Wednesday, January 02, 2008

The power of scents...


I LOVE good smells. Whether it is something yummy baking in the oven, the scent of a baby first thing in the morning or fresh air on a sunny day, it doesn't matter. I LOVE fresh, clean smells!!

For the past 6 months, however, some things that I've been using to make our home smell nice have not been friendly toward me. Fabric softener has left my skin dry and itchy and those oil plug-ins for the wall have given me headaches.

After reading Mrs. Catherine's blog one day, she pointed readers to this article- Hidden Hazzards of Home Air Freshers. No wonder I've gotten headaches from those plug-ins!! They are full of weird ingredients!!!! OH MY!!!!!

I did more investigating about found this out about fabric softeners. Good gracious!! No wonder my skin is having problems!!!

Why is it that we love good smelling things in our homes so much? Could it be that it's easier to open air freshner than to clean? Hmmm. After reading Elizabeth's post at A Merry Rose, she really got me thinking about the power of scents. I must admit, I've been very guilty of simply putting a plug-in in the wall rather than deep cleaning my home at times. Sigh.

So I've thrown away all our plug-ins and I'm using vinegar 100% of the time for fabric softener. Now... I just need to remind myself daily that I clean my home, not just to look nice, but to smell fresh and clean and to provide a healthy environment for my family in our home.

4 comments:

April said...

I love fresh scents also. Have you ever tried Method products sold at Target? I LOVE them and they are non-toxic and biodegradable. http://www.methodhome.com/dispatch/_depot/postcard_image/811407043b896fc5f404c3dcf0c7c271.jpg I have been using Method for years and I get really bad migrains from most chemical scents and have never been effected by this product. Best thing is it is not too expensive and readily available at Target.

I love your website and am very thankful that I found it. I have been really struggling with homemaking as of late...getting sloppy and a little out of control with money. Your last post really brought out something that I had been really wondering about...grocery budgeting. I was wondering what others spend and I am horrified at how much I spend compared to most everyone. It is just me, my husband and our dog and I am too embarrassed to say how much I have been spending. The Lord has been showing me areas that I am way out of control on and that is the biggest one. I have forgotten to be a wise steward of what the Lord has blessed us with and in 2008 I want to becoming more like the Proverbs 31 wife so I can be that mother (LID 9/25/07) also.

Thanks again and I will be adding you to my blog under favorites.

Love, April

Jen said...

I think our noses are closely linked to our emotions, so when we smell certain things, they conjur up feelings of sorts.
If you have leftover dryer sheets, instead of tossing them out, you can use them to freshen up smelly shoes, put them under your furniture, under your car seats etc. to use them up.
You might try purchasing some essential oils and dropping a few drops onto a dust rag as you clean. They are very pure and great smelling. Works great for days when you have company or just want to get rid of the winter blah smells.

Cherish the Home said...

I just recently read that dryer sheets are more dangerous than downy. I guess it's because the downy is rinsed off but the chemicals from the dryer sheets stay on your clothes.

I like vinegar as a fabric softner but the only thing I battle with is my bath towels. Sometimes they don't smell very nice even after being washed.

Mrs. Meyers cleaners are supposed to be healthy. I've used the dish soap and really liked it and I've been wondering about her other products. They are quite expensive though.

Mimi said...

I've tried borax as a laundry freshener, now I'm going to take a page from your book and try vinegar as a softener, too.

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