Non-Toxic Alternatives To Plug-In Air Fresheners
Conventional air fresheners can pollute indoor air. I’m sharing 6 ways to make your home smell nice naturally with the best non-toxic alternatives to plug-in air fresheners.
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My daughter’s college roommate decided to “freshen” the air in their dorm room with a Glade Plug-In. When we dropped her off, my nose and eyes started itching, and the scent lingered on my clothes for hours afterwards. Unfortunately, conventional air fresheners can actually contribute to indoor air pollution by releasing harmful toxins.
Air freshener brands aren’t required to disclose ingredients so you might never know the chemicals hiding behind your Hawaiian Breeze, Amber Hills or Citrus Sunrise scented air freshener. Some ingredients in air fresheners that can be harmful to your health are used because they are cheap and hold scents for longer.
As air fresheners permeate your home environment, they produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are a chemical soup of gas particles that can be potentially harmful to humans and pets.
What Are The Health Risks From Exposure To Conventional Air Fresheners?
Adverse health effects from exposure to conventional air fresheners can include fatigue, watery and itchy eyes, sore throat, sneezing and runny nose, headaches and migraines, trouble breathing and asthma, skin rashes and hives, gastrointestinal issues and neurological problems.
According to Made Safe, an organization that rigorously screens products for potential health hazards, air fresheners can emit endocrine disruptors and carcinogens like benzene, formaldehyde, phthalates, toluene, acetaldehyde and more.
Women’s Voices For The Earth estimates that one third of all fragrance chemicals are linked to human and environmental harm.
Replace plug-in air fresheners in every room in your home with non-toxic alternatives.
The good news is that you can make your home smell nice naturally. I’m sharing 6 non-toxic and safe ways to add fragrance to your home without the use of a traditional, toxic plug-in air freshener.
Non-Toxic Air Freshener Alternatives
If you love how a plug-in air freshener works but don’t want exposure to harmful chemicals, there are 2 brands of air fresheners that I recommend: Enviroscent and Scent Fill. Both brands are phthalate-free, and Enviroscent offers essential oil scents, while Scent Fill offers both essential oil and safer synthetic scents.
Enviroscent Non-Toxic Air Fresheners offer a plug hub starter kit, and the great part is that this is a liquid-free plug-in that evenly scents for 45+ days. The paper scent refills are biodegradable and recyclable and are scented with essential oils. They also carry scent stix with liquid-free paper refills. If your car needs some freshening up, they offer car vent clips with liquid-free scent pucks. Enviroscent scents are phthalate-free and formaldehyde-free, and they have a list of all the toxic ingredients that they never use in their products.
Scents: Honeycrisp Apple & Cardamom, Vanilla Bean & pumpkin Chia, Lavender Tea & Honey, Lemon Leaf + Thyme, Rainwater & Bamboo, Spring Water & Lotus
Shop: Enviroscent Non-Toxic Air Fresheners, Enviroscent Scent Stix & Enviroscent Auto Air Fresheners
Scent Fill Non-Toxic Air Fresheners are phthalate-free and made with all natural fragrance elements, and the plug-in warmers have a warmer control dial. Scent Fill® adheres to the stringent California Proposition 65 standards. Scent Fill® also stays within the Guidelines of The European Union’s standards in both quantity and disclosure. All ingredients are listed on their safety data sheets. Scent fill uses liquid refills, and the refills are compatible with Air Wick warmers.
Scents: Too many to list! They have everything from fall scents to citrus scents to floral and spicy scents.
Shop: Scent Fill Non-Toxic Air Fresheners
Essential Oil Diffuser + Organic Essential Oils
Diffusing essential oils can make your home smell like a spa. Essential oil diffusers generate gentle vibrations that cause essential oils to be mixed with water vapor, and this mixture is dispersed into the air as a very fine mist. The oils (and the plastic reservoir) aren’t heated while diffusing. The Vitruvi Stone Diffuser is whisper-quiet, has an attractive stone design and consistently gets great reviews.
I love Plant Therapy essential oils. They offer a wide selection of essential oils with a USDA Organic Certification. That means they’re Free from GMOs and harmful pesticides, all organic products are certified through ECOCERT ICO, which also helps to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental pollution. All Plant Therapy essential oils go through rigorous independent third-party testing. These GC-MS test reports, which provide in-depth information on the chemical constituents in each oil, can be found on the product page.
