How to Make a Natural House Deodorizer

Natural deodorizers are healthier for your family.

Deodorizing air fresheners may no longer contain the infamous, ozone-damaging CFCs, but they are still not a particularly green product. The interesting collection of chemicals in air fresheners and the packaging add to pollution and landfills. Unnecessary products also consume natural resources and energy. It is easy enough to mask smells naturally, and you can create a natural spray that actually neutralizes odors, as well as adds a pleasant scent to your home.

Things You'll Need

• Spray bottle
• Vodka or white vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Essential oils
• Baking soda
• Bowls

Instructions

1. Pour 1 or 2 cups of clear alcohol, such as vodka, or white vinegar into a spray bottle. Fill the bottle almost to the top with water. The alcohol or vinegar kills the bacteria that create smells.

2. Add a squirt of lemon juice to the spray bottle.

3. Add 10 to 20 drops of your favorite essential oil to the bottle. Citronella provides a fresh scent, sandalwood is homey, and lavender is relaxing.

4. Spray the mixture, as needed, around your house.

5. Consider creating a more powerful freshening spray by dissolving 1/2-cup of baking soda in water, pouring it into the bottle then adding the lemon juice and essential oils as before. Alternatively, you can use neat vodka.

6. Fill small bowls with white vinegar and leave them out overnight in rooms where people smoke heavily. The vinegar absorbs the stale smell from the air. Use the vinegar for cleaning, not cooking, afterward.

Tips & Warnings

• Make a separate air freshener with different essential oils for each room. For example, you might choose lavender for the bedroom, sandalwood for the living room, peppermint for the bathroom and citronella for the kitchen.

• Vodka is also a preservative so this spray can keep for several weeks.

• If you just want to add a nice smell to a room, rather than also neutralizing stale odor, use an oil burner, a little water and your favorite essential oils. This method is cheaper than a vodka spray.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Ask Heloise -- What’s That Smell?
• Mother Earth News; "Clean Your Home With Food (and Spirits) That You Already Have on Hand"; Robyn Griggs Lawrence; June 2011
• Re-Nest: An Easy Homemade 3-Ingredient Spray Air Freshener