It sure smells good in here...
With fall upon us, it’s not as easy to simply open the windows and air the house out. We’ve been having some pretty chilly days here so it’s time to freshen up the house in other ways. When you purchase air fresheners or candles many times you don’t know what is in them that could be harmful to your family. Why not go with natural air fresheners that you can make right in your home and without spending a lot of money?
One of the simplest ways to naturally freshen your home is with cinnamon sticks and cloves. All you have to do is boil some water on the stovetop and add the cinnamon sticks and cloves for a heavenly natural scent! As it’s boiling, be sure to keep an eye on the water level and add water when necessary. You can also cut up lemons and boil them to help with unpleasant kitchen odors.
Still prefer a spray? You can actually create your own air freshener in a spray bottle for quick and easy fresh scents in your home! All you need to do this is a bottle of 100% essential oil, water and a spray bottle. You can even keep various essential oils on hand and use the oil according to your mood. For example, citrus can ease stress and lift your spirits; lavender can help you relax and sleep better, and rosemary can enhance your memory and give you energy. All you do is add 5-10 drops of the oil to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and shake. Once done just spray the amazing scent around your home! Essential oil costs less than $20, sometimes less than $10 depending on the size you purchase. You can get a lot of scent for a tiny price!
If you have some tough smells that you need to get rid of and need more than just that pleasant smell, you can take care of that naturally, too! If you notice a bad odor in and around your garbage you can simply sprinkle ½ cup baking soda on the bottom of the garbage can. If your kitchen sink is the cause of the bad odor in your home you can use orange or grapefruit skins in the disposal to refresh your kitchen sink’s smell! It’s very inexpensive; you get to enjoy the fruit and the scent! Winter mustiness can also be cured with coffee grounds! Who doesn’t like the smell of coffee? Even if you don’t drink coffee, you can most likely take the used grounds off someone else’s hands. You’ll want to dry them and place them in the area you need an odor removed.
If, after all of that, you find yourself still wanting the relaxing effect of candles there are scented beeswax and soy based candles that are great for freshening the air without polluting it and causing harm to your family. You can find your favorite scent, relax and not worry about polluted air.
You have all of these great new natural scents to try, go through your cabinets and get rid of the air fresheners that you are unsure of or that you know aren’t safe! You’ll thank yourself!
What ways do you naturally freshen your home?
~April :: Mama on a Green Mission
