Everyone likes their home to smell fresh and clean that's why air fresheners are so popular. Not only are air fresheners are a bit pricey many of them contain chemicals such as formaldehyde, petroleum distillates and limonene. These substances can aggravate allergies, cause asthma attacks, trigger headache and irritate the lungs. Some chemicals found in air fresheners have also been linked to causing cancer.
One of my favorite ways of keeping the air clean in my apartment is with plants. Houses plants can absorb carbon dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. NASA did a study on which plants work the best for cleaning indoor air of certain types of chemical. Check out this breakdown of NASA's study to help you find out which plants are best for you.
One day when I went over to my in-law's and saw tea bags hanging in the bathroom. My mother-in-law informed me that the tea bags mask any foul smells. I was a little skeptical that a few tea bags could keep the bathroom smelling nice during a big family get together. I did a little research and came across an article on Apartment Therapy about tea bags as air fresheners. I tried it at home and it works really well. If you're not a huge fan of potpourri this is a great alternative.
For more ideas take a peek at this article about air fresheners from Green Living Tips! Anyone else have any ideas on how to freshen the air without traditional air fresheners?