The Scent of Home - Air Freshener

Way back when I talk about my homemade laundry detergent, I promised 2 other homemade cleaning product recipes.  Today I am going to share with you a homemade air freshener from Keeper of the Home that I use.

First though, why would someone want to make their own air freshener?  Apparently having "fresh" air is a major first world problem, since 75% of Americans have some sort of air freshener in their home. Unfortunately all types of air fresheners (sprays, wicks, electric, etc) have a long ingredient list filled with toxic chemicals.  Just one example I found is trichlorofluoromethane.  With the help of my chemist husband, I was able to look into the safety of this chemical.  It has been assigned the exclamation point "danger" symbol because of its severe toxicity and damage to the ozone layer and environment in general.  Another harmful ingredient is called 1, 4-dichlorobenzene which has already been proven in studies to reduce lung function.  That is not exactly what I think of when I hear air freshener.

So, what can we do about it?  Make our own natural air fresheners!  Here is how.

Natural Air Freshener

1/2 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
12-15 drops of pure essential oil (I used lemon 'cause I like it)

Combine ingredients in a small spray bottle.  Shake gently before each use.

It is so simple and fast to make, and even that small amount lasts for a long time.  I am just coming to the end of my first batch, which I made in August.  I keep it in the bathroom, but I use it all over the house as needed.  It can be used to spray directly onto items to deodorize shoes, furniture, etc or into the air as a room freshener.  It really works wonders.

What air fresheners do you use?