One of the best room fresheners I have used is lemon essential oil. I bought a small bottle for under $5 at the health food store. It seems pricey but a very little bit goes a long way. Instead of using toxic air/room sprays or gels in the bathroom I simply dip a cotton swab into the essential oil and apply the oil inside the cardboard T.P. roll. Whenever you pull T.P. off the roll, you smell lemons. I also swab the oil inside the garbage can lids so you smell lemons when opened instead of garbage. Any scent would work but I like lemon essential oil for its uplifting "clean" smell. I also use it to scent my homemade cleaning products as well as a few drops mixed with water in my oil burner. You can also make a great linen spray id you dilute the oil in water in a clean spray bottle.
Instead of cotton balls, I use cheap kitty litter. The no frills kind. We keep a large container of it in the garage to absorb oil spills.
I dilute a few drops of essential oil in a little bit of water and sprinkle it over a handfull of litter. It soaks up the liquid like a sponge, and after it dries, holds it's scent for a looong time.
For those who haven't used it, essential oil is very different from fragrance oil. Essential oil is extremely concentrated, a pure essence, and a few drops go a very long way.
Lemon is also my favorite for anything used in the bathroom. I use bergamot in the bedroom as an air freshner. I also make sachets for drawers with a little scented litter sealed in envelopes. Oil of wintergreen is my old, all purpose standby for getting rid of odors.
I also use essential oil in little oil burners, although I dilute a drop in bland cooking oil. I funnel some cooking oil into a little bottle, add a drop of the good stuff and shake. Keeps a long time if it's tightly capped and kept out of direct light.
Never thought of the toilet paper roll idea. I just took a small envelope sachet off a shelf in my linen closet and stuffed it in the roll. Thanks for the great idea.
By VP (Guest Post)
08/13/2007
Essential oils are great for cleaning, too. Tea tree with a little vinegar makes a great disinfectant. But BEWARE - essential oils can be fatal to cats. Even over time, it can hurt them. So, be careful if you have kitties!
By
08/13/2007
I use the lemon and eucalyptus essential oil as my bathroom spray. I add about 6-10 drops to a fancy spray bottle that I'd put warm water in. I like it much better than smelling 'apple pie' in the bathroom!