Natural Air Fresheners

Whether you’re trying to freshen up your house for guests or if you’d like to cancel out strong food odors from that delicious meal you just made, there are quite a few natural air fresheners you can use instead of chemical-laden commercial air fresheners.

FRESH PLANTS / FLOWERS
Live or cut, a bunch of flowers can add beauty to your space as well as purifying the air. They have been known to neutralize the air by removing the formaldehyde given off by furniture or kitchen cabinets made with fiberboard. Live rubber plants, azaleas, and bamboo palms are also thought to be able to do this. Some flowers are so fragrant that their scent will fill the air while they are in bloom. Gardenias, lilacs, lilies, and some organic roses smell lovely and linger.
LEMON
If you’re cooking vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage or fish, all which give off sulfur orders, use lemon to reduce the smell. Slice about six lemons and simmer them in a handful of cloves in a pan of water for ten minutes. Much better!
ROSEWATER
You can make your own sweet-smelling rose water by placing a few drops of rose oil in a small bowl of water and add a solubilizer (available in the cosmetics section of health food stores) one drop at a time. Float fresh rose waters on top and replace them as they brown.
POMANDERS
To add a natural fragrance to your closets and drawers stud oranges with whole cloves, spaced evenly and as close together as possible. Don’t forget about it once you put it in there and when you’re through with it, compost it.
SOAP
Aside from using natural chemical-free soaps for washing, they make excellent drawer fresheners too. Place them in with your socks, undergarments, pajamas for a clean fresh smell.
EUCALYPTUS
Eucalyptus appears in many products, from deodorants to shower gels to cold remedies. It is known for its sinus-clearing power. Simmer eucalyptus leaves on the stove in water to freshen the air and clear the sinuses. Put a sprig of eucalyptus in a room to freshen it for a couple of weeks.
VINEGAR
Vinegar can neutralize stinky smells, such as cigarette, strong cooking odors, and musty smells. Fill a glass dish with 1/2 inch of white vinegar and place in musty drawers or cabinets until the smell goes away. Make ice cubes out of vinegar and run them through your garbage disposer to eliminate odors.
ZEOLITE
This non-toxic, odorless volcanic rock is known to remove pet odors, cooking, and smoke smells, You can buy it at hardware stores in pouches or shakers. Hang the pouches in closets or basements or use the powder on spot odors.
(Ref: Martha Stewart, Home Keeping Handbook)
N.Parkington