By SPTRAVIS from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Mix with enough hot water to fill spray bottle. Shake bottle well and wait till crystals dissolve. This makes your home smell wonderful.
By Scarlett from Murray, KY
By PICO
I have a sample of Febreze; how can I make it myself?
By Mary G.
I use diluted fabric softener in a spray bottle. It works great and makes lots. I use a Downy scent I bought on sale.
Does anyone have a recipe for homemade Febreze?
By Judy from Ontario, Canada
Homemade Febreze
1 cup of water
1 Tbs of fabric softener (Downy Lavender)
1 Tbs of rubbing alcohol
Mixed in a spray bottle.
How do you make homemade Febreze?
By Angella
Don't. Febreze just masks the smell despite what their amazing animations depict. You know what I mean when you have that one item, that despite being sprayed a million times, still smells. Invest in a steam cleaner. A portable one. Maybe 30 or 40 bucks. It won't leave your home smelling like flowers (candles or plug ins are a good solution) but it'll destroy the odours and most importantly, it'll actually clean plus sanitize as a bonus.
They're great for cleaning furniture as they penetrate deep down. You'll save a bundle on dry cleaning on it's own. I mean, you will have to actually dry clean items once in a while but I can wear a suit 7 or 8 times before I take it in because I steam the pants/jacket once I get home so it's fresh before I even stick it back in the closet.
Remember to keep the actually steam cleaner itself clean too. The water from your tap will leave calcium build-up and eventually start to smell. CLR once in a while will deal with that problem nicely.
Make your own fabric freshener by pouring 4 fluid ounces of concentrated fabric softener into a spray bottle and dilute it with warm water. Wait for the solution to cool and then spray curtain, cloths, sofas and many other things to make them smell nice and fresh.
By Miranda C.
By Jayne
By Renee
By Soulegal
I love using Febreze Fabric Freshener but have found it to be quite expensive when used constantly. So, I decided to make my own Fabric Freshener and it is less costly.
You will need:
Take Fabric softener and fill it 3/4 full. Then add the rest with water and shake a bit. You now have Fabric Freshener that is as good if not better then the original Febreze. The scent also lasts much longer and is a great efficient way of always having this on hand.
Spray away and be happy.
Carolyn from E Northport, NY
It amazes me that people buy this type of product. Febreze is chock full of chemicals. In fact, so full of chems that it is known to cause household birds to DIE. Given that fact, do you think it is that good for humans? Same thing with Teflon/non stick surfaces, folks! (gases are released and has caused birds to die)
Being married to a chemically sensitive husband, we have had to forego with the vast majority of chemicals in our lives. Things with scents, including those plug in devices, fabric softener, etc, all have pthalates which interfere with the body's hormones.
I would think twice before spraying this product around just to make things smell nice or as a cover up. Those who have suggested baking soda are on the right track. If you need scent, add some essential oils. Think about guests entering your homes. We avoid places that are sprayed with anything.
By Lois Ann from New York
Lois Ann: Not that I'm a big user of febreze (I found this entry while looking for a way to control static on my sofa) but I can't stand to see people repeat Urban Legends as fact. Febreze is NOT harmful to pets. Spend two minutes researching things before you repeat these stories.
As found all over the internet: http://www.snopes.com/toxins/febreze.htm
The ASPCA's National Animal Poison Control Center agrees. A staff veterinarian I spoke with said the Center has not been able to confirm any cases of Febreze causing the death or serious injury of pets. The Center has issued the following statement:
Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA National Animal Poison Center are conducting an on-going investigation into claims that use of Febreze in the home caused the death of several pets. All information reviewed to date suggests that there is no evidence that Febreze represents any risk to pets when used according to label instructions. Presently, the center considers the product safe to use in households with pets. As with any cleaning product, the center recommends that birds be removed from the room until the product application has dried and the area has been ventilated. Please call 1-800-345-4735 if you have any questions or have a pet that you suspect is experiencing problems or visit us at www.napcc.aspca.org
ASPCA/NAPCC Letter Regarding Febreze
The Center also told me that while zinc chloride (one of the ingredients in Febreze) can be toxic in large amounts, it comprises less than 1% of the formulation of the product and is not considered to be a hazard, contrary to allegations in the email warnings. Procter & Gamble says it began producing an improved Febreze formula in December 1998 which does not contain the chemical.
