DIY All-Natural Room Freshener
Originally published February 2019
Last fall I began making my own all-natural cleaners. I made the switch to better for-the-environment (and better-for-our health cleaners) years ago when the kids were babies. There are some great companies out there creating good products but they tend to be very expensive, and still don't address the issue of waste when it comes to packaging.
Making your own cleaning products is quite easy, and certainly less expensive. I went a bit crazy in one weekend, changing over the whole house since it coincided with the last of my store-bought products running out. I used the empty containers to package my new homemade cleaning products to lessen my overall household waste.
Air freshener doesn't really fall into the household cleaner category, but let's face it—we all need a spritz every now and then. The recipe for this all-natural room freshener is modeled after the Poo-Pourri brand. I love that brand but not the price tag that comes with it. Making your own air freshener means you can customize the scent. All you need are three ingredients to make your own all-natural room freshener: vodka, distilled water, and essential oil.
Some recipes I researched call for rubbing alcohol. I didn't like those versions. They left a very strong, oppressive odor, that even copious amounts of essential oils couldn't balance. A little more research led me to learning vodka can also be used as a carrier for the essential oils. After all, it's just a drinkable form of alcohol but does the same job which is to help the essential oils blend into the water.
The alcohol acts as a glue of sorts, though it's imperative to shake before each use to mix it up again. Any old vodka will do, so go for the least expensive you can find. This isn't the time to tip into your Tito's stash.
I settled on a combination of vanilla, grapefruit, lemon and rosemary essential oils for my signature all-natural room freshener scent. You can keep it simple with just one scent. In that case you may not need as many drops as I list in the recipe. The vanilla is especially delicate, requiring a lot of drops. If you decide to stick with a citrus-forward blend, you might want to start with 40 to 60 drops total. You can always add more, and be sure to write your recipe down so you can recreate it in the future.
I'd love to see what unique blends you make at home, so feel free to share in the comments if you'd like. Hope your Sunday is peaceful and restful. -xo-Jennie
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