Sentry Page Protection

TIP STORE: HOUSEHOLD: Air Fresheners

​Another MOO Reed Diffuser

I first wrote about MOO reed diffusers here. It's a simple process, but one that requires a couple of specific ingredients. A few weeks ago, just after Christmas, I came across the instructions for another version and decided to experiment. Many skewers and bottles of oil mixture later this is the version I prefer. It uses ordinary kitchen ingredients. It's cheap. It's quick to make (takes about 2 minutes all up!). And it works really well. You will need: A glass bottle with a narrow neck 4-5 reed diffuser sticks OR bamboo skewers 1/4 cup safflower oil 20-25 drops of essential oil Step 1. Mix the essential oils and safflower oil together. It's easiest to do this in the bottle. Step 2. Place the skewers in the container. It will take a while for the oil to travel up the sticks, so speed up the process by flipping the sticks after several hours. That's it. Easy. Refresh the scent by flipping the skewers every few days. Once the skewers (or reeds) become saturated you'll need to replace them with fresh. And the oil will eventually evaporate. I suggest topping it up when it gets down by a third for a continuous fragrance. Search op shops or $2 shops for suitable bottles. Better still ask friends, family and colleagues if they have any small sauce bottles they could pass on to you. I used a cute little bottle that had coloured salts in it (that had faded beyond recognition) for one diffuser. Another one was a repurposed sesame oil bottle. I used bamboo skewers because I had them in the kitchen drawer. You can buy reed diffuser sticks from craft shops if you prefer the look of them. For the oil any light oil will work. You could use sweet almond for instance but it will be more expensive. I had safflower in the pantry and it works perfectly. When it comes to essential oils, oils aint oils, to coin a phrase. Pure oils are a little expensive but they are pure, they last much, much longer and a little goes a long, long way. If you want reed diffusers that really scent your rooms, buy the best possible essential oils you can afford. Some of my favourite scents are: Lavender, lemon and rosemary Orange Peppermint and orange Eucalyptus and lavender - sounds odd but it's delightfully refreshing! You can create your own fragrances by combining your favourite essential oils. Experiment to find the scent that suits your home best.
​Tip of the Day 10th February 2014

​Refill Votive Holders and Save

My weakness is fragrant home made candles. I have at least two burning every night - one in the kitchen, one on the coffee table. I'm very fortunate that my dear friend makes them - I give her all my empty candle jars/votive holders and she refills them with different fragrances and matching colours. End up being about $5 a jar rather than the $35-$70 I've seen some priced in the shops!!
​Contributed by Bindii B, 16th August 2010

​Easily Scented Drawers

When wanting to use up old perfume drop it onto cotton wool balls or something similar and hang it in a small mesh bag or old stocking in your wardrobe or your drawers. This will last for longer than if you wore it and also fragrance all of your clothes as well!
​Contributed by Robyn, Drouin, 26th February 2009

​Grow Your Own Scented Sachets

Using our home grown herbs, we create nice smelly-bags for the house. You can use inexpensive organza bags, or even old stockings. Fill them with some fresh herbs, tie and hang - too easy! Once the herbs have dried you can even use them for cooking, or put into the compost bin. Another great thing to use is Lavender. A plant is about $5 and will continue to grow so long as you water it a little. Contributed by Amie, Coffs Harbour, 8th February 2010

Delicious Air Freshener​

We grow herbs in our back garden, and anytime we want the house to smell nice we grab a few leaves of mint or rosemary (depending on my lavender plant we use that too) and pop it in some water and onto the stove to boil. It makes the house smell gorgeous, and the left over water can go straight back onto the garden. This works with oil burners as well.
​Contributed by Amie, Coffs Harbour, 8th February 2010

Fabric Softener and an Air Freshener

Approximate $ Savings: $60 per year

​ Instead of paying $10 every 2 months for car oil fresheners which can also be an eyesore on your dashboard I now use a full soft plastic fabric softener packet. This way I can select the smell I prefer and tuck it away under a seat and the car smells clean and fresh for 2 months or more. I can then use the fabric softener in my machine the following month and the smell is still strong - 2 uses for the 1 product. Saving me at least $10 every 2 months!
Contributed by Leah, Blackwall, 27th July 2009

​Fragrance Filled Home

Approximate $ Savings: Approximately $100+ per year

Found a way to save approximately $100 or more per year depending on what you use to deodorise your home from stuffy smells. I have carpets and a large dog who lives in the house (for security). As you can imagine, the home can get a bit on the nose sometimes. I've found a very cheap alternative to expensive carpet deodorising products, air fresheners, essential and fragrance oils and scented candles. I purchased 350 incense sticks off ebay very cheaply (the price also included the postage cost). I'll now be using the various different scented incense sticks to deodorise my home, only using my favourites for when I have visitors :-)
​Contributed by Lily, Perth, 2nd August 2008

​Soft Air Freshener

​As air fresheners can be many and very expensive, I use an empty spray water bottle and put about a half of cup of fabric softener in it and then fill it up with water. I then have a lovely smelling air freshener, which is not aerosol, and I can spray it on carpets, beds etc and it is completely safe. Contributed by Elizabeth, Yarraville, 1st June 2005

​Lavender Oil Air Freshener

A few drops of lavender oil (pure or fragrant) mixed with water in a garden water spray bottle makes a fantastic freshener for house, toilet, smoking rooms and general use.
​Contributed by Sonya, St. Kilda, April 26th 2005

​Ridding House of Burnt Cooking Smells

If you have unfortunately burnt something while cooking, boiling cloves in water on the stove will rid the house of the smell.
​Contributed by Athalie, Mt. Gambier, October 17th 2006

​Toilet Freshener

Instead of buying aerosols of sickly sweet toilet spray, buy a large (50mL) bottle of eucalyptus, lemon, lemon myrtle or orange essential oil and leave on the top of the loo. Every time you think that it might be a bit stinky after you go, drop 2 drops into the water as it flushes. They will sanitise the air as well as deodorise. The bottle will last well over a year and all you have to do is label it so that guests know what to do with it. Cheap bulk oil available from www.newdirections.com.au or www.seoc.com.au or here in Townsville from www.plantessentials.com.au
​Contributed by Diana, South Townsville, August 21st 2006

​Air Wick Refills

Did you know that you can save $$$ by refilling your Airwick mobile air freshener? You just need to buy a bottle of essential oil for about $1 and a couple of AA batteries when needed. When empty you take out the foam from the cartridge and pull out the middle stem, pour oil into reservoir and replace both straw-like centre and foam and you have saved $6 on buying a refill. This works as I have done it myself.
​Contributed by Paul, Elizabeth North, August 22nd 2006

​Air Fresheners

A great way to get rid of odours in your house is to leave a couple of lemons that have been cut in half on the bench. By morning the stale smell should have gone. This is great if you are a smoker or have friends around that are.
​Contributed by Tracy, Mount Sheridan, August 25th 2006

​Quick Air Freshener

​Sprinkle cinnamon on aluminum foil and place it in a hot oven, leaving the door open. As the cinnamon heats, the cinnamon will permeate the house.

​Lemon Fresh Air

​To achieve fresher air in the house without paying a fortune for aerosol sprays, squeeze a few drops of a fresh lemon into the dust bag of your vacuum.