ESSENTIAL OILS
AIR FRESHENERS
HOMEMADE

Homemade essential oils air fresheners, using pure essential oils in any of several different ways can result in a healthy, holistic way to freshen the air in your home. Some of these homemade projects make excellent gifts as well.   

When unpleasant odors linger in your home, and especially if company is coming, do you automatically reach for the Glade or the Febreze? Air conditioning in the summer and cold weather in the winter may prevent us from opening your windows and letting in fresh air. But do you really want to introduce chemically laden, possibly toxic odors into your indoor environment?   

There are better ways to freshen the air in your home. One of these is with the use of essential oils. One advantage to using essential oils to freshen the air is the added holistic benefit that each individual oil can add to the home environment. The aromatic qualities for each of the oils listed below is from the 8^th edition of Modern Essential Oils.

THE BASIC RECIPE

The following basic recipe can use a variety of essential oils, either one at a time or in combination, and is relatively simple to do:

You will need small glass containers with wide mouths. An empty scented candle holder would work well or a small canning jar. Most 'dollar' or arts and crafts stores carry a variety of glass containers.

Water, Gelatin, Salt, and an assortment of Essential Oils (see below), as well as a few optional items, are all the rest of the materials needed for this project.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-ounce Unsweetened, Unflavored Gelatin (4 Envelopes of Knox Powdered Gelatin.)
  

•  2 cups Cold Water, Divided.
• 1 Tablespoon Salt or a Splash of Vodka (to deter mold growth and to bind the oils to the water--can also use rubbing alcohol.)
• 20 to 30 Drops of Various Essential Oils.

OPTIONAL:

• Food Coloring (preferably natural).
  
• Disposable Chopsticks or Skewers would be helpful to stir the mixture in the jars.
  
• A Candy Thermometer (see below).

DIRECTIONS:

Bring one cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the boiling water and whisk until smooth and all the gelatin is dissolved. Add the salt or Vodka and the second cup of cold water and whisk. Set aside.

Make sure to let the above solution cool to about 100 degrees. Almost all essential oils have a flash point which means the scent will evaporate if they are heated above a certain room temperature. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.

Add the desired amount of essential oil and food coloring to the jar(s). Pour the gelatin solution over the essential oil and food coloring. Stir until evenly colored.

Allow everything to cool, uncovered, on a heat-proof surface. When the solution reaches room temperature, place it wherever you want a lovely scent.

6 Homemade Essential Oils Air Freshener Recipes

Below are 6 homemade essential oils air freshener recipes based on the above basic recipe. You can also feel free to experiment with your own favorite oils.

CAUTION: If doing this project with children, please make sure to keep all essential oils out of their reach. Some cannot be ingested without harm, and all are meant to be used very sparingly. To get the most out of your essential oils, make sure to buy only pure, therapeutic-grade ones.

LOOKING FOR AN EVEN EASIER SOLUTION?

Pour baking soda into a small container with a wide top, about 1/4 full. Pour in 10 or so drops of whatever essential oil you desire.

Depending on how you want the finished product to look, you can add a lid (poke some holes in a mason jar lid) or just cover with foil and poke some holes. If making a gift, you might like to put a paper doily or a piece of cheesecloth on top and tie with a ribbon.

Every once in a while, shake it up a bit and run a fork through it so everything mixes, and it will continue to freshen the air.

WOULD YOU PREFER AN ESSENTIAL OILS SPRAY?

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Clean spray bottle
  
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 16 oz. distilled water

• Essential oil of your choice (10 drops)

Preparation: Using a fork, mix baking soda and essential oil in a bowl. Pour the mixture in the bottle and fill it with distilled water. Shake the bottle before every use and you have a non-toxic, perfectly scented spray to freshen your indoor air.

OTHER WAYS TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS AS AIR FRESHENERS

IN AN ELECTRIC DIFFUSER

Choose your oils to match the effect you want to produce in the room where the diffuser is going to be placed. For example, Lavender for the bedroom because it is relaxing or Rosemary for the home office because it can help improve memory and the ability to remember to-do tasks.

IN A REED DIFFUSER

Using relatively inexpensive bottles and reeds (or bamboo skewers) and any combination of essential oils, you can easily make your own product:

You will need:

• Small, short Jars with narrow openings at the top. The smaller the opening, the slower the oils will evaporate. Some examples include small vases, spice jars, old perfume bottles, etc.
• Specific Diffuser Reeds can be found online. Using bamboo skewers does not work as well. The reeds made from rattan have small channels that help the oil travel up the reed to deliver the scent. NOTE: The reeds should be about twice as tall as your jars in order to optimally distribute the scent.
  
• Water or a Carrier Oil such as safflower or sweet almond oil (as they are lighter and will carry the oils up the reeds). If you use water as the base, you will need definitely need some alcohol (see below) to help bind the oils to the water. If only using water, the solution will evaporate much more quickly.
• About a teaspoonful of Alcohol. As mentioned above, the alcohol will help bind the oils to the water. The alcohol also helps the oils to travel up the reeds more effectively. Any product such as rubbing alcohol, vodka, perfumer's alcohol, etc. , with at least 90% concentration of alcohol will work.
  
• 25-30 drops of Essential Oils for each 1/4 cup of carrier oil or water. Examples might be Cinnamon and Lavender for the living room and Spearmint and Rosemary for the bathroom.
  

Instructions:

• In a measuring cup, add about 1/4 cup of your carrier oil or water.
• If using alcohol, add into the cup and stir thoroughly to help it bind with the oil.
• Add about 25-30 drops of essential oils and swirl the mixture to blend well.
• Add the oil mixture to your jar.
• Insert the sticks into the jar.
• After a few hours, flip the sticks over and insert the dry end into the jar to saturate the other end.
• Continue to swirl the jar and flip the sticks over about every week or so until the scent has diminished.
• Then, you can just add some more essential oils to the mix, swirl, and start again!
• Once the sticks become completely saturated with oil, they lose the ability to diffuse and will need to be replaced.

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We hope you get a chance to try some of these homemade air fresheners. Please let us know what you think. Enjoy!

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