DIY Natural Air Freshener Spray

Make your own natural air freshener spray with simple, non-toxic ingredients. A much safer alternative to the harmful chemicals found in regular air fresheners!

Fresh Linen. Country Apple. Cinnamon Delight.

Sound familiar? These are, of course, a few of the names for the so called “refreshing” and “aromatic” scents that greet your senses as you make your way down the air freshener aisle at the store.

And depending on your sensitivities, you’re either strolling along slowly, taking in all the wonderful scents, and deciding which new scent will soon grace the air in your beautiful home.

…or you’re sprinting down the aisle at lightning speed, because all you need is a pack of toilet paper…which happens to be right across from the air freshener section…which you try to avoid like the plague, because “OMG, why are these smells so darn strong and overpowering?!?”

Once upon a time, I was in the first group. But over time, I’ve unintentionally (though very graciously) made my way over to the second group. And if you’re reading a post like this on a blog such as this one, my guess is you’ll be joining me in that second group very soon – that’s if you’re not already there. 😉

Because once I learned about the harmful effects of these artificial fragrances and air fresheners – about what they’re doing to our bodies and the precious air we breathe – I ditched them for good. 

But there was one problem: I actually liked having a pleasant, comforting scent in my home. I just didn’t want those toxic chemicals floating around in the air we breathed – especially my young children.

For a while, I thought I was just stuck with a plain, boring, unexciting smell in the house (or the smell of the last meal I cooked!). I tried to accept the idea that a non-toxic home was a completely scent-free home (and for some, it has to be), but I just couldn’t do it. I knew there had to be a way. And so began my search for a natural air freshener spray.

Thankfully, there are ways to naturally, safely, and effectively freshen the air in our homes without resorting to allergy-inducing or cancer-causing chemicals.

How to Make a Natural Air Freshener Spray

Use this natural air freshener spray like you would with any store bought spray – just a few sprays into the air. I like to keep a bottle in each  bathroom, and then another in the living room/entryway for a quick freshening up when needed.

The witch hazel or alcohol serves two purposes: it helps mix the essential oils into the solution (because oil and water don’t mix), and it disperses the mixture into the air and helps it evaporate more quickly.

My two favorite scents that work pretty much anywhere are orange (sweet, energizing, uplifting) and lavender (floral, calming, relaxing). Use them separately or together, or in combination with other oils like vanilla, peppermint, rosemary, clove, etc.

A few precautions

• Do not spray this directly on fabrics, as the oils may leave spots on your clothes or furniture.
• As with all products containing essential oils, use caution around children, pets, and pregnant women.

Where can you buy essential oils?

If you’re new to essential oils, a good brand to start with is NOW Foods. Most health food stores carry NOW oils, but I usually get them at Amazon.com. I also love Plant Therapy oils, which you can buy from Amazon.com or their website.

Can you make this without the essential oils?

YES! You can actually skip the witch hazel and the essential oils, and just use some pure extracts like vanilla, orange, or lemon – as long as they’ve been extracted with an alcohol (as opposed to a non-alcoholic extract which uses glycerin). Make sure you’re using an organic extract like this one from Simply Organic, which has no additives – just vanilla and alcohol.

Good news – we CAN have a naturally-scented home without exposing ourselves to the harsh chemicals in conventional air fresheners. 

And as for that sprint down the aisle to grab the toilet paper before the fragrances attack our senses…let’s just file that under our weekly workout routine. 😉