References: https://blog.bostonappliance.net/use-lemons-make-home-smell-incredible/
https://www.thekitchn.com/what-makes-lemons-good-cleaners-236458
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132316304334
One of the best things you can do for your health is to eliminate your exposure to chemicals, and household products are a great way to start. One scientific study found that air fresheners can use over 100 different chemicals, many of them hazardous to human health. What’s even scarier, the researchers found that only about 10 percent of the ingredients in consumer air freshener products are ever advertised.
Why spray a mystery substance throughout your home? This DIY air freshener will take bad smells out of the air and leave a fresh, lemony finish. It’s the acidity in lemon peel that you can credit for eliminating bad smells from the air.
Many bad smells are caused by alkaline compounds, such as those created when cooking fish or when vegetables decay in the garbage. The acidity of lemons neutralizes those compounds, leaving only its own fresh scent. This recipe adds vodka, which works to extract the acids and limonene from the peel.
Lemon Vodka Air Freshener:
4 cups vodka
peels from 4 large lemons
2-3 sprigs fresh herbs, mint or rosemary, optional
How to Make it:
- Add the lemon peels and the herbs, if you are using them, to a large, clean storage jar.
- Pour the vodka over the peels so that they are completely submerged.
- Place the jar in a cool and dark place for one to two weeks.
- When it is ready to use, fill half of a clean spray bottle with the infused vodka.
- Fill the other half with water – distilled is preferable.
- Shake thoroughly before you use.
- Spray as needed.
