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Scents make a difference in how we feel. Some scents lift our moods, revive and rejuvenate us. Others are calming, sleep-inducing and relaxing. Spas are examples of businesses that have thrived on the sense of smell!
The scented items industry is a booming one, what with consumers buying oil diffusers, scented candles, air fresheners and odour-masking products every now and then. We got a few easy DIY recipes that will give your home (or offices) a heavenly scent.
Simmered lemon rosemary
To make this simple freshener you will need:
A small sufuria
Water
Rosemary herb
1 lemon
Vanilla extract
Steps
Fill the sufuria about 2/3 full with water.
Add 1 sliced up lemon and a few sprigs of rosemary. Then, add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Let this mixture simmer all day, it will fill your rooms with a heavenly scent. You can use the same mixture for about 2 days before disposing it of.
Baking soda air freshener
Baking soda isn’t just good for making your fridge smell fresh! This air freshener can make any room fresh.
You will need:
½ cup baking soda for every jar you make
8-12 drops essential oil of your preference
Mason jar or any glass jar with a lid
Manila paper
Big Needle or fork
Scissors and pen
Steps
Take the manila paper and trace out the inner lid of the mason jar. Cut out that piece of paper.
Use the needle or fork to make holes in the paper so the scent can waft through.
Pour about ½ cup of baking soda into the mason jar and add in 8 to 12 drops of essential oil of your choice. Start off by adding less oil and if you find it’s not strong enough for your room, add some more. A bigger room will need more oil and a smaller room such as a bathroom will use less.
Place the manila paper inside the mason jar ring and tighten it onto the jar. Gently shake up the baking soda/essential oil mixture. This air freshener is more natural than chemical sprays.
Lemon basil spray
Room sprays keep your place fresh, but many contain harmful chemicals. This one, however, does not contain any chemicals and is just as effective.
You will need:
A spray bottle
Water: 1 and 1/4 cups divided into 3/4 cup and ½ cup
4 tablespoons of dried basil (you can dry your own basil from the market)
Clean cloth to filter
Funnel
1 tablespoon vodka
5 drops of lemon essential oil
Steps
In a small pot, bring 1/2 cup water to boil.
Add your 4 tablespoons of dried basil to the water and let steep for a few minutes.
In another pot, bring 3/4 cups of water to a boil.
Line the funnel with a clean cloth and place funnel in opened spray bottle.
Pour the steeped basil water mixture into the funnel, making sure that the cloth catches the tiny pieces of basil. Remove the cloth.
Pour in the boiling water, vodka and essential oil.
Close the spray bottle and shake to mix.
Potpourri
Looking for potpourri in the shops in the city will leave you frustrated at the end of the day. Seeing how rare this stuff is, here is potpourri recipe. Granted, it might take months to make, but the end product is worth the wait.
You will need:
Dried flowers
Essential oil
Any herbs, spices, dried fruit or other trinkets you want to include - go wild with it!
Steps
Prior to making the potpourri, you will need to dry out flowers. Gather a bouquet and tie the stems together. Hang them upside down and leave them a couple of weeks to fully dry.
Once the flowers and herbs are dry, put them in a container and add a few drops of essential oil. It’s recommended that you close the container and allow the flowers to absorb the oil for 2 to 4 weeks.
Then, arrange all of the ingredients in a bowl or a jar. You can add any extra oils or scented ingredients that you like.
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