Our homes often don’t smell so great, maybe you have pets or your home smells like last night’s fish or garlic.
Many of the store bought fresheners may contain chemicals or ingredients that may be harmful to the planet or to your family and a natural air freshener is an option to consider.
1. Essential Oils
Essential oils are a great ingredient to use in natural air fresheners and using a diffuser is one of the best ways. Just boiling a pot of water and adding a few drops of the oils will infuse your home with great smells, why not try lemon or eucalyptus.
Essential oils are also antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. An option is to buy a diffuser and there are many options on the market.
2. Coffee
There is nothing better than the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning or when you are enjoying all the action on betting sites, and no matter how you prepare it, it will absorb odours like onions and garlic.
You can grind it or put it in the oven and then put out a few bowls around your home. Try putting coffee grounds at the bottom of your rubbish bin to absorb smelly odours in your kitchen.
3. Potpourri
Potpourri has been used for many years and is a combination of dried flowers of all types, herbs and essential oils. Use flowers that keep their colour like calendula, lavender, roses and peonies. Besides essential oils a fixative should be used that will absorb the oils such as orris root and oak moss and these will be available in health food and craft stores.
It is better to use an expensive essential oil as it will last much longer. Be careful not to use overpowering smells and check the aroma before using it.
Simmering potpourri is a simple air freshener, bring a small pot of water to a simmer and add things like orange or lemon peel, cloves, allspice, nutmeg or cinnamon and allow it to simmer, adding extra water if necessary.
4. Herbs
Fresh herbs can also be used to fragrance your home and you can do this by using freshly cut herbs like geranium, rosemary, peppermint and lavender and place them in small vases.
Not only do these smell good, but they also look very pretty.
5. Plants
In a previous article we spoke about plants that purify the air and reduce allergens and pollutants in your home.
Plants that can be used for this include Areca Palm, Mother-in-Law’s Tongue and Money Plant.
6. Pomander Balls
Pomander balls are an age-old way of keeping a room fresh and are made from cured, dried oranges studded with cloves and hanging them in the pantry or closets.
These pomander balls are great for getting rid of pests because of the chemical ingredients in cloves.
7. Vinegar
Vinegar is a very effective ingredient as a way of getting rid of bacteria and as a disinfectant. Simply fill a spray bottle with one part white vinegar and four parts water and spray it into the air.
You can also put bowls of vinegar in the kitchen to help remove odours in the kitchen.