How to Freshen Up Your Home Naturally With Vinegar
Most people don’t realize this, but we’re
all extremely sensitive to smells. Unpleasant smells can affect people’s
mood, behavior, and work performance, which explains why much of our
weekly house cleaning chores are centered around eliminating odors.
A clean and fresh-smelling home is a place where you feel cozy and
relaxed. But how you go about eliminating or masking odors is more
important than you know. Natural air fresheners, fabric perfume, and
surface deodorizers are by far superior in that regard. We explain why
that is the case and how you can deodorize your home using vinegar in
this article.
Why choose natural air fresheners?
Air fresheners are widely available in stores, which prompts the
question - why would you go through the hassle of making your own? There
are a few good reasons why that seemingly extra work is worth it. First
and foremost, natural fresheners are much cheaper than store-bought
alternatives. Second, instead of masking unpleasant smells, natural
fresheners actually remove the odors and clean your home.
And lastly, natural air fresheners are safe
for you, your family, your pets, and the environment. This,
unfortunately, cannot be said about commercial air fresheners, which
emit potentially hazardous air pollutants that can worsen the air
quality in your home. Even so-called green and organic air fresheners
can emit hazardous air pollutants. Many of the ingredients in these
store-bought fresheners are not disclosed by manufacturers. And even
those that are listed often fall under the category of volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), which have been associated with adverse health
effects.
A 2016 study states the following about
commercial air fresheners: “From an indoor air quality perspective, air
fresheners have been indicated as a primary source of volatile organic
compounds within buildings. From a health perspective, air fresheners
have been associated with adverse effects, such as migraine headaches,
asthma attacks, mucosal symptoms, infant illness, and breathing
difficulties.”
Given the potential harm of commercial air fresheners and all the
benefits of homemade ones, it’s about time we show you how to make 3
simple and natural home fresheners using a staple ingredient you already
have at home - white vinegar
DIY Air Freshener
White vinegar contains between 5 and 8
percent acetic acid, which is a mild acid capable of neutralizing odors.
It works best at getting rid of alkaline odors, such as fishy smells,
pet smells, sweat, etc. Vinegar is also a mild antimicrobial agent, so
it will help clean and remove musty smells as well.
Using vinegar as an air freshener couldn’t
be easier - just find a misting spray bottle, some white vinegar, or
water. You want the spray bottle to create a mist fine enough to remove
odor-causing particles in the air. The finer, the better. Just fill the
bottle with 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water, and mist it around
the room. Don’t worry about the vinegar smell - it will dissipate after
10-15 minutes.
The best thing about using vinegar as an
air freshener is that it simply removes odors without making your home
smell of artificial fragrance. To add a pleasant smell to your room, you
can add a few drops of essential oil. Our personal favorites are lemon,
peppermint, and lavender essential oil.
Lastly, if you don’t have a spray bottle on hand, people report that
placing a bowl of vinegar in a room overnight is also helpful, just
don’t forget to close all doors and windows. It may not work as well as
the spray bottle method, but it will be able to remove some odors in a
pinch.
How to Use Vinegar to Freshen Up Fabrics and Other Surfaces
Vinegar can also be used to remove odors
from hard, wipeable surfaces, as well as carpers, sofas, and curtains.
In order to remove unpleasant fridge smells, for example, or clean the
smelly corner where your keep your pet’s litterbox, simply soak a sponge
or cloth in white vinegar and wipe the area down thoroughly. Let the
area dry completely for at least half an hour and repeat the process if
needed until all unpleasant smells are gone.
As for refreshing fabrics, simply fill any empty spray bottle with white
vinegar and a few drops of essential oil of choice, and lightly mist
the fabric with the mixture. Wait for the carpet, sofa, or whichever
surface you’ve treated to dry completely before using. Et voila, you
have a clean and fresh-smelling home, all without using any harsh
chemicals or potentially harmful air pollutants.