Does your house stink of Superbowl party? If you accidently burn something in the kitchen, what do you do to get rid of the smell? Do you open a window or do you spray some air freshener to hide the smell? If you picked the latter, you may be spraying chemicals all over your kitchen!
Most of the time, your air fresheners will release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. VOCs are proven toxins. Some of the chemicals you will find include benzene (which has been linked to leukemia and causes cancer in animals), xylene (which has been linked to liver and kidney damage), phenol (which causes kidney, respiratory, neurological, and skin problems), naphthalene (which has been linked to blood, kidney, and liver problems), and formaldehyde (which can cause coughing, sore throat, respiratory and eye problems and has even been linked to cancer).
What can you do instead? There are many options out there:
- Fill your home with plants. They detoxify the air by absorbing toxic vapors and releasing oxygen back into the air. NASA found that a single spider plant could reduce dangerous levels of toxins in a room by 96% in 24 hours!
- Buy green air fresheners. Look for non-aerosol cans. Also, look for words such as “biodegradable”, “plant-based”, “formulated without synthetic fragrance”, and “contains no formaldehyde/phthalates”. Some companies that do make green air fresheners include: Seventh Generation, Miessence, and Rainforest Organic. Remember that most natural non-aerosol air fresheners are concentrated, so a little will go a long way!
- Old school tricks. You can simmer a pan of water with whole cloves in it. You can also simmer lemons or bake them for about 45 minutes for a great scent. Sometimes, just lighting a match will do the trick.
- Soy Candles. These can easily be made at home with loose soy wax chips and premade wicks using essential oils such as lavender, vanilla, and lemon.
- Potpourri. Find a vase either in your home or reuse one from a vintage shop. Fill it with dried rose petals, pinecones, or lavender florets. Then add five or six drops of an essential oil blend (your choice) and place in the kitchen or in the bathroom. Not only will this make your home smell better, it is a beautiful decoration. You can create another mix by using orange, lemon, and clove essential oils in equal proportions. For an especially bad odor, try tea tree, eucalyptus, and lemon essential oils.
No matter if you wear bamboo clothes or if recycle common household items, if you are spraying chemicals into your air, you are hurting both yourself and the environment. Air fresheners are not a product that immediately come to mind when you are trying to make environmentally friendly changes. However, the chemicals included in this product are pretty scary. They are not anything that I want my kids or even myself breathing in. Make sure you visit our Green Earth News Green Is Grand section for plenty of other eco-friendly tips, and we’d love to know what you use for a “natural” air freshener!
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