November 4, 2016 by admin
With many modern commercial air-fresheners on the market today containing harmful carcinogenic and toxic ingredients, we’ve tested 5 easy ways to eliminate those bad smells and fragrance your home safely, naturally and affordably.
1 Reed Diffusers
Commercial reed diffusers commonly contain all sorts of toxic ingredients such as carcinogenic formaldehyde, benzene and paradichlorobenzene, and hormone disruptors such as phthalates which, with long term exposure, can affect testosterone levels and lead to reproductive abnormalities.
If you have a diffuser in your home, rather than throw it out, hold on to the reeds and bottle and make your own natural and safe version. Using your favourite essential oils, add 10-12 drops to your diffuser bottle with a few drops of vodka and then fill the bottle three quarters of the way with water. Pop your reeds in and allow them to soak for a while before turning. The diffuser will fill your room with the fragrance of the oils. Remember to turn the reeds regularly for continued impact.
2 Radiator Cotton Balls
A very simple way of fragrancing a room is to pour a few drops of essential oil onto a cotton wool ball or pad and place on your radiator. The heat will help disperse the beautiful aroma around the room and keep things smelling fresh. Consider lavender or chamomile oils, for example, for the bedroom as they aid relaxation and sleep, whilst you may wish to choose ylang ylang or basil for the office or car to stay alert and aid concentration.
3 Home-made Febreze
Febreze is another household product containing all sorts of nasties. So here’s a natural, safe and cheap home made version which works just as effectively. All you need is a spray bottle, some water, essential oils and some bicarbonate of soda. Add 10-12 drops of your favourite essential oil to a tablespoon of bicarb. Mix the two together thoroughly – this will help keep the oil suspended in the water. Then add the water and pour into your squirty bottle. You can use it to freshen the air or on upholstery or fabrics around the house. It’s particularly useful for those wiffy trainers.
4 Simmer Pots
The arrival of autumn calls for a pot of warming, spicy mulled wine to be simmered on the stove and the smell always fills the home with such a beautiful aroma. So, rather than throw away your fruits peels, consider holding on to them and putting them in a pot with some spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg and let the hob do the rest. Some delicious combinations can be made with just about anything fruity or spicy, but you can also use extracts, herbs and even wood such as pine. Play around with a combination of the following by boiling some water in a pan, adding a mixture and letting it all simmer for a while:
Fruit peels: apple, tangerine, grapefruit, orange, lemon, cranberries
Extracts: vanilla, almond, lemon, orange, anise, ginger
Herbs: rosemary, lavender, sage, peppermint, thyme
Spices: nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, all spice
5 Scented Wood Blocks
Those off-cuts of wood that are normally swept away after a DIY job can be put to good use. Collect some small blocks and then sprinkle a few drops of your favourite essential oils onto them. They can then be put in clothes drawers or wardrobes to leave your clothes smelling delightful. (Make sure you have sanded off any rough edges before putting them into contact with your delicates!)
You can also use essential oils in your fireplace; soak some oils into the wood and leave to permeate for a couple of days. When you come to lighting the fire, your room will be filled with the beautiful aroma.