DIY Network

Green Solutions Green Solutions From "Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean" episode DQOC-119

When you want to freshen the air, think about natural scents you can use in your home. Here are a few that cost pennies and take just minutes to make.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

• Refrigerator fresheners Pour vanilla extract on a cotton ball and place on a saucer in the refrigerator (figure A). Dry coffee grounds placed on a saucer also freshen stale refrigerator air. And remember to change out the refrigerator box of baking soda every April and October when you reset your clocks.

• Frying-food odors Pour white vinegar in a bowl and place it close to the cooking surface, or boil 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a cup of water to eliminate the odors of frying food (figure B).

• Musty odors Pour vinegar over white bread in a bowl (figure C). Place in drawers, trunks or other areas that have a musty odor. Leave for 24 hours. The bread will completely absorb the musty smell.

• Burned-food odors Bring a pan of water to a boil. Add lemon juice and/or lemon slices and let the mixture simmer.

• General air freshener Simmer a pot of water with cloves and cinnamon added to freshen the air. To reuse the cloves and cinnamon, first tie them up in a piece of cheesecloth.

• Cat-litter odor Sprinkle a heavy coating of baking soda into the bottom of the litter pan and add litter (figure D). It will help with cat-box odors and is not harmful to the cat.
  

You really shouldn't need air freshener if you find the source of an odor and eliminate it. Earlier generations kept their homes clean with simple recipes made from common and inexpensive ingredients. They did it, and so can you. It's now become the modern way to clean