I love walking into a freshly cleaned home smelling softly of lavender and orange. Getting there with three dogs and two cats however, is no small feat. I know that products such as Febreze® are quite popular in homes across America, but I’ve never been able to use them without sneezing and my throat swelling. Same goes for ammonia, bleach and many other “clean” smells. So I make my own cleaners and pretty much called it a day on the odor eliminating sprays.
Image from © H.J. Heinz Company
Then I read Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan and realized I was trying much too hard. Distilled white vinegar is the solution. We are not endorsed by Heinz but I do find that it has the most light and clean smell out of the brands I’ve tried.
I’m not sure what Karen’s recipe was, but I usually just fill a fine mist spray bottle (around 8 oz. but use what you have) with vinegar and 15-30 drops of essential oil. My favorite is a lavender and orange blend but peppermint, lemon and apple are refreshing and it is pleasant to change with the seasons. If I feel it needs some antibacterial qualities, I’ll use tea tree oil. There are many great sources for essential oils, I really love Mountain Rose Herbs.
I often spray this in my basement just to freshen the air and when we’ve been away from the house, I just walk through and mist everywhere. Please note: As with all cleaners, spray and then walk away, do not breathe in the mist. The vinegar will absorb the unpleasant odors and then the vinegar smell will disappear after a few minutes as well. Use this just as you would any commercial odor eliminator and feel better knowing you are not absorbing any cyclodextrins into your body. I am not claiming to know that is the active ingredient in the odor eliminator, however, due to a little research I found several resources making that claim and I could not find any ingredient list or MSDS on the website. It’s safe to say that you would probably choose the more familiar, edible ingredient to spray all over your home for which your children and pets will potentially come into contact.
There is so much more to say on the matter, but why complicate things?
Roxanne D
A self-employed home renovator and interior designer, Roxanne is living in her third 1920s-era home in one of Tulsa’s oldest neighborhoods. A small-town Oklahoma girl at heart, she has also lived in Australia, which helped inspire her love of design. Roxanne loves sewing, knitting, crocheting, repurposing furniture and salvaging architectural pieces. She loves to tackle a do-it-yourself project, no matter how small or large. As our very own “granola girl”, Roxanne dreams about designing everything from dresses to gardens to her day, whatever comes across her path.
Follow Me:
Thanks I’m going to try this.
I am loving this website so far. I’m not very crafty and don’t have the patience for DIY, but I’m gonna give this one a try. You make it sound pretty simple. I would love to make my own cleaners. I just ordered oils on the website you recommended and am going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing Roxanne:)
[...] No surprise that these are my three favorites and that they happen to show up on the clean air list. Yes, plants do more good for your environment than just prove your homemaking skills to your guests, read all about it here on the best air-filtering plants according to NASA. On another note, plants can often be harmful to humans and pets if they contain chemicals that create adverse reactions. Double check this list to make sure the plants you choose are right for your household. [...]