Air freshener has become a staple in most homes, the problem is it may also be causing harm to our health. Making your own air freshener is easy and safer for your family.
Keeping your home clean is the best way to keep it smelling fresh but sometimes it’s not enough. And some smells linger after when clean up the mess. It’s easy to reach for an air freshener spray and cover up that gross smell.
I also like to use air fresheners before people come over and right after I clean. It’s nice to have a fresh smelling home for guests and it feels like a nice final step when cleaning.
The Problem With Conventional Air Fresheners
Chemicals found in air fresheners have been linked to many health issues. One chemical commonly found in air fresheners is 1,4-dichlorobenzene or 1,4-DCB. 1,4-DCB is linked to lung damage. And this chemical has been found in 96% of American’s blood.
“The 10% of people with the highest blood levels of 1,4-DCB did 4% worse in a test of lung function than the 10% of people with the lowest blood levels of the chemical, found Stephanie J. London, MD, and colleagues at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).”- WebMD
For people with asthma and other lung conditions this reduction in lung function could be serious. It also puts people at an increased risk of lung cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
A group of chemicals also commonly found in air fresheners is phthalates. Phthalates have been shown to alter hormone levels and cause other health problems.
“Phthalates are known to interfere with production of the male hormone, testosterone, and have been associated with reproductive abnormalities. Numerous animal studies have linked prenatal exposure to certain phthalates with decreases in testosterone, malformations of the genitalia, and reduced sperm production. The State of California notes that five types of phthalates—including one that we found in air freshener products—are “known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.” Phthalate exposure in indoor environments has also been associated with allergic symptoms and asthma.”- Natural Resources Defense Council
These are just a few of the harmful ingredients found in most air fresheners. Making your own natural air freshener with a few simple will help protect your family’s health and even save you some money.
Basic Natural Air Freshener Spray
Making your own air freshener is very easy. You may even have all of the ingredients already on hand. You can use this spray as an air freshener, in trash cans, on fabrics, in shoes, or just about anywhere you have odor issues.
Many DIY air fresheners call for water. The problem with this is water can promote bacteria growth and would cause this recipe to go bad overtime. Using alcohol in place of the water keeps the spray from going bad overtime. Alcohol also dissipates quicker than water helping prevent it from leaving a residue. Alcohol also has anti-odor qualities.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Cheap Vodka (or cheap clear grain alcohol)
- 10-20 drops Essential Oil
- Reusable Spray Bottle
Directions:
Pour the alcohol into a spray bottle, add the essential oil(s) of your choice, and shake. The amount of oil you will need depends on how strong you want it, start low and work up to your desired scent level.
Suggested Scents
You can just use a single essential oil to create all kinds of great room sprays. You can also try mixing different scents, it’s fun to play around. Also try my citrus fresh air freshener.
What are your favorite essential oils to mix? Let me know in the comments below.
Heather @ The Nerdy Fox
EO are great for so many household things! I love making new cleaning products with them.
Lisa Sharp
Aren’t they?! I love to making my own cleaners as well. So much fun!
Maddie Adeline
Totally doing this. Vodka makes everything better! And you can’t go wrong with EOs!
Lisa Sharp
It’s so easy and fun to play with the scents!