DIY Carpet Refresher

DIY Carpet Refresher

It’s spring time!  Spring is one of my favorite seasons.  The weather is warming up, things are turning green again, we get to open windows to let fresh air into the house, and we get to be outside more.


But being outside more means tracking more stuff inside, which leads to vacuuming.


Now, I’m not opposed to vacuuming but I am opposed to the dusty smell caused by the vacuum.  To counter this I used to buy carpet refresher from the store.  You know the ones, you sprinkle it on the carpet then vacuum it up and it makes the room smell better.


That is, until I learned about Fragrance and it’s dangers.  (Read about Fragrance here and why we avoid it)


Suddenly, my house needed vacuumed and my smelly good stuff was gone.  It was a sad day.  I thought I was stuck with the dusty vacuum smell forever.


But then I did some research and found recipes for homemade carpet refreshers that used household products I already had and I could customize the smell.  (I like to use warmer cinnamon-y smells during the fall/winter and lighter cleaner smells during spring/summer)


And I can make a large batch for just pennies!  My budget loves this part.


Now I can mix up a batch and have my house smelling good without the dangers of Fragrance and for less than I could buy at the store.  I call that a win-win!


I don't remember which recipe I followed the first time, but after experimenting, this is what I do...

All it takes is:

  • a glass jar, you can use a mason jar, a salt shaker, or an old spice jar.  Just make sure it is glass or stainless steel because the essential oils will break down plastic.

  • a lid with holes - this can be a mason jar with holes poked in it, or a salt shaker lid, etc

  • Baking soda

  • Essential oils of your choice.  Some of my favorites for spring/summer are

    • Purification

    • Lemongrass

    • Lavender

  • A bowl for mixing

  • 1 cup measuring cup

  • Funnel to transfer from bowl to jar

  • Spoon or fork to mix in bowl


Instructions:


  • Add 1 cup baking soda to mixing bowl.

  • Add 10-20 drops essential oil - adjust for your preference

  • Use spoon or fork to mix gently in bowl, trying to break up clumps.

  • Let sit for 20 minutes to allow baking soda to absorb essential oil

  • Transfer to container using funnel.


To use:

  • Sprinkle on carpet

  • Let sit for 20 minutes to allow baking soda to absorb the odors in carpet

  • Vacuum and enjoy!



Let me know in the comments if you've tried this!