Whether it is the stinky feet of two little boys or the stench of an outdoor loving puppy, we have some odors to combat in our house these days.
My go-to was once the fragrance filled sprays and powders that would simply mask the odors and contribute to air pollution within the home (not that I knew that at the time). Now, I save money on all the odor masking products and whip up some simple recipes that get to the root of the problem.
Essential oils are made up of chemical compounds that serve a purpose. When I grab an oil such as Tea Tree, I know that it is going to work its magic on the funk and bacteria that are contributing to the odor itself. We eliminate the toxins and address the root of the problem.
When selecting your oils for odors, I suggest using Purification, Lemongrass, Thieves, Melrose, Kunzea, or Tea Tree. To sweeten the aroma and provide an extra punch to your concoctions, reach for the citrus oils. If you prefer a flora aroma, Lavender is a great aroma to add.
Here are three of my favorite essential oil recipes for combating odors in your home:
Carpet Powder:
2 cups baking soda
10 drops Purification
10 drops Lemon
10 drops Lavender
Put the baking soda in a 16-ounce mason jar. Add the essential oils. Place the lid on top and shake until well combined. Put a shaker top on the mouth of your mason jar. Sprinkle powder onto carpets and upholstery. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Vacuum when done.
Shaker Lid for mason jar here!
Room and Upholstery Spray:
4 ounces distilled water
4 ounces witch hazel
7 drops Purification or Kunzea
5 drops Orange
3 drops Lavender
Combine liquid and oils in continuous spray mister. Spritz air, linens, and upholstery as needed.
Continuous Mister here!
“At the Spa” Diffuser Blend:
90 drops Lemongrass
90 Drops Spearmint
90 drops Lavender
Add oils to a 15 mL bottle. Add 9 drops of mixture to your diffuser when trying to get rid of leftover odors in the air. This diffuser bombs will get you 30 uses.
I hope that you enjoy the above recipes, and they refresh those lingering odors in your home. If you try any of the above recipes, I would love to hear how you enjoy them!
As we talk about hormonal support this week, it is important that we touch on the products we use in our home. You can be the healthiest eater and someone who exercises everyday, but if you aren't watching the products you bring into your home, you are still putting yourself at unnecessary risk for so much. The next topic can REALLY get me going 😊 Shall we dive in?
Paraben free, Dye- Free, SLS-free, Sulfate-Free, Phthalate-free….we are seeing all of our household and personal care products try to clean up their act! Why? People are slowly waking up. They want reasons for their health issues and they are starting to become aware of the long-term impact the products we use in our homes have on our health. Unfortunately, people wait for that reason or health concern to arise before they start to do their research and pay attention.
You know what you will not see removed from most of these products claiming to be clean? FRAGRANCE.
It is in everything! From the candles we burn, the air fresheners we spray, to our dish soap and make-up. (Seriously though, why do you need fragrance in your dish soap?) There are a little over 3,000 chemicals than can be blanketed in that term fragrance and guess what… some of them are harmful! Endocrine disruptors, chemicals linked to tumor growth, chemicals that can have an impact on the respiratory system, chemicals that have been linked to cancer, and more. We often see a “green” label or “clean living” being advertised and ignore the FRAGRANCE label that is listed right there in the ingredients. The worst part about this label is none of the chemicals under this umbrella being used in your product are required to be disclosed to you. It is considered proprietary information. You could have an allergic reaction to a product, and they do not have to tell you what is under that label.
Think of the air in your home. Especially, with the holidays approaching and people wanting anything and everything to smell like pumpkin spice. It doesn’t matter what kind of wax you are using, fragrance is fragrance and you are polluting the air in your home. If the word fragrance is written on the label of your candle/spray/wallflower, it is not clean ( even some aromas claiming to be essential oils are labeled as “fragrance”). Your home is the one place that you can control what your family is exposed to. Already, your body is having to process these chemicals that are in the air you are breathing all day long before you leave the house.
Then think of your skin care products, soap, lotion, make-up, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, and your laundry products!! Laundry products kill me. When I can smell your laundry from down the street while I am running, I get concerned for your health. On top of that, you wear and smell that fragrance all day long. You sleep with that fragrance! The smell of flowers does not equal clean.
I challenge you to look at your products. Even the ones you do not think would contain fragrance. Read that label! This is why we use oils! High quality oils from a trusted source (the regulation on the essential oil industry is an entirely different post 😊) This is why we use Young Living! You will never see “fragrance” listed under the ingredients. They tell you what ingredients are making you product smell so good. I do not have to label read and worry about transparency with them. The other thing I love, is how long the products last because they are not filled with all the junk. From the outside it may look a little complicated, but it is quite simple to do this on a budget with the right help and resources!
Here is one of my favorite recipes to replace those nasty aerosol sprays:
5 ounce continue mist spray bottle
1 capful Thieves Household Cleaner (
Add 15-20 drops essential oils of your choice
I like Northern Lights Black Spruce and Orange right now
Top with witch hazel or vodka
You now have yourself a continuous mist “clean” air freshener/spray
Add a cute Avery label if you wish 😊
Fall is almost here and our diffusers are about be worked overtime! Lucky for you, all those favorite fall oils, are amazing for immune support and keeping the air in your home fresh! That isn't something you can say for the fall candles that people gravitate to.
Why diffusing is better than candles:
- Variety! I love being able to change the aroma going through our home. When I used to purchase candles, I was stuck with the same fragrance day after day.
- A clean, toxin-free aroma for the home. The mist benefits your family! Fragrance from candles, negatively impacts your immune system.
- Control! You can decide how strong or how mild you want to aroma going through your home.
- Customize! You can still have a fall aroma but oils allow you to create aromas that uplift, assist in relaxation, or simply help with fresh air throughout your house.
How to create some amazing blends:
- Consider what kind of aromas you prefer in the fall. We are not all pumpkin spice lovers ( I can hear some of you gasping right now :) )
- Pick 1-2 blends to keep in rotation. You will also want 3-4 singles to pair with your blends.
- Keep in mind the reasons you typically diffuse. Do you need calm oils? uplifting? focus?
- Start with 2-3 drops of your blend and layer with your singles. Start with a total of 8-10 drops. If you are sensitive to smells, start lower. Fall blends can be quite strong. Start on the lower end of drops and you can always add more.
If you like woodsy and herbal:
- Blends to look at: Sacred Mountain, Thieves, Abundance, Believe, Gratitude, Magnify Your Purpose, GeneYus
- Singles to look at: Lavender, Peppermint , Rosemary, Thyme, Eucalyptus, Pine, Northern Lights Black Spruce, Black Pepper, Orange, Cedarwood, Bergamot, Cardamom, Frankincense, Clove, Idaho Blue Spruce, Juniper, Cypress, Idaho Grand Fir, Vetiver, Copaiba
If you like sugar and spice:
- Blends to look at: Stress Away, Abundance, Citrus Fresh, Thieves, Exodus II, Transformation
- Singles to look at: Orange, Lemon, Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Cardamom, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Copaiba
What do you all have your eye on? I am partial to woodsy and herbal BUT I do like some sugar and spice on a Sunday morning! Happy diffusing!
