If you have pets in your house or an older carpet (such as in a dorm or apartment), your flooring may need freshening and deodorizing. Although there are many natural carpet fresheners available in health food stores, it is much simpler and cheaper to make your own. You probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen.

To make your own carpet deodorizer, combine one cup of baking soda with 1/2-cup cornstarch. Next, add your favorite herbal scent or essential oils, and sprinkle on your rug. I prefer to sprinkle lavender flowers from the garden into my homemade carpet freshener, but using eucalyptus or citronella oils will get fleas hopping just before vacuuming. This natural, homemade deodorizer works best when left on your carpet for several hours (optimally overnight). If you do have fleas, be sure to empty the vacuum canister or bag immediately, in order that the fleas do not crawl out of the vacuum and return to your home.

Commercially-made carpet fresheners come with many warnings, and suggest that you use them everytime you vacuum. These products can be irritating (so can essential oils), as well as create unhealthy indoor air. In addition, such products come with warnings to keep the product out of the reach of children and pets. Baking soda and cornstarch are safe to use on all carpets, like the hand woven, naturally dyed tribal rugs in my home, and I find I only need to use it once or twice a year. I wouldn’t think of using a commercial, artificial product on my antiques rugs or around my pets and children.

Making your own cleaning products saves money and creates a greener, natural home. Simple recipes, such as this carpet freshener, make greening the good life simple. This tip also works well to freshen the bottom of trashcans!

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