DIY Spiced’n’Simmering Air Freshener
Ohh, how I loved those orangey, cinnamon spice plug in air fresheners until I educated myself on the cancer-causing chemical concoction ingredients, not to mention those things are spendy and these “disposable” refills are just adding more plastic to our landfills. No thanks!! Fret not, purveyor of succulent scents, You have an easy, inexpensive option that’s INFINITELY better for you and your family (human and 4 legged), your home environment, and our beautiful planet.
Instead, you can make a lovely simmering potpourri air freshener for a fraction of the cost that actually is full of antibacterial properties! Yup, smells great and is great for you and the air you breathe. It’s SO EASY, lovebugs!
Here’s how I make mine below. I add more water and reboil it daily for a few days and really get the most out of it.
+Wedges from yesterday’s lemon water (about 1/2 a lemon)
+Orange peels from the 2 juicy orange I nourished myself with at lunchtime.
+Peels and slices of a 2” nub of fresh ginger that’s on its way out.
+3-5 Cinnamon sticks, 1tsp nutmeg, 1-2tsp whole cloves, and 1Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
+1 mulling spices tea bag I found buried in our teabag basket (this item is optional)
Why put all this stuff together? You get a space that smells absolutely divine and you’re not adding plastic to landfills. Cinnamon and lemon are antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral too.
It’s a chemical-free way to help your space smell warm, welcoming, and inviting, using some scraps and some inexpensive spices.
HOW to DIY:
1. Add all ingredients and fill your little old pot with water. If you use a smaller pot, you’ll want to keep an eye on your water level and add more water more often.
2.Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.
3.Reduce heat to simmer, and let it go for an hour or so, periodically checking the water level adding more water as necessary.
However you choose to make this, keep an eye on the water level, add more water as needed.
Tips n Tricks:
You can put this in your crockpot and keep on low with the lid about 1/2 on, or you could put it into a cast iron pot on your woodstove. After a couple days of use, to dispose of your simmered spiced mix, you can add it to your compost pile. While in years passed it wasn’t recommended that citrus goes into a compost pile, primarily due to the thought of the oils in the citrus peels being harmful to natural organisms, the oils in the citrus dry up and are simmered out before they end up in your compost piles. 🙂
Have a beautiful day!
XOXO RainbowSparkles