“Air Freshener” – It has a nice sound to it, right? Makes you think of spring time and flowers. The air after a Spring rain. Sadly, the air fresheners you buy at the store do nothing to truly freshen the air. In fact, they contribute to indoor air pollution. According to the EPA, indoor pollutants have been found to be 2 to 5 times higher than outside air.

What you need to know about Air Fresheners

• Air fresheners do NOT remove odors, they simply mask them.
• Air fresheners, plugins, and candles release pollutants into the air continuously.
• Makers of air fresheners can use the word ‘fragrance’ to hide the list of chemicals in their products.
• The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has not assessed the safety of most of the ingredients found in fragrances.
• Fragrances have been found, on average, 18 chemicals. One in five of these chemicals are hazardous. (EWG – Your Best Air Freshener isn’t Air Freshener)
• Even so called ‘green’ products have no standard for air fresheners.(EWG – Your Best Air Freshener isn’t Air Freshener)
• For even more information on what the Environmental Working Group has found about fragrances, you can download their report.

Who is Harmed by Air Fresheners

The chemicals in air fresheners can affect anyone at anytime causing incapacitating and even disabling illness. Following is a partial list of people likely to be impacted:

• Developing Children – Before and After Birth
• People with Allergies and Sinus Headaches
• People with Asthma
• People with Autoimmune Disorders (MS, Lupus, and others)
• People with COPD or other breathing disorders
• People with Emphysema
• People with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ADHD
• People with frequent colds or respiratory infections
• People with Migraines
• People with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
• Formerly Healthy People who’ve been exposed to too many chemicals

Air Fresheners That Truly Freshen the Air

You don’t really need a fragrance wafting through the air to have fresh air. In fact, that concept was created by the fragrance industry! Here are some natural things you can do to freshen the air in your home or office:

• Open the windows and let some fresh air in!
• Add plants that absorb air pollutants: Philodendron, English ivy, spider plant, peace lily, snake plant, gerbera daisies, pot mums and bamboo palm.
• Place a small bowl of baking soda in a discrete location. Change it weekly.
• Clean with vinegar to get rid of germs that can cause odors.
• Create your own potpourri from bulk herbs, flowers, and spices and leave a little in a bowl.
• Make a pomander. Stud an orange with whole cloves and cure it in the oven on low heat for about an hour. Hang it with a ribbon or set in a pretty bowl to sweetly scent the area.
• Use essential oil + water in a spray bottle. OR put a few drops on a cotton ball in a dish. BUT use sparingly as essential oils can also cause problems.
• Check out these natural air fresheners: BlueMagic Air Fresheners.