Since a few years I’ve been making my own air freshener. It’s easy to make, cheap and sustainable. This past week I already shared the recipe on Instagram in a reel. That reel was extremely popular, but I realized I had never shared the recipe on this blog before. But today is the day! Here’s a recipe for a DIY 2 ingredient air freshener.
No air freshener is best
Before I share any more, I would like to highlight that the most sustainable product is the product you do not have or use. Meaning: using no air freshener is best. So before you read the recipe, think: do I really need this? I have thought about this and I do use this air freshener. But! I only use it when I have guests. When I am at home alone, I don’t. Nobody but me is bothered by the smell at that point. After I have pooped, I leave the bathroom and the smell goes away by itself. Therefore, I use this air freshener very little.
Reducing chemicals
There are two reasons why I make air freshener myself. One is all the chemicals in store-bought air refesheners. The list of ingredients on most air fresheners is very extensive. I know, that does not have to be a bad thing. However, I think these chemicals are not good for me. All I’ve read about store-bought air refreshers so far is bad. And besides that, I try to reduce the amount of chemicals I use, to limit the amount of chemicals in my body. I believe the cocktail of the chemicals we use in society is harmful.
There is one important type of chemical in air refreshers that’s especially important (it’s also inside spray deodorant, hair spray and more), propellants. These chemicals make sure the spray actually sprays, it pushes the inside of the spray out. There are well known negative effects that come from these propellants. They can irritate the airways and people are advised to reduce the use of propellants near babies and infants (which says enought).
Saving Money
The next thing is simple: making an air freshener yourself saves a lot of money on the long term. A standard Lenor air freshener costs about 2,50 euros and does not last long. If you reduce your use of air fresheners in general this already saves you money. When you also make a DIY freshener, you save even more: the recipe I am sharing today is extremely cheap.
DIY 2 Ingredient air freshener
I’m not going to keep you waiting any longer. Here’s what you need for this recipe:
- Boiled tap water
- Organic essential oil with a smell of your preference (I use mint)
That’s it!
How to make it
The ingredients are extremely simple, but so is the recipe. Here’s how you make it. You boil some tap water. How much water you need depends on how much air freshener you want to make and the size of your spray bottle. I think I usually use about 100 ml of tapwater. You pour the boiled water into the spray bottle you’re using. I personally use an old spray bottle that once was a disinfection spray that I got after I got some new piercings. Then, you add some drops of the organic essential oil to the water. I use about 5 drops for 100 ml of water. Put the lid on the spray bottle and shake! There you go, you made a DIY 2 ingredient air freshener!
Simple, cheap and fresh
I personally love this recipe and am planning to use it all my life. About 10 years ago or so, I bought some essential oil with mint smell. It’s a small bottle, but it lasts very long because you need only a few drops each time. And tap water is close to free in the Netherlands, so that makes the recipe so cheap. Lastly, it’s important to use a spray bottle you already had, so you don’t need to buy anything new, as buying new is not sustainable.
That’s it! Enjoy the smell!
Yours sincerely,
Romee