Kitchen Crafts 'n' More

Thursday, February 23, 2012 Natural Ways to Freshen Air in the Home

Whether it's smelly cooking odors - think last night's fish dinner - or pet odors (Sorry Fifi and Fido), or smoke smells, sometimes every home needs a little help to smell fresher. Instead of reaching for a can of air freshener, though, why not try one of these natural remedies?

1. Vinegar - setting out a bowl full of white vinegar will naturally absorb unpleasant smells in your home. I've found this to be especially useful for the dreaded burnt popcorn in the microwave smell! (Which is a real toughie to clean.) Just leave a bowlful of vinegar in the microwave overnight, close the microwave of course, and in the morning you'll notice it's really improved.

2. Charcoal - Lumps of coal are useful for something after all! (Besides fuel...) A small opened container filled with some lumps of charcoal will help to naturally absorb stinky odors in your home.

3. Lampe Berger lamps are one of those things that every house can really use. I use this exclusively around my cat's litter box to keep the offensive odors in check. You can choose a Neutral fuel or else a scented one - some of my favorite fuel scents are grapefruit or creme brulee.
4. Spray the air with real lemons: This simple air freshener uses fresh lemon juice and baking soda ....or, use about 10 drops of a good quality lemon essential oil
in a spray bottle filled with distilled water. Shake before every use, and spray liberally whenever needed. It smells so lemony fresh and wonderful.

5. Finally, here's a whole page on my Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning site on homemade air fresheners. It includes ideas such as simmering real whole spices like cinnamon sticks and cloves, to oil of wintergreen and using natural vanilla to add a lovely scent to your home. Yum!

See, freshening up that home of yours isn't nearly the chore you thought it might be. Enjoy all of these ideas and if you have another to share, please post it in our comments below or email it to me.

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Thursday, December 23, 2010 Newsletter: Cat Litter, Oil and Vinegar Dispensers, and Cleaning Brass

Kitchen Crafts 'n' More
for December 23, 2010


Tip of the Day: Cleaning a Glasstop Stove
Here's an oldie but goodie tip, from a newsletter from back in 2006. A fabulously frugal way to clean your glasstop stove...Marilyn in Florida suggests:"I know that most people know about the virtues of baking soda, but I would like to put my two cents in! I have spent countless hours trying to scrub my ceramic cook top to get all the burnt on foods off. I've used the commercial cleaner that came with my stove, SOS pads and even the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. I finally poured baking soda on the food, dampened it with water to make a paste, and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. The burnt food came off in one wipe! I am now a true believer in the power of baking soda! I've saved money, time and my elbows."

Favorite Things: Lampe Berger Lamps
One little appliance can do so much! Lampe Berger lamps originated in France, originally intended to help hospitals keep the air clean, and to remove odors. Now available widely in North America, people use them for keeping the air in their homes cleaner - they are proven to remove 67% of airborne bacteria, and they add a lovely scent to your home. Learn more about this handy home helper, at 3 Ways I Use My Lampe Berger Burner . The scented fuels available range from grapefruit or green apple, to fresh linen or luxurious perfume blends.

Kitchen Gadgets That You'll Use - Let's be honest; some gadgets only look good in the store, but then live a pretty boring life in your kitchen cabinets! But some gadgets are really useful. The gadget of the day is: The Trudeau Perfect Mix oil and vinegar bottle - it perfectly pours out just the right proportions of oil and vinegar. This is one of the hottest, handiest gadgets of the season! It is just right for any salad lover...

A Few Cleaning Hints

Frugal, Filling Lentil Soup - Finally, here's a filling and delicious soup to make while the weather is so cold! It's inexpensive, healthy and makes a lot - so you can fill the freezer with leftovers to heat up for a simple supper another time.


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Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Reader's Question - How can I remove smoke odors from a box of cookbooks?

Here's another excellent reader's question:

Hi Christina,
I have a question for the newletter:
I purchased a box of cookbooks at a garage sale today. They smell badly of cigarette smoke. How can I get the smell out?
Thanks in advance, Linda

Hi Linda,

I know I'll get more replies to this from other KCnM readers, but I'll tell you what has worked best for me. One day my husband had gone to visit an old friend, and that friend happened to smoke like a chimney! I thought most definitely that I'd have to tote that suit to the drycleaners...but, I didn't have to.

The only thing that worked at getting that smoke odor out was my handy dandy Lampe Berger. I've mentioned these mini air purifiers here on the blog before, but I'll likely mention it again and again! :) They've become one little home appliance I can't live without.

Basically, the Lampe Berger was first created for hospitals in France in the 1800s. It's a small lamp filled with an alcohol-based formula. There's a wick that goes inside, plus a small ceramic burner that sits on the top, called the catalytic converter or catalytic burner. You fill the lamp about 2/3 full with your choice of Lampe Berger oil, and then light the wick and let it get activated. You'll see a large flame -- you blow it out after about two minutes or so, at which point it will be completely activated. Then you put 15-60 minutes on the timer, depending on how bad the odor is you want to get out!

I've never seen anything work better at removing tough odors. Like I mentioned before, my husband's suit came out smelling great. You couldn't smell even a hint of lingering smoke -- and you know firsthand how tough getting out smoke smells can be!

Besides the Lampe Berger...I would recommend trying a bowlful of either vinegar or baking soda left in a small space with the box of books. It will also help to absorb the odors.

Hope this helps Linda!
Take care,
Christina

More Handy Smoke Removal Tips from our Website:
Removing Smoke from Clothing

Using Vinegar to Remove Smoke Stains

Using Bowls of Vinegar to Remove Smoke Odors from Walls and Air

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Posted by HappySlob :: 8:19 AM :: 0 comments

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