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DIY Air Freshener and Humidifier

Here’s a simple tip for anyone who lives in a colder climate where the humidity level drops way down as soon as the cooler weather arrives. You know the signs…your hair starts to fly around, your clothes stick to you with static cling, and you get zapped with a static shock when you touch a light switch. Ouch! When these things happen, it’s time to do something to get more moisture in the air!

Well, you don’t have to invest in an expensive humidifier. Of course you can if you want, buy why do it if you don’t need to? Here’s something anyone can do with what you already have on hand.

(1) Put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Then lower it to medium-low temperature and allow the steam to slowly release from the hot water. This will bring the humidity level up in your home. Just watch the pot so it doesn’t go dry.

(2) If that’s not a good option for you, try using your crock pot. Fill it with water, turn it onto high, and leave the lid OFF. Allow the water to heat up (using hot water to start with will speed up this process) and monitor the steam being released. If it’s a lot, try turning the pot down to medium or low. Experiment with this, since different brands of crock pots may maintain different temperature levels.

(3) Kick it up with aromatics! Add your favorite essential oils, herbs or spices to make the house smell wonderful. For example, I added some clove essential oil with ground cinnamon powder to a pan of hot water on the stove. In no time, our house smelled very “pumpkin pie-ish.” It was wonderful…and no baking needed! You could use any essential oils you want. If you don’t have those on hand, use your favorite herbs that you already have, such as mint leaves, fresh or dried basil, rosemary, cilantro…whatever you want!

(4) When you’re away from home, simply keep the water in the pot or crock pot with your aromatics, but leave it turned off for safety reasons. The water will still evaporate in your dry home and the great aromas will still be released, but at a slower pace. In fact, you could place bowls of water with your favorite herbs, spices or oils in them in different rooms around the house. The water will slowly evaporate, humidifying the air and releasing wonderful fragrances along the way.

Give this a try! No special equipment is needed and it’s well worth trying in the colder months. I hope this helps 🙂

Judi