How to make natural air freshener for the home

If you want to scent your home, there's no need to buy commercial products. At very little cost, you can make mixtures that contain no chemicals and neutralize odours rather than masking them. These dry potpourris are highly fragrant and easy to prepare.

• Hang bags of potpourri to handle doors or sunny windows. Place the bags under or between the cushions of the sofa or inside the covers.
• Place a potpourri in a closed container in the living room or bedrooms. Whenever you're in the room, lift the lid and stir the plants.
• Place a porous pottery flask near a sunny window filled with your favourite essential oil.
• Coat a light bulb with a little essential oil before turning on.
• Ruba cotton ball soaked in a few drops of essential oil over radiators in winter.

As the name suggests, this potpourri boils at a low heat to exhale a sweet scent that fills the entire house. Vary the spices to taste. Don't forget to add water until the perfume evaporates or leave spices to dry on flat surface between uses.

• 40 g (1/4 cup) fresh or dried lemon peel
• 80 g (1/2 cup) fresh or dried orange peel
• 120 g (1 cup) lightly crushed cloves
• 100 g (1 cup) of allspice
• 75 g (1 cup) crushed coriander seeds
• 1 handful fresh or dried bay leaves, coarsely crushed (optional)
• 5 cinnamon sticks broken into pieces
• 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water

1. Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container until needed.
2. Leave them to boil gently in a saucepan with 250 millilitres (one cup) of water, adding water if necessary. You can also put 30 milliliters (two tablespoons) of this mixture in a heat resistant container, then add hot water. Leave the room to deodorize until odors have disappeared.

• Leave a tub in your sneakers overnight containing a little baking soda with a few drops of antibacterial essential oil (lavender, rosemary, tea tree and peppermint).
• You can reuse the product by adding oil.

Your home can now give off a lovely scent without resorting to expensive chemicals. These natural fragrances will certainly be appreciated by your guests.