Ask a doctor about using an essential oil diffuser if you are pregnant women or have an infant under two. If you have a sensitivity or allergy to a specific oil, you may develop a headache, irritated eyes, coughing, nausea, and rashes. In this case, stop using the diffuser and clean it well before trying a different oil.
According to Outward Hound, the following essential oils are safe for dogs in an essential oil diffuser: Myrrh, Frankincense, Chamomile , Lavender oil , Ginger and Rosemary. Essential oils that are safe for cats in an essential oil diffuser are: Frankincense , Lavender oil and Chamomile.
Light a MADE SAFE Certified Candle
Natural Sloth Candles use beeswax and an all-natural wooden wick for a non-toxic and clean burning candle. Natural Sloth Candles do not contain any petroleum byproducts, stabilizers, or harmful dyes. They’re 100% non-toxic and certified by MADE SAFE®, so you can be confident that these candles are rigorously screened for toxic chemicals.
Choose from a variety of Natural Sloth Candles scents. Try the Home scent if you like a warm, cozy, and welcoming fragrance with notes of cinnamon and rosemary. Balance has sensual, spicy with notes of cedarwood and lavender. Breathe has minty, fresh, and sweet with notes of peppermint and grapefruit. If you love the cozy coffeehouse scent, try Spiced Coffee, which has nutty, smoky, and spicy with notes of coffee and cinnamon. Fontana Candle Co. also makes non-toxic candles that are MADE SAFE® certified.
There are other non-toxic candles on the market that I also love, like Bluecorn Beeswax Candles that are made in Colorado, with plenty of lovely non-toxic scents to choose from.
Warm a Wax Melt
Wax melts work by gradually releasing fragrance as they are warmed up. Unlike candles, wax melts are flameless and don’t have a wick, which means they don’t produce soot or smoke. The wax itself doesn’t evaporate; only the scent does. This makes them a cleaner option for home fragrance. Once the fragrance is gone, you’ll need to replace the used wax with a fresh melt.
Wax melts are placed in a Wax Warmer, which uses a small electric heating element to gently heat the wax. As the wax melts, the heat causes the fragrance oils embedded in the wax to evaporate into the air, filling the room with a pleasant aroma.
Fontana Candle Co Wax Melts feature a pure beeswax and coconut oil base with essential oils for scent, ensuring clean, long-lasting burns without harmful toxins that comes with traditional fragrances.
Spritz a Plant-Based Spray
Primally Pure Room Spray contains pure essential oils to not only improve the health of your home but also alleviate stress, elevate your mood, and encourage a deep sense of well-being. Scents like sweet floral sage, cool citrus breeze, warm citrus spice and crisp smoky woods will fill your home with inviting scents and are the perfect solution to toxic air fresheners.
Grow Fragrance makes air and fabric fresheners as well as candles that are made with 100% plant-based ingredients. Grow Fragrance never adds materials considered carcinogens, mutagens, or reproductive toxins, and contains none of the harmful chemicals found in traditional petroleum-based products.
Grow Fragrance has a wide selection of scents like lavender, black currant rose, bamboo, and cedar citrus. The company is a B Corporation, is Leaping Bunny certified, and is a member of 1% For The Planet.
Spritz these plant-based natural sprays on fabric, in the bathroom or in the air.
Simmer A Pot Of Spices & Herbs
Simmer a pot of natural herbs and spices on the stovetop for an inviting aroma before guests arrive or after a fishy dinner. To make simmering potpourri, use a combination of natural ingredients:
Fill a pot with about 8 cups of filtered water and add:
Herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, mint)
Spices (cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, cardamom, vanilla bean pods)
Fruit (lemon, lime, orange, apple, cranberries)
Flowers (lavender, rose)
Simmer on the stove or use a slow cooker (no lid, please!). Remember to set a timer to turn off the burner if you’re simmering on the stove! Add more water as it starts to evaporate.
For a fresh bakery scent, Preheat the oven to 300℉ and fill an oven-safe glass dish with several tablespoons of vanilla extract. When the oven is heated, place the dish inside and 20 minutes later, you’ll start smelling a heavenly scent!
Passive Air Diffusers
The Attitude Natural Air Purifier contains activated carbon to help trap airborne pollutants and contaminants. It’s made with plant- and mineral-based ingredients from natural sources. Place it anywhere you have bad smells, like near a kitty litter box. The Attitude Natural Air Purifier is ECOLOGO Certified.
A portable Essential Oil Car Diffuser clips to the heating vent and disperses essential oils. Sprinkle on your favorite Plant Therapy essential oil if your car smells like a locker room.
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