Homemade Natural Air Freshener

It’s wonderful to walk into a house that's been through a thorough cleaning service and smells good, your favorite scent wafting through the air. Unfortunately, many of the air fresheners you’re used to are known to carry toxins through the air, as well—yuck.

Do away with toxins while keeping the air fresh by making a few of these to spread out throughout your house:

1. Fill a glass jar ¼ to ½ full of baking soda. Baking soda is known to absorb odors and is often used to get smells out of fabric or to combat strong aromas in the refrigerator. It works just as well for freshening air, though; and it’s affordable and completely safe.

2. Add your favorite essential oil. You might make all of your air fresheners the same or mix them up, but adding a few drops of essential oil to the jar will spread out a great smell even as the baking soda is working to remove odors!

Keep in mind that peppermint, lemon, and cinnamon tend to promote alertness while lavender is likely to put you to sleep—plan accordingly!

3. Poke holes in the top of the jar. A simple nail and hammer works just fine for this. You can create a random cluster of holes or draw out a design if you’re feeling crafty, just make sure they’re reasonably sized.

That’s it! Put your new air freshener anywhere in the house that needs it, and give it a shake when the smell is getting too weak.

Bonus Tip: Baking soda is used to remove smells from fabrics of all kinds: carpets, floors, clothes, etc. When you need a spot of freshness, tip the air freshener over, shake some of the scented baking soda on the carpet, clothes, or furniture, then vacuum when it’s dry to take the smells right out.