Image : Kristyn Hogan
It’s possible to have a beautiful smelling home without the use of harsh chemicals by trying a much more natural approach.
A fresh-smelling home always feels cleaner and more welcoming, but we’re becoming increasingly aware of the impact that chemicals have on the environment and the wellbeing of our family. Instead of traditional aerosols and plug-ins, we’re on the lookout for safer and more natural ways of fragrancing our homes. Of course, nothing beats opening the windows wide and letting a fresh breeze into the kitchen, but traditional British weather can make this an impractical solution a lot of the time. Using natural products and common household items, we have some clever home fragrance ideas to share.
Create your own DIY reed infuser
Reed infusers work by allowing fragranced oils to travel up reeds and waft their scent gently through your living spaces. High-end reed infusers can be very expensive, but it’s deceptively easy to make your own. All you need is a small glass bottle or container to hold your rattan diffuser sticks. Add a teaspoon of your favourite essential oils, then top up the rest with baby oil. Position your DIY reed diffuser on a countertop or table to fill the space with fragrance.
Image : Brown Paper Packages
The ultimate kitchen freshener
Many of our favourite smells emulate from the kitchen – freshly baked bread anyone? – but it is also somewhere that we want to clear pervading odours from getting too comfortable. For long-lasting, almost immediate freshness, start with a large pan of boiling water. To the pan, add your favourite fresh fruits, herbs, cinnamon sticks or whatever you fancy. Woody-stemmed herbs such as rosemary, lavender, thyme and bay leaves work really well, as do citrus fruits. Reduce the boil to a simmer to enjoy the fresh and welcoming fragrance.
Shake and vac, but not as we know it
Carpets can harbour all sorts of nasty smells that even regular vacuuming won’t eradicate. A great way to freshen them up is with a simple DIY carpet deodoriser. Start by two parts of bicarbonate of soda to one part of cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add five drops of your favourite essential oil and stir to combine. We like to decant the mixture into an icing sugar shaker (clearly marked to prevent any mixups!). Sprinkle generously over your carpet and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before vacuuming away.
Spray away smells
Fabrics will also pick up offending odours. This is especially true of kitchen textiles, subjected to a daily barrage of cooking smells. A scented fabric spray can help, and it’s possible to make your own and avoid any harsh chemicals. You’ll need a spray bottle, either a new one or one that’s been thoroughly cleaned. Begin by combining a tablespoon of vodka with 35 drops of your favourite essential oils. Add to your spray bottle and top up the remainder with distilled water.
Always test fabric sprays in a discrete spot before using, especially on delicate fabrics.