What exactly is a whole-air freshener? Whole air fresheners started out with the aerosol sprays you buy in a can but has expanded to hand plug ins that will leave your house smelling good and fresh. All of the air freshener companies are telling you is how clean and fresh their product will make your home smell, but what they aren’t telling you is that those good smelling air fresheners are actually very harmful to your health. Nothing in your home should smell so bad that it requires an air freshener. Usually the only reason people use these products is because they want there home to smell fresh, however you can accomplish a good fresh smell just by maintaining your HVAC set-up. Your air conditioner whether you realize it or not is actually what causes your home to smell musty. An air conditioners job is to filter clean cool air into your home and if your filters aren’t clean it will cause dust to spread throughout your home making it smell bad. You should change your air filter regularly to keep the air in your home clean. Your local hardware stores will have a large air filter selection for you to choose the one that best fits your home.
The Reason Air Fresheners “Smell Good”
Its probably going to come as a surprise to you that air fresheners don’t actually make the odor in your home go away. You think that your home smells good because they actually just change the way your nose perceives odors.
Why Air Fresheners Are Harmful To Your Health
Air fresheners are considered so harmful to our health because they contain so many harmful chemicals. If you use air fresheners in your home and you have frequent headaches, allergies, or stomach problems that is more than likely why. Air fresheners contain chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, petrochemicals, and benzene. Phthalates are plasticizers that are huge endocrine disruptors that have even been known to cause infertility in male and female mice. Parabens contribute to the development of neurological problems, gastrointestinal problems, and infertility. They are found in deodorant but are not meant to be ingested through your nose. Formaldehyde is a preservative that is used in dead bodies and there is absolutely not reason for anyone to be breathing in this chemical. Petrochemicals are used in the manufacturing of pesticides and they may cause breathing problems. The last harmful chemical benzene is a flammable sweet smelling chemical. It is known as a carcinogen that has been linked to the development of leukemia and other blood cancers.
Natural Solutions To Replace Air Fresheners
If you keep your air filters cleaned and you still think that your home has an odor that needs to be taken care of you can try some natural homemade air fresheners. You can try several different homemade air fresheners that include essential oils, baking soda, coffee, vinegar, and even simmered fruit. Essential oils are commonly used to heal minor aliments such as headaches and anxiety but they work great as air fresheners too. Baking soda is good to use in areas such as your kitchen and bathrooms. Baking soda is a natural odor absorber so it will absorb any odor left in your room. You can also put a scoop of coffee on your counter or in your garbage bags to absorb odors believe it or not it works great! Vinegar can be used to disinfect and deodorize any room in your home. The last homemade air freshener that works the best is simmered fruit. Want a scent? If youhave some apples that may be going bad cut them up and simmer them with some cinnamon this creates a great smell especially one that fits the holidays. Don’t let you and your family’shealth become at risk from something as simple as a air freshener, get some natural things like was just mentioned and create your own unique air freshener.
