Your home is your sanctuary, a place where you can unwind after a long day, entertain friends and more. However, unpleasant smells and odours can quickly turn a cosy living space into an uncomfortable environment. While commercial air fresheners can offer a temporary fix, they often contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to our health.

Luckily, there are several natural and eco-friendly alternatives. In this blog, we’ll list six natural ways to eliminate odours in your home, from essential oils to reed diffusers, scented soy wax candles and more.

• Essential oils

Essential oils have been used for centuries for their aromatic properties. These concentrated oils are derived from various plants and offer many delightful scents, from citrus to lavender, lemongrass and eucalyptus. Aside from providing a pleasant environment through scent, essential oils also provide therapeutic benefits. For instance, lavender has been known as a natural sleep remedy. Meanwhile, eucalyptus oil can assist with a cold by clearing mucus from the chest.

To use your essential oils, add a few drops to a diffuser or humidifier. The device then disperses the essential oil into the air, creating a lovely fragrance. You can also create a natural air freshener by adding a few drops of essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water. Give it a solid shake before each use, and spray it around your living spaces.

One important thing to remember is that some essential oils are poisonous to pets. Certain oils can cause serious liver damage or failure, respiratory issues, seizures and death if consistently inhaled.

• Reed diffusers

Reed diffusers are a simple and elegant way to disperse natural fragrances throughout your home. They consist of a glass container filled with a blend of essential oils and carrier liquids such as almond or safflower oil. Thin reeds are placed in the mixture, and through their pours, oil travels up and evaporates into the air.

Similar to essential oils, there are a variety of scents to choose from, some of which go outside traditional, natural smells. Scents such as blood orange, vanilla bean, honeysuckle, jasmine and more can create an inviting and enchanting environment.

Setting up your reed diffuser is simple, particularly if you’re using a reed diffuser from Le Desiré! Remove the plug, insert the reed sticks into the jar and let them absorb the oil. The reeds will then shortly emit their scent. Don’t forget to flip them over once a week to keep the scent refreshed!

• Soy wax candles

Candles do more for a home than just emitting a pleasant scent. They make for an excellent decorative piece and enhance the aesthetics of any living space. However, standard candles may not be the best for our respiratory health.

Unlike traditional paraffin candles, soy wax candles are made from natural soybeans, making them a sustainable and eco-friendly choice. They also burn cleaner and produce less soot, ensuring better air quality in your home. Soy wax candles are often infused with essential oils, offering a natural way to distribute delightful scents.

• Baking soda

Baking soda is an excellent and versatile odour repellent that can be used in various ways to neutralise and eliminate unpleasant smells. For instance, combining baking soda and essential oils makes for an excellent carpet or rug deodoriser — just don’t forget to vacuum to remove the baking soda remnants! It can also eliminate smells in your gym bag, rubbish bin, shoes and more. 

• Citrus peels 

Citrus peels are not only delicious and refreshing but, like baking soda, also serve as natural deodorisers that can effectively eliminate unpleasant odours in your home. One easy way to maximise their scent potential is through a simmer pot. Simply fill a saucepan with water and add citrus peels and other aromatic ingredients like cinnamon sticks, cloves or rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer on the stovetop, and the heat will release the pleasant citrus aroma.

You can also create a natural air freshener spray by infusing citrus peels in a water-filled spray bottle. Just let the peels steep in the water for a day or two, strain the liquid and transfer it back to the spray bottle.  

• Vodka 

Stay with us for this one! Combining vodka and essential oils can create an excellent, effective, eco-friendly linen spray. Add one tablespoon of vodka and around 30 drops of essential oils — feel free to mix and match to find your perfect scent — into a reusable spray bottle. Shake well to mix the concoction, start spraying and enjoy the smell of fresh linens. 

Discover eco-friendly and natural fragrances with Le Desiré

It’s never been easier to go natural with your home fragrances than with Le Desiré. We are a leading and family-owned business, adored for our extensive range of all-natural and toxin-free home fragrances. Our products are crafted using sustainable materials and ingredients, ensuring you enjoy a fragrant home without chemicals.