How to Make Your Own Homemade Air Fresheners

Store-bought air fresheners are fine to use, but if you buy the gel-like products, they dry up in no time at all. The scent of the aerosol sprays don’t linger in the air long, and the round, stick-up types of air fresheners need to be replaced way too often. If you want your home smelling attractive, the best way I’ve found is to learn how to make your own homemade air fresheners.

Besides saving you lots of cash, another advantage of homemade air fresheners is that they are 100% more effective. Because, they actually do away with household odors instead of just covering them up. For example, to get rid of nasty- smelling cooking odors like smoke, or the smells from frying fish, mix up a 50/50 solution of apple cider vinegar and tap water. Dampen a dish towel with the solution and wave the towel around the air in your kitchen. The smoke and smell will be gone in no time at all!

You can also put the apple cider vinegar/tap water mix in a misting bottle and spray the cooking smells away.

You might be amazed at the other ingredients for homemade air fresheners you have right in your cupboards. To give your kitchen the delicious smell of freshly-baked cookies, place a teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a small saucepan. Add a couple inches of tap water to the pan, then place it on your stove. Turn the heat on “low” and the aroma of cinnamon will permeate the air in a short time.

You may need to add more water to the saucepan, depending on how long you use this homemade air freshener. Even after you remove the pan from the stove, though, the fresh smell will linger in the air for quite some time.

You can also use cloves or vanilla extract in place of the ground cinnamon for a spicy or smooth vanilla smell.

Or, make a homemade air freshener by placing several drops of another flavor of extract, such as peppermint, almond, lemon, coconut, or cinnamon, into a small, microwave-safe glass bowl. Add a cup of water, and place the bowl in your microwave oven. Heat it on “high” power for a minute. Then, remove the bowl and place it on a counter or table.

Another homemade air freshener that’s a great way to use two items you probably place in your garbage disposal anyhow, is to recycle lemon, lime and orange peels. Place the cut up peelings in a saucepan with a couple inches of tap water. Place the pan on your stove on “low” heat and your house will soon have a clean, citrus aroma to it.

Essential oils also make effective air fresheners. Mix several drops of Lavender oil, for example, in a small misting bottle with tap water. Shake the mixture up, then spray it into the air for a nice flowery smell.

Another advantage in using lavender oil is that it has a calming effect. So, besides making the air in your house smell good, this homemade air freshener can also help soothe jangled nerves.