I hate to clean but I love to keep my home looking good and smelling nice. With five cats and a dog keeping my home clean and not smelling like a zoo means that I need to clean frequently.
When it comes to cleaning our carpet I mostly vacuum. Every other month we take our carpet cleaner and give the carpets a good, deep cleaning. To keep our carpet smelling nice I use homemade scented carpet deodorizer. It’s so easy to make and will cost you under $1.00. Similar products will cost upwards of $4-$5. Plus you are able to use your favorite scents, unlike with pre-made carpet deodorizers were your scent choices are limited.
Here is what you’ll need:
- A small box of Arm & Hammer (or generic brand) Baking Soda
- A shaker container
- Your favorite scent – either essential oils, herbs or spices.
Directions:
- Make sure your shaker container is thoroughly cleaned and dried.
- Over the sink (or a bowl) to catch any spills, pour about a little bit of baking soda into the shaker container. If you do it over the sink you can use any spillage to clean and freshen your sick.
- Next add 1-2 drops of essential oil or a pinch of your favorite herb or spice.
- Add a little more baking soda then stop and add the essential oil, herbs or spices again.
- Keep alternating between pouring in a bit of the baking soda and the scented item until you are about 1″ from the top of the container.
- Close the lid carefully and shake several times. Then leave the mix to sit for about 24 hours or longer so that the scent can be absorbed into the baking soda.
- When you are ready to use it sprinkle a little bit on your carpet. Wait 10-15 minutes then vacuum it up. Your home will be left smelling clean and fresh.
When using an essential oil make sure to test a small spot on your carpet to make sure it doesn’t stain. I have not had any stains, but our carpet is brown. White or light colored carpets should really be tested first.
I stock up on oils from a company called Scentastics (Scentastics.com) but you can find essentials oils at many locations. Make sure to get quality oil and not the cheap kind. I like their scents such as Earthen, Walk in the Woods, Vermont Pine, True Rose and Lilac. I tend to change the scent depending on the holiday or season.
Cinnamon is a nice spice to add during the holidays.
I re-use an Arm & Hammer baking soda shaker container, but you can use anything. We have a cat nip container with a shaker lid that I plan on using once it’s empty. The shaker container for grated Parmesan cheese would work too. Just make sure to clean it out thoroughly before using.
I also use a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle with water to make my own air freshener. The scent doesn’t last long but it’s great for covering up odors until they disappear.
Do you have a homemade cleaning recipe that you like to use? Feel free to comment and tell me all about it. I love to try out new ideas, especially ones that help save money and make my house look and smell good.
Kimberly
Karen says
I use cheap vodka to make scented air freshener with essential oils. The alcohol helps the liquid mix with the oils, and evaporates faster than water.
Rachel says
Wow, I had no idea you could make this. What a great idea!
S Emerson says
Great idea!
Next time the Parmesan cheese container is empty I’m going to save it and try this idea.
Nancy says
What a great money-saving idea. A professional cleaning lady once told me that she cleaned hard tile floors with water and a splash of vinegar!