Having a fabric refresher spray comes in handy in many situations. You might have your sofa or couch cleaning scheduled for once a month or so but at the end of the second week, you can already perceive offensive pet smells.
Instead of thinking for hours about how to fit the couch cleaning into your already tight schedule, a fabric refresh makes for a quick way to fight the odors and send them away.
Many also use fabric refresh spray on items of clothing, pillows, and blankets. It’s a great way to not only remove unpleasant smells but also kill off bacteria producing the odor.
Whether you have already been sold on the idea of using fabric refresher or this is your first time and want to see how it can fit into different use cases, this article discusses the best way to make a fabric refresher at home.
You’ll learn why you need a homemade fabric refresher, where to apply it, and storage considerations, as well as how to make one at home. Enjoy!
Why Make Homemade Fabric Spray?
Why homemade fabric refresher when you can just pop into a department store and get one?
The fact that you can quickly get a fabric freshener at a local store alongside your groceries might make the idea of making one at home a waste of time. But when you consider the benefits to a DIY fabric spray, you may be sold on the idea quickly.
You Control the Ingredients:
Having control over what goes into the fabric refresher you use is crucial. Manufacturers don’t necessarily declare all ingredients on household cleaners’ labels. Different studies have shown many chemical-based fresheners to contain harmful ingredients, such as acetaldehyde and neurotoxin linked to conditions such as allergies, cancer, and asthma.
You Help the Planet
Popular fabric refreshers come in one-time-use plastic bottles. This means you “unleash” plastic into the environment every time you finish a bottle of a fabric refresher. This is a wasteful cycle that’s harmful to the planet.
Making a homemade fabric refresher means you can reuse a plastic bottle every time you want to remake your fresher, leading to reduced plastic waste. Alternatively, you can use a glass bottle to ditch the plastic completely.
How to Make Fabric Freshener
This DIY fabric refresher recipe is easy and inexpensive to try.
Ingredients:
- Water (4 oz)
- Vodka or rubbing alcohol (2 oz)
- 10 drops of essential oil
- Spray bottle (plastic or glass)
- Funnel
- Label (optional)
Recipe Instruction and Notes:
Step 1: Get your favorite essential oil ready. Nice options to consider include lemon, lavender, and Eucalyptus.
Some scents, however, can be harmful to pets. Cardamom and lavender are generally safe options. Try to check with your vet for guidance.
Step 2: Mix all ingredients. Get a small container or bowl and mix the water, vodka (or rubbing alcohol), and essential oil.
Step 3: Transfer the mixture into the spray bottle using a funnel. Securely close the spray bottle and shake well.
Step 4: Get a sticker paper to label the bottle. Labeling may be needed to easily identify which spray bottle is which in a cleaning supply collection. If identification is not a concern, then this step is optional.
While it’s difficult to know every single ingredient used in store-bought fabric refreshers, going the homemade fabric freshener route means ingredient control. Plus, you can switch up the scents anytime you’re making a new batch. This means you don’t have to keep the same scent forever.
Where to Use Fabric Refresher Spray?
You generally use a refresher on the fabrics with unpleasant smells. Here are some recommendations.
- Use fabric fresheners on pillowcases, mattresses, and bed linens.
- Use on curtains, couches, and rugs for a refreshing space.
- Spray on pet beds and other places with pet odors.
- Make and keep one in the car for the upholstery and carpet.
- Use it as a natural fabric refresher or deodorizer for plush toys or any other stuffed animals.
Fabric refreshers are not a substitute for proper cleaning. While they help you fight offensive odors, refreshers are not designed as a lasting solution. So use them when you’re looking for a quick refresh, as the name implies. Give your fabric a proper wash or deep clean as soon as possible.
Having a daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedule will help. We talk about that in this article.
How to Store
Storage starts with the packaging. Preferably store your freshener in a glass spray bottle to ensure you’re not contributing to plastic waste.
But if handling is a concern, you can repurpose any of the previous store-bought spray bottles for this homemade solution. This way, if the bottle drops you can pick it up without any concern of glass shattering.
Store in a cool dry place to preserve the scent for a long term. A fabric freshener typically has a storage life of up to a year. If you notice any rancid smell, before you finish it, do not hesitate to throw it out and make a fresh, new one.
A tip to make longer-lasting fabric refreshers is to use distilled water instead of regular tap water. This is so because distilled water has had impurities that could alter the scent or affect fabrics out.
Wrapping Up
Making a DIY natural homemade fabric refresher isn’t a complicated procedure. With the ingredients covered in this article, you can make one easily in minutes.
If you are a heavy user who uses refreshers for different fabrics in your home, then you may want to make a batch. So you don’t have to keep making one every single week.
While fabric refresher can quickly help you get rid of offensive smells on articles of clothing, bed linens, and other fabrics, remember it’s not a permanent plan for keeping your home and belongings clean. Try to create easy-to-follow cleaning routines.
We understand that you may have a busy life, making it challenging to fit cleaning into your schedule. This is why you have us. Soji Cleaners is a US cleaning company with reach in states throughout the country. You can depend on our service technicians for professional maid cleaning services. As part of our solutions, we offer in-house laundry cleaning – a perfect combination with home cleaning.
See the locations we serve and we’d be happy to come show you why we’re a house cleaning company of choice for many.