Becky Striepe
Step away from the Febreeze! Here’s how to make your house smell good without a bottle full of toxic chemicals.
I don’t mean to single out Febreeze. Pretty much any room deodorizing product is going to contain some mystery chemicals that should throw up a red flag for anyone concerned about her health. Room sprays, air fresheners, and even incense are not the healthiest products to use in our homes.
Sprays and other fresheners that scent your room use an ingredient that’s listed on the bottle just as “fragrance.” Sure, fragrance can make your house smell good. It can also refer to any one of hundreds of chemicals. Some of these are totally safe, but others range in toxicity from allergens to carcinogens. Since companies don’t have to disclose their fragrance cocktails, we have no way of knowing what’s really in that bottle.
Incense might seem like a great solution, but just like anything else that produces smoke, it’s not super great for your lungs. You especially want to avoid burning incense if you’ve got small children at home. Their lungs are especially vulnerable to smoke’s damaging effects.
How to Make Your House Smell Good Naturally
Don’t worry! You can still have a great-smelling house without nasty “fragrance” or incense. Try some of these recipes!
1. Spring Scent Simmer – 5 Orange Potatoes does these scent simmers a lot, and her most recent recipe looks a.maz.ING!
2. DIY Air Freshener – This is a great alternative to Febreeze for killing odors. You won’t get the instant gratification that you do with Febreeze, but it’s a small trade-off for the sake of your health.
3. DIY Fragrance Sticks – Have you seen those fragrance sticks at the store? Instead of using ones with toxic fragrance, you can make your own with essential oils!
4. DIY Car Air Freshener – Julie’s car air freshener doesn’t have to go in the car, right? Hang it in a closet, or hang a few around a room that could use a little boost. Her tute calls for wool felt, but you could also use a few layers of absorbent fabric, like terry cloth. Just finish the edges, since terry cloth frays!
5. DIY Fragrance Jars – Place these pretty jars on a shelf or mantle to make your house smell good without harmful chemicals.
Image Credits: Window via Shutterstock, Fragrance Sticks by Becky Striepe
