Ahh! Don’t we just love that fresh, clean-air smell?
It makes sense, then, to want to keep your air clean. The key is to do it naturally — there’s no point in using products that include harmful substances to freshen your air or clean your surfaces.
The good news is, you can freshen up your home with all-natural fresheners and cleaners you can make yourself. We tell you how below, and promise it’s easy and fun!
Natural Freshener: Open Your Window
One free and easy way to improve your indoor air quality is to open your windows. Refresh stale and stuffy air, and get rid of cooking or other odours, by letting fresh air in for at least 10 minutes a day.
So throw back those curtains and get that fresh air circulating. The brighter light you’ll be letting in, as well, will not only brighten your interiors, it will brighten your mood!
Deodorize Your Shoes Naturally
Say so long to smelly shoes!
Simply sprinkle baking soda into your shoes and let them sit for 24 hours. Or, add a few drops of tea tree oil or thyme essential oil to a spray bottle, and fill it with 2 cups of water. Shake the bottle and spray the liquid into your shoes. Let them dry. That’s it!
For an extra boost, add clove essential oil to your spray bottle. One study found that oil inhibits the growth of bacteria on the feet, thereby reducing odour.
Freshen Up Your Home’s Air With Vinegar and Baking Soda
Do you know how you keep a box of baking soda in your fridge to get rid of smells in there? You can use it to eliminate odors in other parts of your home, too: pour baking soda into small bowls and leave them in affected areas. It works by absorbing odour molecules.
Banish cooking odours by filling a dish with half an inch of white vinegar. Leave it in the kitchen until the odour subsides. The acetic acid in the vinegar draws odours out of the air.
How to Make a Natural Air Freshener Spray
Air fresheners smell great, but many contain chemicals that aren’t great for you to inhale. You can still enjoy an energizing, citrusy scent by making your own air freshener with a few simple ingredients:
Pour 1 cup of distilled water into a glass spray bottle, about 2/3 of the way full. Add 25 drops of lemon oil and 3/4 teaspoon of almond extract, or 25 drops of citrus fresh oil and 10 drops of peppermint oil. Secure the top to the bottle, give it a shake, and spritz away!
Natural Sprays For Cleaning
Remove dirt, grease, and grime without the use of harmful detergents or chemicals!
All you have to do is fill a Branch Basics bottle with water according to the directions. Then add the concentrate, and you’re ready to start cleaning.
Branch Basics provides formulations to remove stains, do the laundry, clean carpets, pots, pans, tile, and grout, and for everyday cleaning. The best part is you’ll no longer have to tolerate an eye-watering, harsh cleaning-product smell because Branch Basics use plant and mineral-based ingredients, and zero fragrance.
You can refill all the bottles, too, which means you’ll save money as you protect the planet.
Natural Deodorants For a Sustainable Lifestyle
Pamper your armpits with Primally Pure Natural Deodorant. It’s non-toxic and crafted with 100% natural ingredients — including arrowroot powder, kaolin clay, fair-trade coconut oil, and essential oils — that embrace sensitive skin.
Featuring naturally mined baking soda to keep you fresh for hours, the deodorants are available unscented, or in geranium, lavender, lemongrass, tea tree, vanilla and citrus, and more.
Natural Remedies for Fresh Smells
Fresh air and a clean home can be achieved with a few natural ingredients you probably already have in your cupboards: vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils.
Making your own natural cleaners and air freshener couldn’t be easier — experiment with different essential oils to create a scent you like best. And the few ingredients required will be kind to your wallet as you’re being kind to yourself, and to your environment.
To explore more natural home, beauty, and skincare products, visit Think Dirty’s Clean Beautique.
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Natural and Easy Ways to Make Your Space Smell Fresh was originally published in Think Dirty on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.