By Vincent
Of the many different recipes for homemade fabric/air freshener I have tried in the past, this is what I have come up with as my own recipe. I don't use very much fabric softener because most commercial grade fabric softeners (Bounce, Snuggle, Downy, etc..) contain chemicals that have been found to cause cancer, nervous system disorders, and brain damage, as well as reduce the effectiveness of flame resistant materials. So, be safe and avoid exposure to harmful chemicals when possible.
Fill the remainder of the 16oz container with distilled water (cheap and available at grocery store. You could also boil some tap water and let it cool a bit before handling, but please don't use impure water straight from the tap)
Shake and spray to eliminate undesirable odors or release wrinkles
NOTE: If you are concerned about chemicals from using fabric softener, you could leave fabric softener out of the recipe and use a little more white vinegar and scented oil/extract. There shouldn't be much of a vinegar smell at all and if there is it will be gone when dried. White vinegar works very well against odors by absorbing them and nuetralizing them instead of just covering them up. It's also a safe and effective alternative to using fabric softener in your washing machine, helping to release wrinkles, clean and brighten clothes, as well as making your clothes last longer instead of chemically destroying them. Additionally, vinegar kills 82% of mold spores on contact.
By Die Hard
You cannot make febreze without cyclodextrin nor does it clean or remove anything. It masks odor only through a two part process by reducing the volatility of odor molecules so they cannot be smelled. Spraying fabric softener, etc, will not accomplish the same thing but will cause a build up of gunk in your house, and make fabric harder to clean properly. Ditto for oils, etc. Febreze is not a cleaner, even the makers don't make this claim.
What is the recipe for do-it-yourself fabric freshener? the store bought ones are so expensive and super smelly. I saw one with vinegar, water and something else. I forget the amounts of each.
Thanks,
Stephanie from Connecticut
Here's what I do to make a fabric freshener:
I put this into a 16 oz spray bottle and shake it up. I then fill the bottle with distilled water. I regularly spray it on bedding and curtains and also use it when I iron clothing.
By Chris
This smells great on furniture, curtains, carpet, etc and I haven't had any problems with residue or stains.
By hotmomma
If you are fortunate enough to have access to freshly grown lavender, lime or any of the numerous scented geranium varieties; mint or rosemary, put some sprigs in a spray bottle, add vodka, distilled vinegar, peroxide or water;(choose what works best for you) let it marinate abit and spray away! This natural alternative will make everybody happy.
By Lois
A nice and inexpensive olfactory treat is to 'scent freshen' clothing. All you have to do is make a spray bottle mixture of two cups water with 6 or more drops of your favorite essential oil. Just spray the clothing item and away you go. To infuse the scent use it when you iron. It's also lovely to spray on bath towels, sheets and pillow cases :-)
By Deeli from Richland, WA
In the summertime Grapefruit oil added to the alcohol makes a refreshing spray on your body or clothes. Cedar oil can help a musty closet smell better and if you spray the cedar oil/alcohol on to your woolens it will help prevent moths from eating your them. You can spray the alcohol/cedar-oil spray directly on to old cedar wood to bring the cedar scent back. Just spray it on, then wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel to avoid spots where you misted. Lavender oil mixed with the alcohol is wonderful sprayed in your lingerie drawers and on to stored linens. Many men even like lavender. (it's supposed to be a "masculine scent" - or at least it was back in the 1800's) At Christmas time use Spruce or Mulberry. (Always use Spruce and never Pine or you will end up with your things smelling like "pine-sol"). The scent that's the most popular is Vanilla. They say it's because it reminds us of when our moms baked yummy things for us when we were young.
By Cyinda
By Deeli
By Cyinda