Most commercial air fresheners do not freshen the air at all. Instead, they mask the odor or odors by providing another scent. For a money saving alternative you may wish to try one of the following frugal air freshner ideas. Not only will your home smell fresh and clean, you will save money.

Distribute partially filled containers of vinegar around the room or boil one tablespoon of white vinegar in one cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odors.

Boil cinnamon and cloves for a fragrant smell. For ease of cleaning, make a cheesecloth bag to contain these spices, and boil the cheesecloth bag. An excellent alternative when entertaining is to steep spiced tea or cider.

Buy or make your own potpourri from your favorite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small basket or jar or in small sachet bags.

Place pure vanilla on a cotton ball in a small container and place itin the car or refrigerator to remove odors. It’s reported to remove even skunk odors. Keep the cotton ball out of reach of children as vanilla has high alcohol content.

Place a partially filled container of baking soda on the refrigerator shelf. Replace every two months and when you do, pour the contents of the used box down the drain to remove odors and keep the drain clean.

To avoid or remove onion odors from your hands, rub white vinegar on your hands before and after slicing. Rubbing hands with the end of a celery stalk will also remove the odor.

Cover a fresh orange with whole cloves and hang anywhere you want a fresh smell. This also helps keep many insects and other unwanted houseguests away.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 at 11:02 am in Column.