Who doesn’t love that clean fresh smell that comes from spraying a fine mist of your favorite air freshener? Sometimes, it seems that no matter how clean our homes are, odors find their way inside, lurking in the carpets, curtains or simply hanging in the air. With four dogs and three kids, I’ll admit, in the past I relied quite heavily on chemical-based cleaners and air fresheners to replace foul odors with more pleasant scents.
But I stopped using them when I learned that research conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that chemical compound in some popular products, including air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products, may be harmful to the lungs, even causing reductions in lung functions.
“Even a small reduction in lung function may indicate some harm to the lungs,” NIEHS researcher Stephanie London, M.D., lead investigator on the study said in a 2007 news release. “The best way to protect yourself, especially children who may have asthma or other respiratory illnesses, is to reduce the use of products and materials that contain these compounds.”
Studies have also linked household cleaners with the onset of asthma attacks in people who have asthma and one common household cleaning ingredient, ethoxylated nonyl penols, are believed to cause reproductive issues in some animals, according a report printed by www.thedailygreen.com.
So, what to do? We all want our homes to smell clean and fresh and sometimes the temptation to spray a chemical-based air freshener can be tempting. But there are easy ways to resist the temptation. You could use one of the many “green” air fresheners on the market. They are usually found in most grocery stores. Or, if buying a new product doesn’t suit your fancy, you could simply open your pantry doors, where you’ll probably find the key ingredients to a fresh-smelling house sitting on the shelves. Here’s a brief list of how you can use common items to freshen your home chem-free.
Carpet freshener. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and allow it sit for about one hour or longer. A few tablespoons of cinnamon may be added for extra freshening. Vaccum. Baking soda is an amazing odor eliminator.
Air freshener/fabric refresher. Vinegar is one of the most effective odor eliminators around, and one gallon of white distilled vinegar sells for half the price of most commercial air fresheners. A simple odor eliminating spray can be made by mixing in a spray bottle equal parts vinegar and water. Spray as you would any air freshener. Yes, the spray will smell like vinegar, but the smell is temporary and will fade, removing odors with it. If the temporary smell of vinegar is too much to bear, add a few drops of vanilla, lemon juice or even lemon, lime or orange zest to the mix. If you have a keifer lime leaf handy, throw it in the spray to add a nice citrus scent to the mixture. Lemon juice and water can also be combined to make a great air freshener too, but be careful spraying it on fabrics. Add a keifer lime leaf if you have one – your scent sensors will thank you.
Potpourri. Few things delight the sense more than simmering apples, which is why apple-scented potpourri is so popular. If you have the time and patience, make apple sauce. The simmering apples will fill the house with an nostril-pleasing aroma. If you don’t have time to watch over a pot of simmering apples, make an easy homemade potpourri by combining a sliced apple, two cups of water, a few cinnamon sticks and a dash or two of lemon juice. The potpourri may be simmered on top the stove (add water as needed) or in most potpourri pots.
Shoes. A nasty harborer of odors, sneakers and shoes can be a challenge. An easy solution is to sprinkle baking soda into the shoes. Allow to sit overnight then shake the baking soda out the following day. Another solution is to crumple up a newspaper and set it inside the the shoes. Allow to sit overnight then throw the paper in the recycling bin the following day. Believe it or not, this really works.
Cigarette/cigar smoke. If a smoker lives in your home, or if one visits your home, the odor of smoke can linger long after they have extinguished their cigarette. This tip, which works like a charm, comes from the book Hints from Heloise: “Pour a cup of vinegar into a bowl and lit it sit awhile to absorb the odors.”
2. The Daily Green Website, March 9, 2010 http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/community-news/toxic-cleaning-products-chemicals-461109#ixzz0hj6LbS1s
3. Heloise. Hints from Heloise by Heloise. New York: King Features Syndicate, Inc./Avon Books, 1980
