Have you ever noticed that males of many species can be, shall we say, a bit malodorous?
I speak from experience: I have a husband, five sons, two male dogs, chickens and a cat. My boys traipse through the yard without checking for dog or chicken droppings. I feed my family lots of beans. My dogs get gassy when they’re nervous. There are plenty of opportunities for unpleasant odors to arise.
*I’m not exaggerating. Last summer we drove to a family reunion in Southern Michigan and got stuck on the Ohio Turnpike in 90°F heat. The van’s air conditioning failed and only one window worked — the one beside my head — so all the hot, stagnant air blew past me. The dogs were as stressed as we were. Being trapped in bumper-to-bumper traffic in sweltering heat with an eighty-five-pound hound and his equally foul-smelling beagle buddy was, frankly, horrific. The time between ‘episodes’ was barely measurable. I was traumatized. We all were.
Early in my life as the mother of many boys I realized eliminating the causes of bad smells was nearly impossible. Instead, I focused on creating a pleasant-smelling oasis in each room. I spent a lot of money on scented candles, gel air fresheners, room sprays, linen sprays, plug-in deodorizers, misters and potpourri (side note: my mom once fed boiled potpourri on a taco to a German exchange student — but that’s another story).
When I discovered three of my children had asthma, all the scented products had to go. Laundry detergent, fabric softener and household cleaners became unscented. The allergist said I could use essential oils sparingly in little bowls or reed diffusers, but those scents faded quickly. I needed something that smelled pleasant, lasted, and was safe for asthmatic children — or I’d need an inexpensive carbon-filter face mask comfortable enough to wear constantly. It took five years to develop a solution.
Necessity truly was the mother of invention. I created a homemade, all-natural, essential-oil-powered gel air freshener that met every requirement: safe for sensitive noses, pleasant-smelling, long-lasting, inexpensive to make, and built from five common ingredients you can buy at any grocery or department store.
About essential oils: they’re potent, so use them sparingly. Start with no more than 20–30 drops per air freshener until you know how strong your particular oil blend is. The basic recipe is below, followed by some favorite scent combinations.
Homemade Essential Oil Air Fresheners
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce granulated or powdered gelatin
- 2 cups cold water, divided
- 20–30 drops of your chosen essential oil(s)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- optional: food coloring to tint the air freshener
Also needed:
- Heat-proof jars to hold the hot gelatin mixture
- A disposable chopstick or skewer to stir
Bring one cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the boiling water and whisk until smooth and fully dissolved. Add the salt and the second cup of cold water, then whisk to combine. Set the mixture aside briefly.
Add the desired amount of essential oil and food coloring, if using, to the jar(s). Quickly pour the hot gelatin mixture over the essential oil and color. Stir gently until the color and scent are evenly distributed.
Allow the jars to cool uncovered on a heat-safe surface. Once the gel reaches room temperature, place the jars wherever you want a pleasant aroma.
Sweet Basil and Lemon Air Freshener
- 20 drops Sweet Basil essential oil
- 8 drops Lemon essential oil
Rosemary Orange Air Freshener
- 25 drops Sweet Orange essential oil
- 5 drops Rosemary essential oil (Rosemary is strong — use sparingly)
Fresh Pine Scent Air Freshener
- 25 drops Fir Pine essential oil
- 3 drops Lemon essential oil
- 2 drops Sweet Orange essential oil
- 1 drop Bergamot essential oil
Pure Lavender Air Freshener
- 30 drops Lavender essential oil
Essence of Provence Air Freshener
- 20 drops Lavender essential oil
- 5 drops Thyme essential oil
- 2 drops Lemon essential oil
This year, if we have to take the dogs on another road trip, I’ll be prepared — I’ll tuck one of these jars into the van and hope for the best.