Keep your carpets smelling clean with a DIY carpet freshener
Dirty carpets can be one of the worst culprits when it comes to foul smells and disagreeable odors in your home. Keep your carpets clean and smelling great with a DIY carpet freshener that will cost pennies and can help save you hundreds of dollars in professional carpet cleaning costs.
Difficulty: Easy. 1/5 on the difficulty scale.
Time: 15–20 minutes (including prep and time for the cleaner to sit and mix)
Tools needed:
Baking soda
Shaker bottle—for example, a parmesan cheese shaker
Mason jar
Sandpaper
Colorless essential oils
Bowl
Wooden spoon
Step 1
Before you begin making your DIY carpet freshener, make sure any essential oils that you want to add are safe for toddlers who crawl on carpets and hypoallergenic for people in your home with allergies. Also, check to be sure the oils are not dangerous for any pets you have.
Step 2
Decide what kind of scent you would like. You can opt to use one or mix and match essential oil scents for a special touch just for your home. Some examples of combined essential oils that work well together are:
10–15 drops of lemon and 10–15 drops of eucalyptus.
10–drops of cedarwood, five drops of ylang-ylang, and 10–15 orange or citrus.
10 drops of rosemary and 10–15 drops of orange or citrus.
five drops of lavender, 10–15 drops of lemon, and five drops of peppermint.
Do not use any tinted essential oils in your DIY carpet freshener. The color could damage your carpeting.
Note: The number of drops will vary depending on what type of essential oils you use. Start with less and gradually add more to determine the strength of the scent that works for you. Experiment with different combinations if you have a variety of essential oils on hand.
You can use crushed, dried herbs such as basil or cinnamon to scent the baking soda as an alternative to essential oils.
Step 3
Mix 1 ½ cups of baking soda, using the wooden spoon, with your chosen essential oils or herbs. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Add the mixture to your shaker. Make sure whatever shaker you choose has wide enough holes to allow the mixture to flow easily out to the carpet. A glass parmesan cheese shaker is a perfect choice. Salt and pepper shakers will be too small. If you have a mason jar, use a hammer and a screwdriver to make holes in the top, taking care to smooth out the edges with some 250 to 400 grit sandpaper.
Store your carpet freshener in a cool, dry place to keep it ready to use and maintain the scent's potency.
When the mixture is ready, sprinkle generously on your carpeting and vacuum. The baking soda will clean your carpeting without any chemicals or other harmful substances, and the scent will make your home smell fresh and new.
Follow these tips to minimize carpet stains and odors.
Avoid bringing food and drink into carpeted areas. If you have carpet in your dining area, consider adding a plastic mat under the table, especially where young children sit.
Have old towels handy near the front door for when wet feet or shoes and dirty paws need cleaning.
Institute a "no shoes in the house" rule.
Clean carpets right away when spills and stains happen.
