Scent Your Home Naturally and Safely
With so many toxic, synthetic air-fresheners on the market exposing us to a huge array of undisclosed artificial ingredients it pays to not be swayed by the clever marketing campaigns and instead for your own and your families health, look into how to Scent Your Home Naturally and Safely using only cruelty free ingredients.
I invited florist Christie McIntosh of Floriography to give us some of her favourite natural air freshening tips. Christie is a florist with a difference, she is dedicated to supporting and using sustainable and local flower, fruits and herbs in her stunning creations. She is also committed to using safe and recycled and recyclable packaging and more – see here.
Nature’s Scentiments by Christie McIntosh.
Why subject yourself and your family to a harmful, chemical-laden artificial room spray when you could find some of the most delicious scents in your own backyard? Of course, there are many scented plants, but you won’t find hyacinth or lavender in my top 5 favourite natural air fresheners.
Eriostemon australasius
Native to eastern Australia, this unassuming shrub offers a lovely, refreshing citrus scent. Little waxy white/pink star shaped flowers only appear at the end of winter, but the leaves and stems are also infused with this delightful fragrance so it’s perfect to enjoy inside all year round. If you’d like to bring the scent of summer into your wintry room, ask your florist for a bunch, or better yet – grow it yourself! Eriostemon is a hardy drought tolerant plant that works well along a walkway releasing its scent as you brush past. How to display: Arranged in a simple white jug, place it in the bathroom and let the steam further enhance this wonderful scent!
Eucalyptus
As well as imparting a cool, uplifting aroma, this Aussie icon has also been recognised as a treatment for asthma, bronchitis and nasal congestion. When used in a humidifier, the cleansing scent actually relaxing the lung’s passageways, so it’s a winner for the winter months. Walking into a room filled with the fragrance of eucalyptus is like walking through the bush after rain. So invigorating! The most fragrant varieties are Lemon Scented Gum (Eucalyptus citriodora) and Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus). How to display – Stand some branches in a tall earthenware vase, allowing the long leaves to drape casually along your mantelpiece or hall table. For an extra hit of fragrance crush a leaf in your hand on your way past.
Native Mint-bush (Prostanthera)
I couldn’t believe my nose when I first came across this beauty! Another shrub native to south-eastern Australia, it offers a mouth-watering sweet, minty aroma which must be experienced to be understood. With tiny white/purple open bell-shaped flowers during the warmer months it can grow up to 2 metres tall and a metre wide and is best planted near your door or alfresco entertaining area so its fragrance may be enjoyed by everyone. How to display: Combine with unscented flowers in a hand-tied bouquet and place in a vintage glass vase on your bedside table for sweet scented dreams.
Pinecones
I love the scent of pine trees during summer – alas we haven’t had a real Christmas tree in years! If there are no branches available, I have a stash of pinecones at the ready – just add a drop of pure pine essential oil to each one and place them all in an airtight bag for a few days – then open and enjoy! How to display: in a rustic basket in the empty fireplace or perhaps a decorative bowl on the coffee table. Of course, this fresh aroma goes just as well with a glass of red wine on a chilly winter’s night.
Beeswax candles
If you’d like to fill your home with the delicate scent of honey and purify your air at the same time, then try beeswax candles. According to scientific research, beeswax is the only fuel which produces a balanced negative ion meaning that as it burns, its negative ions bind with the positive ions in dusts, pollens and even toxic residue, then their combined weight drags them down to the ground and out of the air you breathe. I recommend: Ditch those cheap and nasty candles and go for Australian beeswax, not only are they healthier for you but 100% beeswax candles are also carbon neutral.
Christie McIntosh
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Some other natural health and safety articles you may find interesting are:
Toxic Chemicals In Baby Personal Care Products & Choosing Safer Baby Skincare
What To Avoid During Pregnancy & What Is Safe
Mattress Wrapping To Prevent Cot Death
Baby Proofing and Child Proofing Your Home and Garden
Toxic Chemicals In Baby Mattresses
Toxic Chemicals and Fire Retardants in Mattresses Making Us Sick
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