Autumn in New England usually begins for me when you can actually smell Fall in the air. For anyone who lives in CT, you probably know that to be true. It is my favorite time of the year and I look forward to everything that comes with it, especially the comfort food! Unfortunately, it is also a time when we start closing up the windows, doors, and sealing up the home for winter to keep in the heat and save as much as we can on our electric bills. It is also the time where many of us resort to candles and air fresheners to give us that clean, fresh, or warm Fall scent that you can only truly get with fresh air or your favorite treat baking in the oven. I belong to many online newsletters, where I learn a lot of information and also get some new ideas. I just recently received one from http://www.seventhgeneration.com/. They sell eco-friendly household and paper products, which I myself use, enjoy, and believe in, but they also give out good information and tips for you at home. This is what they have to say about the use of air fresheners, including aerosols, plug-ins, potpourri, and some scented candles .
"According to the Children's Health Environmental Coalition, the fragrance products industry relies on over 3,000 different chemical compounds to create its olfactory wonders. These include flammable propellants like butane and propane; terpenes, xylene, benzene, and other volatile organic compounds; petroleum distillates like naphthalene; and chemicals like phenol, cresol, and paradichlorobenzene. Recently, a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation investigation of air fresheners found that nearly a third of the samples tested contained phthalates.
These and other ingredients are combined in air freshener formulas to create products intentionally designed to fill our homes with invisible airborne fumes that linger in the air where they can be repeatedly inhaled. And manufacturers aren't required to tell us exactly what's in the air fresheners we buy. Instead, most hide their ingredients behind generic label terms like "fragrance" and "scent agent." When we use these products, we have no way of knowing what we're really breathing, and in winter's sealed-up homes, our exposure to them can be nearly constant. "
These and other ingredients are combined in air freshener formulas to create products intentionally designed to fill our homes with invisible airborne fumes that linger in the air where they can be repeatedly inhaled. And manufacturers aren't required to tell us exactly what's in the air fresheners we buy. Instead, most hide their ingredients behind generic label terms like "fragrance" and "scent agent." When we use these products, we have no way of knowing what we're really breathing, and in winter's sealed-up homes, our exposure to them can be nearly constant. "
For me, personally, the more products with "fragrance" or "scent" that I remove from my life, the more I notice how sensitive I am to these products when they are around me again. A few years ago I used to use dryer sheets and perfume with no problem. Now, if I am in some one's house that is doing laundry with strong scented detergent or fabric softener, the smell actually gives me a physical reaction and bothers me. I choose to use seventh generation unscented laundry detergent and no fabric softener and I am happy with the results. Don't get me wrong, I love things that smell good. It's just that the perception of what "good" means to me has changed. Things that smells good to me now are an actual apple pie baking in the oven, a toasty fire in the fireplace, a fresh bunch of flowers, or just opening the door to the crisp Fall air. To each his or her own on what you think smells good or not, but I hope that whatever aroma it is you choose to add to your life comes from nature and not a bottle of chemicals that could be hurting you, your family, or your pets.
Seventh Generation has some suggestions of ways to keep your home smelling nice without subjecting yourself to all of the chemicals in artificial air fresheners. Summed up they are:
1. Use undiluted 3% hydrogen peroxide or vinegar to remove bad smells like mildew in the trash can.
2. Use natural mineral borax and/or baking soda to deodorize surfaces and other places in your home. Lemon juice is also a natural deodorizer.
3. Open a door or window for a short period of time just to let the fresh air in and any chemicals or stale air out.
4. Make your own air freshener by adding a few drops of an essential oil to two cups of water and put in a spray bottle.
5. Put a drop of essential oil on a light bulb or add to a pot of water and put on a radiator. Or, use cinnamon sticks, cloves, or dried herbs in some boiling water.
6. A few drops of essential oil in your vacuum's exhaust filter or a couple drops of lemon into the bag.
7. If you burn candles to scent air make sure yours are made from beeswax or other natural waxes like soy rather than petroleum-based paraffin wax. Choose candles with lead-free wicks and naturally-derived scents. And use them sparingly ― natural candles may be safer but they're still filling your air with small amounts of combustion byproducts.
8. Problem situations can sometimes be helped by an air purifier that contains an activated charcoal filter. Don't use devices that generate ozone, which is a hazardous pollutant.
I hope these tips help you to enjoy a safe and healthy Fall season, now go jump in a pile of leaves!
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The Greenwitch
