Air fresheners seem to work on the room and clean the air but actually they work on us!  They basically interfere with our sniffers.  The chemicals coat our nasal passages with a film that deadens the nerve endings.  They mask the problem instead of taking care of it and fool us into thinking the room is fresh and clean.

The ingredients are troubling and may include things like formaldehyde, artificial fragrance, benzyl alcohol, camphor, ethanol, and naphthalene, among others.  Aside from causing asthma and allergies, many of these chemicals are known carcinogens that lead to cancer and birth defects.  Many attack the central nervous system which can lead to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, or SIDs in infants.  Sound clean to you?

Air fresheners and room deodorizers actually create pollution.  When used in a confined area, like our homes, places of work, or cars, they create an intense amount of toxins in a small area.  Children are particularly susceptible to poor air quality which can lead to a host of diseases and premature death.  The EPA ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five environmental health risks to the public.  Pollution indoors is oftentimes worse (sometimes up to 500 times worse!) than the pollution outdoors!  Sure, tobacco smoke indoors is a horrible contributor to that, but aside from that, indoor pollution is primarily the cause of all the things we use to clean our homes and make our homes smell good.  In aerosol form the dangers are multiplied because of the micro-particles that are created of the chemicals. 

Scented and Aromatherapy candles are no better at clearing the air.  Traditional candles are made of paraffin wax, a by-product of the gasoline industry, a petrochemical.  The fragrance is either artificial, once again a petro-chemical and many not suited for combustion, or a pure essential oil which, when burned, no longer offers the therapeutic effect and actually converts into unhealthy byproducts.  Scented paraffin candles usually contain metal or lead core wicks creating unsafe lead concentrations when burned.  100% of the lead that is inhaled when the candle is burned ends up in the bloodstream which can be particularly damaging to children.  What is not inhaled immediately attaches to furniture and walls to be inhaled or ingested later.  The black soot created from burning traditional, and especially scented, candles is toxic.  According to the American Lung Association - "scented, paraffin candles cause lead poisoning and using slow burning paraffin candles cause poor indoor air quality, and a serious health concern."  Once again, instead of freshening the air, they work to mask the odor while adding poisons to the air we breathe in the comfort of our own homes.

To truly freshen our rooms and get rid of bad odors:

• open the windows
• clean the source of the odor with nontoxic products
• empty the garbage frequently and get rid of rotting vegetables
• burn 100% pure beeswax candles with 100% cotton wicks - not only is it the best alternative to traditional paraffin candles, but pure beeswax candles actually purify and clean the air!
• use the box of open baking soda trick from your fridge in closets and bathrooms
• use vinegar to clean
• put a half a cup of vinegar in the smelly room to absorb the odor
• use a drop or two of pure essential oils in a mister filled with distilled water and spritz
• add drops of orange or lemon essential oils to organic cotton balls and put them around the house - lavender is also nice
• simmer spices like cinnamon and cloves in a little water on the stovetop
• simmer 3 - 5 organic lemons cut in fourths in clean water for 30 minutes to an hour
• simmer crushed or cut fresh ginger in some water
• simmer herbs like rosemary or basil
• boil some water and then add a drop or two of your favorite pure essential oil(s)
• dab orange, vanilla, or lemon extracts on organic cotton balls and place them around the house
• use organic herbal sachets and potpourris
• add potted plants to your room to clear carbon dioxide and other toxins naturally
• use volcanic rocks to absorb the odors
• get freshly cut fragrant organic flowers
• cook!  use organic herbs and garlic, try something new and make something delicious!
• bake something! (organic, of course)  It's amazing how aromas of food can fill the air and create memories for our children.  And nothing beats the smell of fresh baked bread so try heating fresh hot bagels that have already been boiled and parbaked

• Chemicals
• Cleaning Products
• Freshen Indoor Air Naturally