We all want our lovely homes to smell fresh, cozy, and inviting. Because of the house’s musty smells and odors, we welcome commercial air fresheners with open arms to solve the dilemma. But conventional or store-bought deodorizers today have potentially dangerous ingredients that pose serious risks to human health. Hence, non-toxic air fresheners are a healthy alternative.
One of the efficient ways to make a healthier, safer, and risk-free living space is to switch from commercial ones to natural air fresheners. Non-toxic air fresheners contain organic, plant, essential oil, and mineral-based ingredients such as lavender, peppermint, and charcoal instead of synthetic fragrances.
In this article, we cover the use, safety, and benefit of natural or non-toxic air fresheners. Do you want to move towards the trend of using safe and eco-friendly products when it comes to your house, car, or workplace? Keep on reading!
What are Non-Toxic Air Fresheners?
In general, non-toxic air fresheners are either a product or method often utilized to revitalize and enliven the air in the household without depending on artificial fragrances or toxic or synthetic chemicals. These natural options are sustainable, non-toxic, and made of natural ingredients to purify the air and neutralize foul odors in living spaces.
Non-toxic air fresheners’ primary function and purpose is to ensure a clean and fresh living environment around the home, such as in the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and living room. Natural air fresheners often include baking soda, citrus fruits, charcoal bags, and plants. In addition, essential oils like lavender, tea tree, and peppermint can also be a fantastic alternative to commercial air fresheners often bought in the market because of their therapeutic benefits.
Are Commercial Air Fresheners Non-Toxic?
Expert studies showcase that commercial or store-bought air fresheners likely emit around 100 chemicals, along with VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) such as xylenes, benzene, and formaldehyde, and are often connected with different kinds of cancer in high doses. When exposed to toxic air fresheners, even at the lowest level, there are possible adverse health effects, including migraines, breathing difficulties, dermatitis, earache, and respiratory challenges. Overall, researchers identified and linked some air freshener ingredients to diverse diseases.
Is It Safe to Use Air Fresheners Every Day?
Since conventional air fresheners hold ingredients connected with hazardous health effects, experts advise that it’s not safe to use air fresheners every day. Across the globe, overexposure and “too-much” use of air freshener has been the topic of ongoing concerns.
To mention, inhaling even a small amount of a commercial spray air freshener could cause choking, coughing, or difficulty catching one’s breath. Exposure to air fresheners results in toxicity ranging from slight mouth irritations to life-threatening challenges. So, from a human health perspective, it is not advisable to use air fresheners at home on an everyday basis.
Should You Stop Using Conventional Air Fresheners in Your Home?
Yes, since conventional or store-bought air fresheners hold toxic chemicals that are damaging to your health, it’s best to stick to natural options and avoid using commercial air fresheners. So, because of possible foul risks to human health and toxins, experts say it’s best to find a healthy way to freshen the home.
Are Natural Air Fresheners Better than Conventional Air Fresheners?
In this day and age, natural air fresheners are rising in popularity because of their promising usage benefits compared to the usual or conventional air fresheners available on the market. Natural air fresheners contain ingredients from essential oils and plants instead of artificial fragrances. And yes, this makes them environmentally friendly.
On top of everything, natural air fresheners are safe to use around the home since they are composed of non-toxic ingredients. Also, natural air fresheners like essential oils hold therapeutic benefits that can calm the ambiance around the house, uplifting the mood and promoting relaxation. Because of these things, it would be safe to say that natural air fresheners are much better than the usual air freshener often bought in the store.
What is a Natural, Non-Toxic Scent for My Home?
A natural, non-toxic scent for the home usually includes air fragrances formulated with non-toxic ingredients, cruelty-free, and safe to use daily. Natural, non-toxic scents for your home are scented sprays, organic fresheners, and natural odor-eliminating deodorizers. In addition, other natural, non-toxic home scents contain plants like eucalyptus, lavender, and mineral-based ingredients such as charcoal.
How to Choose Non-Toxic Air Fresheners?
Picking the best, non-toxic air freshener for your home, car, or office might seem challenging. With so many natural air freshener and deodorizer options available, it’s hard to know which one will work perfectly for you. To guide you, we collected tips across the web to help you make the right choice and pick a non-toxic air freshener that will invigorate the home.
Check the List of Ingredients
The golden rule of thumb when it comes to picking a non-toxic air freshener is to examine the list of ingredients. If you cannot find one or it only says “fragrance”, that’s a massive red flag! You should not purchase the product. Most often than not, natural, sustainable, and eco-friendly fresheners use plant (essential oil), and mineral-based ingredients, including peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree. So, always check the label to make sure that the product is chemically-free.
Read Customer Reviews
Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to see past reviews of the air freshener product you like to buy. After all, a consumer’s review would give you a hint of how the air deodorizer works, how it smells, and how long it stays and lasts. Overall, browsing reviews can help you save money, time, and effort in the long run.
Consider the Price
Of course, price is a crucial factor when looking for the best non-toxic air fresheners for your home. While there are a bunch of affordable options, pick the products that are within your budget. But of course, it would be beneficial for you, in the long run, to invest in excellent-quality non-toxic air scents or air fresheners as they prove to last longer and provide fantastic results.
How to Make Non-Toxic Air Fresheners for Home?
As much as you like a good-smelling home, you are probably concerned about the harmful side effects of the dangerous chemical ingredients that conventional air fresheners contain. However, the smell and beauty of your home don’t have to be at the expense of your health. So, to revitalize the scent of your home naturally, here are non-toxic cleaners that you can use to make your own air freshener:
Vinegar
If your main goal is keeping your house sleek and clean with natural products, vinegar should always come in handy. After all, a tiny amount of vinegar can make a big difference since it can quickly neutralize the smell of cooking odors and smoke. Just fill one glass dish with ½ inch of vinegar, put it on the stove, and simmer for an hour.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are one of the best natural air purifiers you can use to revitalize the scent of your home. It would help if you mixed a few drops of oils in distilled water, then spritz. Or you can use an air diffuser by adding distilled water and mixing the concentrated oils.
Lemon
Leftover lemons can powerfully eliminate any overwhelming smells of food around the kitchen. Cut one or two of them and simmer them with water on the stove. Once done, you’ll realize that your home exudes a smell of tropical and citrus fragrance.
Lavender
While lavender is often used in skincare, this natural ingredient can be your next instant non-toxic bedroom air freshener. Tuck some leaves of lavender sachets in your pillows, drawers, or cabinets. Or even better, assemble a vase filled with fresh lavenders, and place it on your nightstand.
Vodka
Finally, give your home a shot of vodka to eliminate bad smells around your home. Mix it in water and put it in a spray bottle. When spritzed, it acts as a natural disinfectant and odor-neutralizer. Spritz directly into linens, rugs, curtains, and clothes, reeking of bad smell.
Conclusion
Maintaining a fresh and pleasant scent is the best way to make your humble home clean, cozy, and welcoming. However, while conventional air fresheners prove to be useful and practical, it’s counterproductive, to say the least. These products have toxic substances that might risk your health and physical well-being in the long run. But of course, you don’t have to think too much or dwell on it anymore because, with natural, non-toxic air fresheners, you can gladly say, “Bad smell, go away; come again another day”!
To learn more about the air pollution in your home, read our article – What is a volatile organic compound (VOC), and why are they polluting the air in your home?