How Pinteresting Monday - Homemade Air Freshener

I can hardly wait for spring here in northern Michigan.  I love to throw the windows open and let in the fresh air.  No matter how much I clean, nothing seems to clean the air like a good fresh country breeze. In the meantime, I have resorted to commercial air fresheners in the past.

I'm no longer comfortable using products that post: "Warning, hazordous to humans and animals." Seriously? Nor am I willing to sell a child to afford some of the commercial natural alternatives.

I nosed around pinterest to see what I could come up with.  I found a few ideas.  Baking soda has always been known to absorb odors, and you can add a few drops of essential oil to make it smell pretty, but I never found this very effective.  I think the baking soda absorbs the smell of the oil as well.  

However, baking soda doesn't hold a candle to a certain loved one in the smell department.  (I wouldn't light a candle around him either!)  To put it delicately...never mind...to be frank, the man is legend.  He even has the coffee mug, and he doesn't even drink coffee.   Not this exact cup, but you get the idea.

Lets just say, when we gut and remodel our bathroom, I'm installing the biggest, honking vent fan I can afford!  One, that on high speed, will eliminate the need for towels, and dry my hair in one fell swoop.

Note: I am not endorsing this movie.  I never saw it, nor do I aspire to.  

But the picture...need I say more?

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Your secret is safe with me anonymous loved one.

Ahem! Back to alternative air fresheners. The best solution I found was the good old standby of simmering a potpourri of natural herbs, botanicals, and fruits.

I had done this before, but once boiled a pot dry on the stove.  Can you say stench??  Not to mention a ruined pan and much more seriously, a major fire hazard.  That was the last time I did that. I did, however, find a site that suggested using a candle warmer.  Now that would be pretty safe, and I even have one.

This is the first concoction I tried.  It consisted of orange slices, a few winter wilted lavender sprigs, a splash of vanilla and water.  It didn't smell like much so I added a couple sprays of a natural scent I had. Still not thrilled.  So out it went.

I settled on orange slices with some allspice sprinkled in.  Add water, stir, preheat in the microwave and set on the candle warmer.  Bingo.  

 I can't really use this in the bathroom because of electrical hazard (the cord would drape over the sink).  So I'm off to find a different solution in there...at least until I find the worlds most powerful vent fan.

Grab something and hold tight babe.  I'm throwing the switch!

from the movie "Twister"

In the meantime, the kitchen and living room smell pretty yummy!  Maybe that's why I've been so hungry tonight??  Good grief...I can't win for losing!

So how about you?  Have you smelled done anything Pinteresting lately?