this is what the back of my car will look like for the next 7 months
Have you ever smelled the inside of a kid’s hockey bag? Or their skates, after they’ve gone from cleaning horse stalls straight to hockey practice and traded boots that smell like barn for skates that smell like.. well, dead skunk. That, my friends, is a level of funk that will bring a grown man to his knees. And speaking of grown men, even I am not brave enough to open his hockey bag.
My problem this weekend was two-fold; I have a car that smells like hockey bags and barn boots and a house that still smells a little like caramelized onions. And while the onions smelled great while they were cooking (and tasted even more amazing on pizza), by day 5 I was done with the smell. I went looking for something to help with it all. I don’t have any Febreeze in the house – I’m not a big fan of the chemical smell and it probably isn’t great for us anyway, plus I knew I could probably make something better for us to breathe in and possibly antibacterial as well.
I looked up a few sprays that other people have tried and this is what I came up with for my own use.
Homemade Natural Febreeze
- 2 tbsp vodka (whatever you have – the cheaper the better)
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- 20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 8 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1 cup filtered water
Add everything together in a spray bottle and shake well to mix. Spray on stinky stuff and allow it to dry.
The vodka serves a few purposes – it’s antibacterial, will act as a preserving agent and is an odour destroyer in itself. The essential oils you can play around with and use any scents that you like in a mixture of about 20-30 drops. Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties and would be perfect for this. I just used what I have on hand. The baking soda also helps with the odours.
It worked really well for the house – I loved the eucalyptus smell, and it dissipated within a couple of hours and took any lingering funky onion smell along with it. The car and the hockey bags are tomorrow’s job. The dad doesn’t know it yet, but he is detailing my car tomorrow.
Linked to A Pinch of Joy. Frugally Sustainable, GNOWFGLINS, Mind Body and Sole
lightlycrunchy 
I like that you assume everyone has vodka in the house. Hee.
You mean some don’t?
A friend of mine just asked on facebook if it left any kind of residue?
Not that I saw – it doesn’t use much baking soda and it had dissolved. I sprayed a couple of dark carpets and didn’t get any residue.
Awesome. I let her know.
Also, I generally have wine and sometimes scotch, but rarely vodka. 😛
You could probably skip it in a pinch, just make sure to shake up the oil and water before spraying. And I wouldn’t spray something like silk, that he oils might stain. I’ve used something similar as a room spray though and never found that the oils stained anything.
*raises hand* I live in a pretty dry house. My husband is a teetotaler, and I pretty much am de facto. But when I did drink, mmmm…vodka.
Truthfully, we are well stocked, but mostly it’s been there for company. We don’t drink much liquor. So it comes in handy for thing like this.
Just me. but I might buy some just for this purpose!
Careful – you’ll get the neighbours talking. The Mormon girls that I grew up with in my small town could never get away with anything. Too many neighbours hanging out at the booze store, I guess. 🙂
I’m all ready an outcast in my own hood, my neighborhood is like 98% Mormon, I’m pretty sure I’m the only Vegan, and the only one voting for Obama. (hence the local nickname: vegan-obama-lover. It’s not endearing). Let em’ talk! 😉 Next thing you know they’ll be picketing! Haha!
Funny about the girls you grew up with!
I like the idea. Now where did I hide the vodka?
I love your combination story-telling and practical advice – you have a good “voice”
Thank you!
Thank you for this, it will make life smell better! 🙂
I can only hope – at the moment our life (at least my car) is a little pungent.
🙂 Sorry to hear that! 🙂 I have to admit, from mid afternoon on today, I kept looking around to see where that stink was coming from, then I realized it was me! Sorry, didn’t mean to be so personal. It got up to 90F here this afternoon with about 85% humidity. 🙂
We’ve all experienced those days. Not much you can do but wait until you can jump in the lake..
Unfortunately the car didn’t get cleaned today, like I had on the agenda, my husbands agenda was slightly different and included clearing brush and playing with chainsaws and the wood-chipper. He’s about ready to be sprayed with something himself, right about now.
