Adding Scent to Old Potpourri

Walmart has lots of oils to refresh potpouri. Look in the floral department.

All fall scents are different, it all depends on the maker of the potpourri. Some are apple-cinnamon, some are clove & orange, pumpkin-spice or any mixture. Find a scent you like (at a health food store) buy real essential oil, it will last longer. Then put about a teaspoon of oil into a tiny spray bottle then add 2 or 3 ounces of rubbing alcohol & shake. Now just spray this on to your potpourri. Better yet, put your potpourri into a sealed baggie or jar then spray the scent in & shake or mix up. Then leave it sit for a day or two & the scent will be absorbed & the alcohol will evaporate.

* Another trick to get back a potpourri's scent is to just spray on a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol or 100 proof vodka & stir. The Alcohol can sometimes bring back the original scent.

* To make your scent last even longer add a "fixative" like Tincture of Benzoin. You only add 2 or 3 drops to the above mixture of alcohol & essential oil. Tincture of Benzoin is for affixing bandages to wounds. Ask your pharmacist. You may have to go to 3 or 4 before you find a drug store that still sells this old fashioned fixative. Sometimes you can have them order it or buy it on line. It also helps keep homemade herbal salves & lip balms fresh longer. It's very sticky stuff!