Self Sufficient Living

Re: Homemade fresh air

Brandy — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:48:12 GMT

"Just wouldn't want anyone to get a skin rash."

Very true! I'll add that I buy cosmetic grade fragrance oils. These are the kinds prepared and sold for use in making soaps, other bath and body products and perfumes. Even then a person can have an allergy or sensitivity that someone else does not so its best to test first.

Re: Homemade fresh air

Carla — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:35:32 GMT

Essential oils are available in most health food stores. Other scented oils are sold but some are not appropriate for skin contact (like ones made for scenting pot pourri).

Just wouldn't want anyone to get a skin rash.

Sometimes I use Oil of Peppermint or Oil of Cinnamon that I have up in my spice cabinet. They're available in many grocery stores in the spice section, near the vanilla extract.

Carla

Re: Homemade fresh air

Carla — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 02:29:53 GMT

I keep my liquid dish soap in an old pump dispenser on the back of my sink. About 1/3 of it is water because I use it to wash my hands as well as clean dishes. ( If I leave it full strength, it is difficult to rinse off. And besides, it just plain saves money to dilute it, with no loss of effectiveness.)

Also at the back of my sink is a small spray bottle: I fill it almost to the top with water, then add 2 squirts of dish soap and lightly shake it to dissolve the soap. Filling it with water first keeps it from foaming up. I use it to clean off the countertops, my stove top, kitchen table, spills on the floor, etc...

My daughter-in-law liked this idea and took it one step farther. She buys a scented soap concentrate at the health food store (I think her favorite is peppermint) and uses a very little bit then fills it with water. When used it emits a nice clean smell and is non-toxic and very thrifty.

Carla

Re: Homemade fresh air

rolo — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:27:30 GMT

I use a very dilute bleach mixture--maybe 1 tsp. or a little more? into about 2 quarts of water, add some drops of lemon oil, stir it up and dispense into my spray bottles. Maybe your solution had too much bleach in it and it ruined the paint?

Re: Homemade fresh air

Brandy — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:15:13 GMT

A wick is a string dipped in wax so I would say no, they don't give off sulphur.

Re: Homemade fresh air

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:15:34 GMT

You know, Jayne, the matches work because they give off sulphur. I don't know whether lit candles give off sulphur -- the wick might. How about it, folks? Does anyone know the answer to Jayne's questiton?

Re: Homemade fresh air

jayne1981 — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:07:49 GMT

Deb-

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but is this part of why candles work so well at eliminating odors?

I was thinking if this is true that I could buy very inexpensive unscented candles. The scented ones I think are overpriced.

Thank you so much for your help:)

Jayne

Re: Homemade fresh air

Cheapmarshmallow — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:19:59 GMT

Thanks...I'll look at the mall! I think I've seen some incense sellers at the flea market too. Maybe they have the oils. thanks again!

Re: Homemade fresh air

Brandy — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:10:14 GMT

I love fragrances! I have a spray bottle that I keep water with a couple drops of essential or fragrance oil in for misting the air, carpets, curtain and furniture to freshen the air. Some people like a mixture of vinegar and water for this.

Re: Homemade fresh air

Deborahmichelle — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 01:32:43 GMT

Then, there's always the old bathroom trick of lighting a match -- the sulphur absorbs odors.

Re: Homemade fresh air

rolo — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 01:30:44 GMT

My local farmers market has a Hippie Emporium-that's its real name-that sells essential oils, incense, handmade jewelry, soaps, etc. Most malls have a kiosk somewhere selling this kind of stuff too.

Re: Homemade fresh air

gardengirl — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 01:07:43 GMT

Nothing makes your house smell better than elbow grease! I too like the way a freshly cleaned home smells. I do not, however, like air fresheners. As my DH says, "It smells like you cooked fish in a spring meadow." They don't eliminate odors -- they just mask them.

Re: Homemade fresh air

Cheapmarshmallow — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 01:04:03 GMT

I thought I was the only one who finds the cleaning aisle at the grocery store alluring. I tend to check out the ones at Home Depot and Lowe's too! I love the smells but hate the prices of some of the products. Never bought a swiffer as most of my floors are carpeted, except kitchen and bathroom. I just use regular mop there or wash with a rag.

Where do you buy the scented oils to add to cleaning solutions? Thanks!

Re: Homemade fresh air

frugalquest — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:56:13 GMT

Sounds refreshing! I know that I need to invest more time into finding such solutions. The detergent and cleaning isles are my favorites in the grocery store. I enjoy the fresh smells and they tend to lure me in ;-) I'm not, however, impressed with the throw away swifter type refills. I love using an old towel/rag instead. I like the mop itself because of the flat bottom, just like avoiding the refills.