🙂 now I know I’m not the only one!
I also hate Febreeze and love eucalyptus and peppermint. Will definitely try this, especially on middle son’s room.
I’ve used a vodka recipe very similar to yours. It works great.
Useful and funny!
I am going to try this. My son (in college) will sometimes bring by laundry as he hasn’t had a convenient place to get his done….and he laundry reeks! I have tried everything I can think of and nothing works. Well, I am going to give this a shot. If this works on his clothes, it’s a freaking miracle and I’ll let you know all about it!
Have you tried throwing a cup of vinegar in the wash with his laundry? It might help. That, and using hot water for those loads.
Yes. I tried the vinegar when two rounds of bleach barely made a dent. But I think the vodka tonic you posted may just be the ticket! Ha! I’ll let you know how it works.
Oh…wish I had this recipe a couple of years ago for my son’s wrestling bag. But, I will search for eucalyptus essential oil and give this a try!
🙂 I bet wrestling bags could get a little gamey too. You can use any combination of oils – or just a single oil. Whatever smells good to you.
Love this idea, we just happen to have vodka in the house too. I’ve pinned it and will be trying it for sure! thanks 🙂
I will definitely try this on husband’s smelly work boots! I recently cleaned a very old bureau with a solution of vinegar and tea tree oil as it was smelling musty… worked a treat and the mustiness has never returned.I may have to throw the boots out 😉
I have done the same. Work boots should come with an expiry date.
Hubba used to play Hockey… you are so right about the stink. That’s a smell no one should have to experience.
🙂 there was a Midget or Bantam team playing right after my daughter the other day – they started to pile out of their change room just as we walked past and the stink coming from the room nearly made me gag.. It’s amazing what they’ll put up with.
I so needed this recipe. I diffuse essential oils, but my diffuser doesn’t plug into my car, or spray into shoes! Besides, I really don’t like the artificial scents in Febreeze.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Husband’s hockey bag makes me feel ill….from at least 10 feet away. You can bet that I will be trying this freshener out. This may just save me!
🙂 good luck! I’d make him open his own bag and spray it himself.
this is going to come in handy, thanks 🙂
I just started following your blog moments ago through Pillows A-La-Mode’s sweet Good Neighbor Award post…and I giggled out loud when I saw the title of your post in my reader. I’m so glad to have found your blog!
I’m glad it gave you a smile. Thanks!
We love it Heidi. Now why didn’t we think of that! 🙂
Perhaps drinking the vodka would also help??? hahahha!
Now why didn’t I think of that?
I’m going to try this out on my husband’s work out clothing. Nothing can get the stink out besides soaking for days…and I don’t have time for that. Hope it works!
I’ve never tried it on workout clothing – I hope the oils don’t stain the clothing. Let me know if it works.
Great post with a very valuable tip, thank you for sharing!
Clever! I’m lol at the vodka comments 🙂
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Ooh, great idea! We don’t have Febreeze here in Greece yet (that’s the one for fabrics isn’t it?) so I’m definitely trying this 🙂
Yes, it’s for fabrics. I’m not convinced its good to breathe in, so I make my own.
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I don’t keep vodka in house. If I did, I’d just end up drinking it all. This is a pretty brilliant idea, tho. I’m loving your tips and tricks.
Could you use rubbing alcohol instead of vodka?
I don’t know – you could always try making a half-batch and see how it works.
Sounds good, but I wonder if I could use Isoprophyl alcohol instead of vodka? Or is there something wrong with the chemicals in it?
I don’t know. If you try it, let us know how it worked.
Love this-I don’t like breathing in the chemicals in Febreeze AND I find the scent too strong and cloying. This sounds lovely.
[…] Homemade Cleaning Supplies:Homemade Febreeze: I’ve been using this homemade Febreeze recipe for a couple of weeks, and it really works! It […]