The smell is what it is, sorry. Don't soak your pots. Spray it on your plants. I use a half a capful of Neem per spray bottle of water(about 16oz) with a drop or two of dish soap. The solution should look like watered down milk with no droplets of oil or soap foam on the surface. Shake the bottle as you apply to insure it's mixed thoroughly and evenly distributed. Liberally apply a few times per week, shake the excess liquid off of your plants. Neem oil isn't an instant cure for anything, it works over time with repeated application. So don't expect a silver bullet.