Cinnamon, Cloves, Pine Tree’s, Pumpkins, and Cranberries… There is nothing better than a festive smelling home for the holidays.
We stopped using air fresheners a few years back due to the unhealthy effects they can have on ones health. Studies have shown numerous toxic chemicals found in home air fresheners. One of them being a class of chemicals called phthalates, which in the past five years have been found to disrupt hormone systems, testosterone in particular.- If you’re smelling it, it’s in the air you breath, thus it’s getting into your body.-
There was a study conducted by the University of Bristol called “Children of the ’90s”, which followed the health and development of 14,000 children before and after birth.
The study analyzed the effects air fresheners had on ones health:
*Babies in homes where air fresheners were in use, had over 30% more episodes of diarrhea and had significantly more earaches.
*The study also showed that air fresheners affected mothers—those who used them daily suffered 10 percent more headaches.
*Perhaps most startling find is that women who lived in homes with daily air freshener use had a 26% increased rate of depression. (Do you ever get a headache the first day you plug in a new air freshener, when the fumes are the strongest? I never thought much of it, but I did)
So that being said, I am all about finding natural ways to make your house smell delicious!
This stovetop method is simple, cheap, and they make great, ready-made gifts. There are many different scents and possibilities. It also serves as simple humidifier during the dry winter months. But most importantly they work just as good (if not better) than any spray or plug in air freshener.
So this is what we currently have simmering on our stovetop tonight
Ingredients:
A few cinnamon sticks
Two handfuls of fresh cranberries
A sprinkle of whole cloves
A couple drops of essential orange oil (optinal)
Directions:
Simply put ingredients in a pot or a heat safe pretty bowl, add a shallow bit of water, and simmer on the lowest temperature as long as you wish. Just keep adding water every now and then. I have read that these can last a few weeks, but I found I need to “freshen up” mine every few days to keep it strong.
Other combination options:
Orange slices
Apple peels
Essential oils
Lemon slices
Vanilla
Ginger
Rosemary Sprigs
Be creative!
We stopped using air fresheners a few years back due to the unhealthy effects they can have on ones health. Studies have shown numerous toxic chemicals found in home air fresheners. One of them being a class of chemicals called phthalates, which in the past five years have been found to disrupt hormone systems, testosterone in particular.- If you’re smelling it, it’s in the air you breath, thus it’s getting into your body.-
There was a study conducted by the University of Bristol called “Children of the ’90s”, which followed the health and development of 14,000 children before and after birth.
The study analyzed the effects air fresheners had on ones health:
*Babies in homes where air fresheners were in use, had over 30% more episodes of diarrhea and had significantly more earaches.
*The study also showed that air fresheners affected mothers—those who used them daily suffered 10 percent more headaches.
*Perhaps most startling find is that women who lived in homes with daily air freshener use had a 26% increased rate of depression. (Do you ever get a headache the first day you plug in a new air freshener, when the fumes are the strongest? I never thought much of it, but I did)
So that being said, I am all about finding natural ways to make your house smell delicious!
This stovetop method is simple, cheap, and they make great, ready-made gifts. There are many different scents and possibilities. It also serves as simple humidifier during the dry winter months. But most importantly they work just as good (if not better) than any spray or plug in air freshener.
So this is what we currently have simmering on our stovetop tonight
Ingredients:
A few cinnamon sticks
Two handfuls of fresh cranberries
A sprinkle of whole cloves
A couple drops of essential orange oil (optinal)
Directions:
Simply put ingredients in a pot or a heat safe pretty bowl, add a shallow bit of water, and simmer on the lowest temperature as long as you wish. Just keep adding water every now and then. I have read that these can last a few weeks, but I found I need to “freshen up” mine every few days to keep it strong.
Other combination options:
Orange slices
Apple peels
Essential oils
Lemon slices
Vanilla
Ginger
Rosemary Sprigs
Be creative!
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