I love smells-nice ones. However I live with the funky-foot fragrance of a tween boy, a 7 year old princess with the backside of a trucker and a couple of champion mousers who are guilty of some pretty awful aromas!
Commercial air fresheners are loaded with carcinogens which contribute greatly to indoor air pollution
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) study showed that 12 of 14 common household air fresheners contained phthalates – known toxins linked to asthma, cancer, birth defects as well as formaldehyde, a known carcinogen,.
None of these products have these disclosed on their labeling. At the moment there is no federal regulation of chemicals in cleaning products.
In fact not only are Companies not required to list their ingredients they are not even required to perform health and safety testing and are able to hide all sorts of toxins behind the generic term fragrance due to “trade secret” laws that protect the industry.
So next time your home gets a bit whiffy rather than breathing in great big lungfuls of neurotoxins try some of these very safe, very effective almost FREE simmer recipes that not only will your home with wonderful fragrance but also humidify the air which can help to prevent the spread of cold and flu germs in the air.
These can also be made in a crock pot making your fragrance more portable for a school or office party
The longer you simmer the better and more fragrant it becomes. It’s even reusable for 3-4 times if you refrigerate. There are so many variations your imagination run wild!
WARNING – delicious smells can lead to an outbreak of baking or the appearance of hungry family members wanting to know what you’re cooking for them!
- Caution: Set your timer for 30 minutes so you remember to top up with water. You don’t want the pot burning dry. Do not leave the house with this left heating on the stove.
- Storage: You can refrigerate your simmering recipe and reuse daily for up to one week. Just keep adding water as needed.
- Savings: For apple juice, cranberry juice, herbs and spices that are outdated, don’t throw out–just add to your simmering pot.
- Recycle – just add to the compost
All measurements are just a rough guide
- Holiday recipe
2 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 pieces orange rind
2 pieces lemon rind Plus Sprigs evergreen or handful pine needles
- Apple juice
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves
- 2 TBS whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
5 star anise
1 orange peel
- 5 bay leaves
1 TBS whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
- Peel from 1 lemon
Peel from 1 orange
2 bay leaves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves
- 6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups dried rosemary
2 cups dried lavender
1 cup dried eucalyptus leaves
1/2 cup dried peppermint or spearmint
1/2 cup dried bay leaves
50+UPF Sunny Sleevez
Sunny Sleevez 
Lovely! Will try out, I’ve been looking ages to invent or find recipes for it, thanks 🙂
Fabulous. My Mom has terrible allergic reactions to artificial scents. By your information no wonder! She will be visiting over the holidays so will definitely give some of these a try. Thanks!
Nice idea! I used to always have some sort of spiced/fall scented candle going this time of year, but we recently got rid of all our paraffin candles due to the pollution and switched to beeswax. Glad to be breathing healthier, but I still miss those good smelling aromas. Thanks for sharing this simple alternative! (oh and I can so relate to the lovely aromas you refer to at the beginning of your post 🙂 )
Really interesting post, thanks for sharing. I like this idea for sure and will put it into practice over here in South Korea.
I love this, thanks for sharing!!
Natural scents, no chemicals – I like it. Is it okay if I link your post on my site? I want to share your info with my chemically sensitive friends.
Reblogged this on ARITA'S ABODE and commented:
Thanks for the great tips! I’ll be sure to try these =)
You list ingredients but don’t give explicit instructions for the DIY challenged. (Someone once wrote a recipe for my mother beginning with, “Open the refrigerator.” Anyhow, I am jazzed by your site, but would like more basic info. Thanks.
Hi Marcy,
Thank you, your comment gave a good laugh 🙂
OK just for you
1- Half fill saucepan or slow cooker with water (turn on tap ;D )
2- Add any where from a pinch to a hand full of the suggested items
3 – bring to boil, reduce to simmer
4 -Sniff
5 – Smile
6 – Occasionally add more water
We are eating a lot of satsumas at the moment so I have been throwing the peel in the slow cooker with a cinnamon stick and a shake of allspice or nutmeg, it’s so festive
Today I have half a manky lemon that was no longer deodorizing the fridge, chopped up with 3 drops of vanilla, it smells heavenly 😀