by J.D.G.

Created on: April 20, 2010   Last Updated: April 23, 2010

Have you ever wanted to freshen up your home, but didn't have any scented candles?  Or maybe you are allergic to the chemicals that are found in a lot of scented candles.  Or maybe, like me, you are just too cheap to spend a small fortune on one candle.  Whatever the case, here are 6 easy and inexpensive ways to freshen up the air in your home.

* 1. Use What's in Your Kitchen

Step one: Pull out a small saucepan, and fill it with plain tap water. 
Step two: Put some spices, herbs, or fruit in the water, and let it simmer for a few hours.  Make sure that there is always water in the saucepan.  That's it!

I like to use a few cinnamon sticks, orange peels, lemon peels, lime peels, lavender, apples, an anise pod, a teaspoon of cloves, a few sprigs of rosemary, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon...pretty much any combination of things from the kitchen, as long as they smell good.  Have fun experimenting with different combinations!

* 2. Vinegar to the Rescue

Did you fry up some fish for dinner, or forget to take out your rubbish bin?  If so, your nose may be in a world of hurt right now.  To knock out lingering, undesirable odors, try setting a bowl of white vinegar on your counter-top.  A few hours later, the odors should be fully absorbed, and the air in your home will be fresh and clean. 

* 3. Essential Oils and Terra Cotta

Terra cotta is a great palette for essential oils, because it absorbs the oils and allows the scent to linger.  Dropping a teaspoon or two of essential oils into a small terra cotta dish (like the kind that goes under a 4" terra cotta planter) is an excellent way to freshen up a whole room.  Don't have a small terra cotta dish?  No problem!  I've been known to use a terra cotta diffuser, a broken piece of terra cotta from a clean planter, or a small terra cotta pot; they all worked perfectly. 

The scent from the essential oils will be mild and subtle at first, but will gradually dissipate throughout the room, freshening the air with each passing hour.  If you want the scent to be stronger and spread throughout the room faster, place the terra cotta in a warm location.  For an even stronger and faster spreading scent, pick up a ring.  Using a light bulb ring is easy - simply place a few drops of the essential oil into the ring, and slip the ring over a light bulb.  This works best with the old fashioned, incandescent light bulbs because they heat up as they light a room.

* 4. Fresh from the Garden

Do you love the smell of floral scented candles?  Why not step up to the real thing?  If you are lucky enough to have a flower garden, snip some of those lovely scented blooms for your home.  A centerpiece on your table or a bouquet on your mantle can make the entire room look beautiful and smell amazing!

* 5. Get Cooking

Nothing scents the home as gloriously as freshly baked bread, baked apples, or snickerdoodles.  Okay, let's face it, pretty much any food (except fried fish - see Tip #2!) can make a home smell incredible.  One of my favorite home scenting recipes is also one of the most delicious - dried cinnamon apples.  It makes the house smell wonderfully homey all day, and the apples are delicious!

* 6. Fresh Air

This is the easiest tip of all.  Ready?  If the air outside smells fresh and clean, open a window and let it freshen your home.  Told you this was an easy tip!

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