotel lobby” feeling, there are fragrance oil collections sold specifically as hotel-scent dupes that work beautifully in this recipe. Family Handyman recommends starting with just 10 drops and adjusting up, since some oils are much stronger than others and you don’t want your living room smelling like a spa treatment gone wrong.

A few tips that’ll save you some trial and error.

Don’t skip the whisking step. Clumps of wet-ish baking soda won’t spread evenly, and you’ll end up with little white patches sitting on the carpet instead of working into the fibers. A regular dinner fork works perfectly. You don’t need any special equipment here.

The sitting time matters more than you’d think. Fifteen minutes will give you noticeable results, but if you can sprinkle it down before you start cooking dinner and vacuum after you eat, the extra 45 minutes makes a real difference, especially on older carpet.

Any reliable vacuum handles pickup just fine. You don’t need anything fancy to pull baking soda out of carpet fibers, though a model with strong suction helps if your carpet is thick or plush.

One honest caveat: this isn’t a substitute for a deep clean. Rathey is clear that baking soda neutralizes odors temporarily. If your carpet has a serious moisture problem or a persistent smell that won’t quit, that’s a sign of something deeper going on, and a good carpet cleaning or eventually a full replacement is the real answer. But for hosting guests on a Saturday afternoon, getting the house ready before family comes over for the holidays, or just making your family room feel genuinely fresh on a Tuesday night, this two-ingredient fix earns its place in the routine.

It’s also a great project to hand off to older kids. Measuring, mixing, sprinkling, and then running the vacuum gives them something real to contribute to getting the house ready. Your 10-year-old can handle every step of this.

Baking soda runs about a dollar a box at any grocery store. A small bottle of essential oil costs between $5 and $15 and will last you dozens of batches. Total investment for a fresh-smelling home: under $10 and about half an hour of your afternoon.

Not bad for something sitting in your pantry right now.