Are you one of those people that puts a box of baking soda in the fridge or freezer? Why do people do this? Well...because baking soda absorbs odors. (Actually, it neutralizes strong acids or bases.) Instead of just setting boxes of baking soda all over your house (That might be a little weird. Although I have put a box in my car. Don't tell anyone.), you can put the baking soda in cute little jars. The addition of essential oils and herbs gives each room a nice smell.
There are
many options for naturally freshening the air in your house. Some are
involved, some are as simple as throwing open your windows or using one
of these essential oil diffusers
(my very first crunchy purchase, even before I knew I was crunchy). If
you are trying to avoid the use of synthetic air fresheners, this is a
quick, easy, and cheap way to freshen any room in your home. This isn't going to be a strong scent, but will leave the room with a fresh, clean smell with just a hint of whatever essential oil you choose.
I don't remember where this idea came from. I'm guessing it's another Martha Stewart idea. (I kid. I kid.) My sister shared it with me and I wanted to share it with you. And it gave me another freshening idea that I'll share later.
How to make Air Freshening Scent Jars:
What you need:
Mason jars (I like these or these for this purpose.)
Baking soda
Essential oils, such as lavender, rosemary, sweet orange, and cinnamon (I buy mine HERE or HERE.)
Dried herbs and flowers (optional) (I buy dried herbs/flowers HERE.)
Scrapbook paper
Sewing needle or hole punch (anything that will make holes, like a wooden skewer)
Pencil and scissors
Ribbons (optional)
1. Trace the lid (not the ring) of the mason jar on your scrapbook paper. Trace a circle for each jar then cut them out. (If you aren't good at cutting out circles like me, it's okay. No one will know.) Remove the lids from the rings and replace them with the scrapbook paper circles. Push the circles into each ring as shown above (with colored side facing up). Using a large needle or other device, poke holes in the paper. This is easier if you secure the lid on the jar then poke the holes. (You could also use a hole punch for larger holes.)
*You don't have to use scrapbook paper. You can use any paper that can be punctured and is sturdy enough to stay in place. If you want to poke holes in the metal lid (with a hammer and nail, maybe), you could do that as well. Update: Or as a reader suggested in the comments, you can cut out a piece of fabric, cut holes in the fabric and secure that under the lid.
2. Place lids aside and fill the jars with baking soda, leaving a little room on top. (I fill about 3/4 of the jar.)
3. Add essential oils and stir. Use about 5-15 drops of essential oils per jar. Some options: Rosemary for living rooms. Lavender for bedrooms. Lemon for the kitchen. Cinnamon or sweet orange for bathrooms. Add about a tablespoon of herbs for extra scent (and for prettier jars): dried rosemary, dried lavender buds, broken cinnamon stick. You could also use dried citrus peels.
For mine:
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary plus 6 drops rosemary essential oil
- 1 tbsp dried lavender flowers plus 6 drops lavender essential oil
- 1 broken cinnamon stick plus 5 drops cinnamon and 5 drops sweet orange oil
4. Secure the lids on the jars and give them a gentle shake to mix the baking soda and oils/herbs. Place the jars in your room of choice. Shake jar occasionally to release oils. Tie on ribbons if desired. (As you can see my ribbon tying skills are not great, but they still look cute. :))
To refresh: Add a few drops of essential oils at any time to increase scent. Replace baking soda mixture every 1-3 months as needed.
Shared at: Make Your Own Mondays, Natural Living Monday, Party Wave Wednesday, and Thank Goodness It's Monday, Teach Me Tuesday
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