Another warning about air fresheners

Readers of this newsletter will know by now that I am very against air fresheners in any form. I come across them in office buildings, in lifts, and in toilets– constantly emitting poisonous chemicals and I’m often having to hold my breath until I’m clear! And I always advise that to keep your house smelling fresh, just open the windows and doors for a while, even in winter to let everything clean out, as they did in Nana’s day.
So I was not surprised to read this story  about a new report from the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in the UK which has found that air fresheners, solvents seeping slowly from plastics, paints and furnishings, composite wood furniture and fittings, household cleaning products and DIY sealants and fillers, foam insulation, insecticides, scanners, joss sticks, open fires, deodorants, dust mites, mould and dander from dogs and cats are polluting our air indoors.
So let me remind you of some good ways to make your house smell nice from my book Wendyl’s Recipes for a Cleaner Life 
If you can’t find the ingredients on that can of air freshener or gel deodoriser, why would you use it? These recipes use essential oils that not only perfume your home, but also carry mood-enhancing benefits and can treat symptoms of fatigue, stress and depression. When I’m making up a mixture, I sniff the bottles and use whichever ones appeal to me at the time. Here are some alternative ways to keep your kitchen and bathroom smelling good and let the essential oils get rid of any bugs and germs at the same time:
Vanilla Essence — One of the simplest ways to make a room smell lovely is to leave some bowls around the place with vanilla essence in them. Great to give your house a welcoming smell if you are expecting people over.
Light Bulbs — Dab a bit of essential oil on your light bulb before turning on your lights for a great fragrance, or you can buy rings to hang on your bulb which warm up and disperse oil.
Oil Burner — An oil burner that holds water with a votive candle under it is a great way to disperse essential oils around a room. Just add a few drops to the water and top up as needed.
The bergamot in the freshener recipe below gives a lovely citrus smell and the clove oil, which is highly antiseptic and antiviral, gives a lovely warm, cosy smell.