
Nontoxic Air Fresheners: Remove Odors Naturally
By Marilee Nelson |

Nontoxic Air Fresheners
It is estimated that 75% of US households use some type of air freshener. Air Fresheners are among the most toxic products found in our homes. They are a primary source of 100’s of harmful volatile organic compounds VOCs and some of these create what are called secondary reaction products if there is ozone in the air. These are formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, glycol, ethers, free radicals, and ultrafine particles. In addition to the health issues linked to synthetic fragrance recipes, the other chemicals used to make “air fresheners” have been shown to be toxic to pets, cause migraine headaches, earaches, metabolic syndrome, depression, breathing difficulties, loss of coordination, nausea, cancer, irregular heartbeat, diarrhea in babies, liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage. Air fresheners come in many forms – sprays, gels, oils, hanging disks, potpourri, oil stick diffusers, air wicks, and plugins. Many of these continually put out fragrance into the home. Dr. R. Anderson, toxicologist, and president of Anderson Labs has studied the acute biological effects of polluted air on laboratory animals for 30 years. Anderson Labs (802-295-7344) tested air fresheners. Each sample was placed in a closed box. Air was blown over the sample and mice were exposed to it. The following adverse effects were observed with the smallest quantity of freshener tested.- Severe pulmonary irritation was comparable to asthma in humans.
- Sensory irritation increasing over twenty minutes, becoming severe and remained severe until the freshener was removed.
- Neurological impairments were so severe some of the mice were close to death.
- Neurological effects which displayed as aberrant behaviors. The EPA states if neuro-toxic effects are seen in animals, then neuro-toxic effects are expected in humans. www.naturalcosmeticnew.com/toxic-products/warning-your-fragrance-could-be-toxic/
#TossTheToxins
- Eliminate the Source - The simple no cost action of taking a box and removing products with harmful ingredients from your home immediately dramatically freshens and improves your home's air quality.
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Category by Category - Use this guide to help you start creating your Heathy Home. You can take it category by category or one step at a time.
- Phase 1 - Pesticides, Cleaning Products, Laundry Products,
- Phase 2 - Fragranced Products, Personal Care Products,
- Phase 3. - Plastics - BPA / Phthlates,
- Phase 4 - Perfluorinated Substances (PFASs), Formaldehyde
The Three V's - Vacuum, Ventilate, and Vodka
- Vacuum - We often mention how important it is to do regular HEPA vacuuming and its benefits for your health. Did you know that vacuuming is actually one of the best ways to remove odors as well? For normal maintenance, aim to vacuum once a week. If you are noticing a particular odor, try sprinkling the area (carpet or upholstery) with baking soda and let it sit for 30 minutes before vacuuming. The baking soda will deodorize the area and absorb the odor, which you can then vacuum up entirely. Repeat as necessary until odor disappears.
- Ventilate - One of the simplest way to freshen the air in your home is to open the windows and turn on a fan. In fact, regularly opening your windows throughout the year, even for just 10 minutes morning and evening, increases oxygen, and flushes and clears the air. So don’t be afraid to bring in fresh air the old-fashioned way with a nice cross breeze.
- Vodka - Vodka is an excellent, unscented air freshener. Simply pour inexpensive, un-flavored vodka into a spray bottle and use as an air mister. It will help reduce stale and musty odors. If you would like to add a scent, try adding a small amount of a wildcrafted or organic essential oil processed without solvents.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a fantastic odor-absorber.- Carpet and Upholstered Furniture - Sprinkle baking soda on surface, let sit 30 minutes or overnight, then vacuum away to freshen and remove odors.
- Bedding - Refresh your mattress with baking soda. Sprinkle on mattress stripped of all bedding, let sit 30 minutes or overnight, then vacuum away odors.
- Refrigerator - Keep your refrigerator smelling fresh with two baking soda odor absorbers one for fridge and and one for freezer. Use new boxes every month to absorb and deodorize food odors*.
- Closets - Keep your closets smelling fresh with baking soda odor absorbers. Use new boxes every month to absorb and deodorize odors from clothes and shoes*.
- Clothes - Freshen and deodorize clothes. Add a cup or two baking soda to your laundry wash load.
- Shoes - Sprinkle shoes with baking soda overnight to absorb odors. Dump or vacuum out.
- You can also set out a bowl (or box) of baking soda in an inconspicuous area of your home to absorb and neutralize odors in the air. However, over time,
White Vinegar
White vinegar is a useful odor-remover.- Clothes - Add one cup vinegar to washing machine during wash cycle to freshen and soften clothes and remove odors
- Room Freshener - Pour a cup of white vinegar in a small bowl and place in a safe spot somewhere in your home.
- Cooking Odors -Boil a teaspoon of white vinegar in ½ pint of water to remove unpleasant cooking odors in the kitchen.
- Smoking Odors and Perfume - A mixture of 1 teaspoon of vinegar to a pint of water, kept in a hand sprayer, can neutralize these odors.
Charcoal Air Fresheners
You can make your own DIY activated charcoal pouches, which can be placed anywhere you need an odor absorber. If you’d like to skip the DIY options, we do recommend Moso and Breathegreen brand natural air fresheners. These pouches are versatile and can be slipped in a stinky shoe or tucked inside your car.Natural Air Fresheners
If you would like to add fragrance to your home's air consider:- Fragrant Houseplants - There are many houseplants that can act as natural air fresheners whose flowers or leaves scent the air in your home. In addition plants oxygenate and revitalize the air .
- Air Cleaning Plants - Take advantage of plants that have been tested to remove harmful chemicals from your home's air. These plants can remove chemical odors as well as oxygenate your home.
- Lemon Peel - Grind up lemon peel while running hot water into your garbage disposal to remove odors in the disposal and freshen the kitchen air.
- Herbs and Spices - Grow your own basil, mint, lavender, thyme, oregano, etc. as natural air fresheners that will also provide you with ingredients for cooking.
- Wildcrafted and Organic Essential Oils Processed without Solvents - diffuse to add scents to your home
- Vanilla Extract - Place a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract in a small saucer in your home to freshen the air.
- Cinnamon Sticks and Cloves - Boil and then simmer in water to eliminate lingering odors and freshen the air.
If you’d like to know more about the hazards of using scented products, check out “Fragrance is the New Secondhand Smoke”.
Further Reading:
Why are synthetic air fresheners so bad? Find out in Fragrance is the New Secondhand Smoke. Curious about fragrances and other chemicals that might be lurking in your home already? Check out this article on the dangers of common laundry chemicals and what they do: Do You Know What’s In Your Laundry Detergent?

Marilee Nelson
Marilee Nelson is an Environmental Toxins expert who has spent nearly 30 years advocating for the chemically-sensitive and chronically-ill. She is a Board Certified Nutritionist, Certified Bau-Biologist and Bau-Biology Inspector and specializes in Food As Medicine. She has helped thousands of families and individuals identify, heal and recover from toxic exposures and is on a mission to revolutionize the way American families view their health.