Natural Febreze Recipe

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Replace those expensive, toxic air freshener sprays with this natural Febreze recipe. It’s easy to make with 3 simple ingredients, and you can customize the scent any way you like.

blue spray bottle in front of flowers

When I see the junk that advertisers try to pass off on us as “pure” or “natural,” I have a fit. Since those terms are not regulated, any manufacturer can slap those words on a package and fool the public into thinking a product is safe.

For example, let’s look at the popular air freshener Febreze. You can spray it in your house, light candles with Febreze scents, even put little Febreze scent “gems” in your car.

Here’s why you don’t want to use any of those products…

Toxins in Febreze

Have you seen the latest batch of Febreze air freshener ads? Their slogan is “breathe happy.” Unfortunately, breathing in these toxic chemicals does not make me happy:

BHT
ACETALDEHYDE
1,3-DICHLORO-2-PROPANOL
METHYL PYRROLIDONE
BUTYLPHENYL METHYLPROPIONAL
ETHYL ACETATE
BENZALDEHYDE
DIETHYLENE GLYCOL MONOETHYL ETHER
ETHYLHEXANOL
HEXYL CINNAMAL

And this is only a partial list–read more at Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Want more tested and trusted natural cleaning recipes? You deserve to have a clean house without sacrificing your health. Check out Natural Cleaning for Your Entire Home and start cleaning safely!

fresh flowers in a clean farmhouse kitchen

Deception in Labeling

“But wait!” you say. “The ingredient list on the bottle says, ‘Contains water, alcohol, odor eliminator derived from corn, fragrance.’ Why aren’t all those chemicals listed?”

For one single reason–they don’t have to be.

Under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, manufacturers are not required to list all ingredients of household cleaners. This is ostensibly to protect their formulations (I find that odd because bread has all the ingredients listed and there’s no lack of healthy competition there…but I digress).

Besides sounding horrible, why are these ingredients harmful? EWG explains: “Ingredients commonly used in fragrances in air fresheners include phthalates, which make fragrances last longer and are linked to male reproductive system birth defects and hormone disruption, and synthetic musks, which are linked to allergies and hormone disruption.”

There’s no way I’m letting those chemicals anywhere near my family!

It’s easy to make your own natural Febreze, and you won’t have to worry about toxic chemical residue on the baby’s crib–on the dog’s chew toys–on anything at all.

blue spray bottle on white table

Natural Febreze Recipe

Ingredients

16 oz. glass or plastic spray bottle (I like these)

1 tablespoon baking soda

2 cups distilled water

10 drops essential oil (a single scent, or a mixture. Imagine the possibilities!)

Instructions

Measure the baking soda into a bowl and add the essential oil(s) on top.

Using a fork, mix the oil into the baking soda. This will help keep the oil suspended in the water.

Put the baking soda/oil mixture into the spray bottle (a funnel helps) and top off with the distilled water. Label your bottle, shake before use, and breathe happy–and safely.

Natural Febreze Scent Ideas

Here are a few of my favorite scent combinations using essential oils.

For even more ideas, check out my book of diffuser recipes–all of the oil combinations in the book can be used to make DIY Natural Febreze.

Wake Me Up

5 drops Peppermint essential oil

5 drops Wild Orange essential oil

Hawaiian Sun

5 drops Wild Orange essential oil

3 drops Ginger essential oil

3 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil

Odor Control

8 drops Purify essential oil blend

2 drops Lavender essential oil

Blue Moon

4 drops Bergamot essential oil

4 drops Lemon essential oil

2 drops Rosemary essential oil

2 drops Peppermint essential oil

Fresh and Fruity

4 drops Lemongrass essential oil

3 drops Wild Orange essential oil

2 drops Peppermint essential oil

blue glass spray bottle, two essential oil bottles, rose

Natural Febreze Recipe

Yield: 16 oz.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Estimated Cost: $2

Replace those expensive, toxic air freshener sprays with this natural Febreze recipe. It's easy to make with 3 simple ingredients, and you can customize the scent any way you like.

Materials

  • 16 oz. glass spray bottle
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 2 cups distilled water
  • 10 drops essential oil

Instructions

    1. Measure the baking soda into a bowl and add the essential oil(s) on top.
    2. Using a fork, mix the oil into the baking soda. This will help keep the oil suspended in the water.
    3. Put the baking soda/oil mixture into the spray bottle (a funnel helps) and top off with the distilled water.
    4. Label your bottle, shake before use, and breathe happy--and safely.

Notes

DIY Natural Febreze Scent Recipes

Wake Me Up

5 drops Peppermint essential oil

5 drops Wild Orange essential oil

Hawaiian Sun

5 drops Wild Orange essential oil

3 drops Ginger essential oil

3 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil

Icy Orange

3 drops On Guard essential oil blend

3 drops Peppermint essential oil

3 drops Wild Orange essential oil

Odor Control

8 drops Purify essential oil blend

2 drops Lavender essential oil

Blue Moon

4 drops Bergamot essential oil

4 drops Lemon essential oil

2 drops Rosemary essential oil

2 drops Peppermint essential oil

Fresh and Fruity

4 drops Lemongrass essential oil

3 drops Wild Orange essential oil

2 drops Peppermint essential oil

P.S. Don’t throw that bottle of Febreze away. It is hazardous waste (isn’t that scary?) and must be disposed of at a licensed facility. Find one near you at Earth911.

spray bottle, essential oil bottles, and rose

Hi, Im Pam!

I created Brown Thumb Mama to share my natural living journey, and help you live a greener life. Thanks for being here!

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