Published on January 20th, 2012 | by Lynn Fang

Make Your Own Air Fresheners

Air fresheners you can buy at most convenient stores often contain toxic chemicals, which are not tested or approved by the FDA. The biggest culprits are terpenes and phthalates, which are both carcinogenic endocrine disruptors. Other toxic compounds include formaldehydes and petroleum distillates. They release a multitude of volatile organic compounds with varying toxicity.

Terpenes, phthalates, and formaldehydes are all known human carcinogens.

It’s appalling that these chemicals are allowed in our everyday products, innocently stacked on grocery store shelves. Instead of supporting the petro-chemical industry and poisoning our personal health, we can make people and earth-friendly air fresheners in our home. Try some of these ideas:

Simmering Potpourri. Simmer up your favorite spices, herbs, or citrus zest to enrich the aroma of your living space.

Dried Potpourri. If you’ve got some time and a crafty creativity, try making your own Dried Potpourri.

Fragrance Bowl. Fill a large decorative bowl with clean sand, then top with citrus peelings, whole spices, fresh herbs, or fragrant flowers.

Room Spray. Fill a spray bottle with water, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, or vanilla or almond extract, and you’ve got a quick and easy room spray.

DIY Reed Diffuser. Make your own reed diffuser with a small bottle, some reeds, and fragrant oils.

Living Herbs. Grow herbs in your kitchen for a freshly scented smell.

Bathroom Freshener. Dip a Q-tip in your favorite essential oil and tape it inside a roll of toilet paper. Every time the roll is used, the scent will be released.

How do you rid of odor naturally in your home?
[CC Image by Strep72 via Flickr]