Clearing the Air on Air Fresheners

If you watch almost any TV channel long enough you will see a commercial for an air freshener.  Whether it is Febreze or Lysol telling you they remove odors or Glade telling you they create a “more tranquil atmosphere” in your room someone is going to try to sell you something to clean your air.

The Problem With Chemical Air Fresheners

The problem is these products do not clean the air; they actually pollute the air.  Therefore, when you buy an air freshener you are spending money to decrease the air quality in your home when what you want is the exact opposite!

If you know anyone with asthma (or if you have asthma yourself), you already know that these toxic products are tough on the respiratory system.  Consider yourself lucky.  Many people spray, plug in, and burn wax melts or candles in hopes of making the air fresher. 

According to the EPA, these air fresheners are made of ingredients such as formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, dichlorobenzene; and the aerosol sprays contain propellants.  So if you have musty smells, do you really think the answer is formaldehyde?  Formaldehyde is used as an embalming fluid.  Spraying air freshener is like embalming your family while they are sill alive!  Dichlorobenzene is a known respiratory irritant.  OSHA has even set limits of exposure to this chemical in the workplace.  That is what you want to spray in your air?  The solid fresheners, candles, plug-ins, and wax melts mostly contain the same ingredients.  If you care about your indoor air quality, you will stay away from these products and take a different approach to controlling odors in your home.

Go to the Source of the Odor

The most common sources of odors in the air are mold spores, bacteria, and cooking/smoke odors.  If you have a musty smell, it is probably molds or bacteria causing the smell.  To get rid of the smell, treat it at the source.

If the bathroom is musty because of mold, increase air circulation and do not throw wet towels in a pile on the floor. If you re-use a towel, make sure you hang it up. If possible, add an exhaust fan to the bathroom or open a window when taking hot showers.  If you have poor air circulation in the bathroom and cannot add a fan to the room, do not keep a laundry hamper in that room. In the bathroom, eliminate smells by cleaning with vinegar and baking soda.  Sodium percarbonate is great for getting rid of mold and mildew and it will not pollute the air.  Most of the products with this ingredient have something like “Oxy” or “Oxygen” in the name. Look for this ingredient on the label.

Natural Options for Air Fresheners

 

If you have cooking odors or smells from smoke, you can place a bowl of vinegar in the room.  The vinegar will get rid of the smell.  If it is especially strong or in a large room, you can put several bowls out.  Vinegar has a strong smell at first but it dissipates quickly and when it does, it takes odors with it.

If you need to deodorize your sinks, drains, and garbage disposals just grind up ½ a lemon with a cup of ice cubes.  You will get rid of the odor and sharpen the blades at the same time.

You can sprinkle baking soda on the trash to get rid of garbage smells.  If your trash can smells, wash it out!  Just use soap and water; and the smell will be gone.

 If you want fragrance in a room, you can do this without adding chemicals to the air.  Just simmer a few spices in a small amount of water or orange juice.  For a fresh smell, just simmer ½ a lemon in a small amount of water.

If you like floral fragrances, you can purchase essential oils (be sure to get the real thing) and just put a drop in water and simmer.  If you want to spread the aroma through the house, transfer the warm oil and water to a bowl and sit out in the room for an hour.