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Keep it Clean – the Air, That Is


It’s well established that chemical household cleaners make a serious contribution to indoor air quality, so let’s address it. If you are addicted to using air fresheners be sure that you are using a non-aerosol, plant based, essential oils, nontoxic product. Conventional air fresheners are chemically powerful indoor bombs consisting of artificial (toxic) perfumes and aerosol propellants.

Room diffusers are a great option to add a gentle aroma to a space. (Also see the DIY room spray below). Be sure to look for products that use plant-derived oils and absolutely no artificial fragrance.  If you are not already buying non-toxic “green” cleaners, start exploring what’s out there. If you thought they were cost prohibitive in the past just note that the influx of brands on the market have made price points quite competitive.

What I really advise is that you to make your own. It’s beyond simple—and cheap! Start with this all-purpose cleaner:

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray (yield 1 pt.)

Combine in a spray container:

½ cup white distilled vinegar

1½ cups warm water

1 Tablespoon Citra-Solv Cleaner & Degreaser concentrate*

½ teaspoon essential oils*

½ teaspoon biodegradable liquid dish soap or castile soap

If desired, you can skip the Citra-Solv—a natural, concentrated degreaser which can be found in most grocery stores. (Note that a small bottle of it seems to be bottomless since you need so little of this mighty concentrate to be effective.) Vinegar is also an excellent degreaser in its own right and has antimicrobial properties as well. And don’t worry about the vinegar smell—the odor dissipates quickly and disappears completely once dried.

A number of essential oils will naturally boost the antiseptic abilities of any homemade cleaner. Start experimenting until you arrive at your desired aroma: Cinnamon, clove, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lime, oregano, rosemary, sweet orange, tea tree, and thyme are all great options.

Shake bottle well before spraying.

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Freshening Room Spray

Combine in a spray container:

½ cup filtered or distilled water

½ cup vodka (the cheap stuff)

Grapefruit essential oil – 8 drops

Lavender essential oil – 10 drops

-Or-

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Sweet orange essential oil – 4 drops

Shake bottle well before spraying.

(Look for the “green cleaners” tag to see more easy and economical recommendations in the coming months.)

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