Chemical Free Air Fresheners!

Hey! Today I'm going to show you how to make your own chemical free air fresheners. I'm sure that most have you know that store bought air fresheners are full of chemicals, even some that are potentially harmful to your health. So I'm going to show you two easy ways to freshen your home without the chemicals in store bought air fresheners!

Eucalyptus and lemon essential oil air freshening spray

Materials:

• Eucalyptus essential oil
• Lemon essential oil
• Spray bottle
• Water

 Begin by filling your spray bottle up with warm water. I used warm water instead of cold water in hopes that it might mix the oils into the water as I have heard that they often separate.

Next add your oils. I added 4 drops of eucalyptus oil and 6 drops of lemon oil because the eucalyptus oil is very strong and I didn't want it to overpower the lemon. 

Tips: When I first started using essential oils I read on multiple websites that if you are going to make air fresheners such as these you must use vodka so that the oils do not break down the plastic in the nozzle or separate from the base of the spray (the vodka or water). I never tried using vodka for the base of this spray but I have noticed that when you let it sit for any amount of time (even just an hour) the oils will separate but all that you have to do is shake the bottle and they mix back into the water and smell just as good as when you first made it. I haven't noticed any decaying of my plastic bottle either, but this could possibly be because of the oils that I chose to use since they aren't as strong as some oils such as peppermint.

Other good scent combinations: peppermint oil and orange oil, lavender oil and vanilla extract, lemon oil orange oil lime oil and grapefruit oil. You can use however many essential oils that you would like in your spray, choose scents that you like and don't be afraid to get creative!

Cinnamon, clove and vanilla stove top air freshener

Materials:

• Cinnamon sticks
• Ground clove
• Vanilla extract
• A pot 
• Tablespoon (optional)

Begin by filling your pot up to the desired amount with water (I filled mine halfway).

Next add 3 cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract and 2 small shakes of ground clove (roughly 1/4 teaspoon).

Now put your pot on the stove on medium to low heat and enjoy the wonderful smells that will soon fill your house!

Tips: Starting off with the air freshener on medium heat and leaving it for 5-15 minutes will make it smell nice faster and then you can turn it down to minimum heat and let it simmer for as long as you desire. Another thing I enjoy doing with this is making a big pot and leaving it on the wood stove all day to simmer. Once you're done with the mixture for the time being don't throw it out! You can save this in a jar or container in the fridge and the mixture should last 2-3 days depending on how much you use it.

Other good scent combinations: cinnamon and orange peels with vanilla extract, lemon peels and eucalyptus oil, as well as lemon peels and pine needles. Don't be afraid to try whatever scents you like! 

Enjoy your house smelling great with these two easy air fresheners!

P.S. There will be at least one new post up every week by Wednesday at the latest. So stay tuned for more do it yourself fun.