Frugal air fresheners and humidifiers; Low cost and without the toxic chemicals

Sick and tired of throwing away money on crappy candles or air fresheners that seem to only last a couple of days? Scared that the kids may burn themselves or stick one of those potentially toxic air fresheners in their mouths? What about those oil sticks that can be knocked over too easily? Besides cleaning your home on a regular basis by doing things such as vacuuming, cleaning everything with soap and water, and not allowing shoes in the house or apartment, what can be done to keep things smelling good? Maybe you live in a dorm room, and you do everything you’re supposed to, but your roommate is a slob and always smells up your room. Below are some frugal air fresheners that are non-toxic, will last a long time, and are relatively low cost (not cheap) alternatives to the store bought air fresheners crap.

Believe it or not, one of your best odor fighting defenses (and humidifier options) that helps keep your air clean is to keep plants in your home. A doctor by the name of B.C. Wolverton used this technique when working with NASA to improve air and water quality by using plants with great success. So, which plants are the best and how many do you need per room? This article explains it all:

It is suggested that one plant should be allowed for approximately 10 square yards of floor space, assuming average ceiling heights of 8 to 9 feet. This means that you need two or three plants to contribute to good air quality in the average domestic living room of about 20 to 25 square yards.

Research has shown that these 10 plants are the most effective
all-around in counteracting off-gassed chemicals and contributing to balanced internal humidity.

• Areca palm
• Reed palm
• Dwarf date palm
• Boston fern
• Janet Craig dracaena
• English ivy
• Australian sword fern
• Peace Lily
• Rubber plant
• Weeping fig

Some other tips for low cost and non-toxic air fresheners:

• Use vinegar and water mix as a spray to disinfect and deodorize (half and half)
• Put out small bowls or cups of vinegar throughout your place from time to time
• Use orange peels in your garbage disposal
• Natural adsorbents, such as zeolite also help to remove unwanted odors.
• Use a small bit of baking soda on your carpet or rugs before vacuuming
• Leave an opened bar of soap in a bowl on your nightstand
• Keep your linens clean; sheets, blankets, and pillow cases

Inspiration for this article and some tips found in this thread on Reddit.