Welcome to Gaia! ::

I heard pure rubbing alcohol works wonders on glass surfaces and mirrors.
It's certainly cheaper than buying a 8-10 dollar bottle of Windex that only leaves smear marks on your windows... stare
And there aren't an infinite number of chemicals in the product that you can't even pronounce, much less know the harm they can do.

Air Fresheners

Hazards and Alternatives

"Natural Air Fresheners

Here are some simple, homemade air fresheners to try:

* White vinegar removes odors naturally on surfaces and in the air
* Baking soda absorbs odors, so place a few open boxes throughout the home
* Boiling spices like cinnamon in a little bit of water releases its fragrance
* Essential oils diluted in water can be used as a spray freshener—try a combination of your favorite essential oils like lemon (an especially effective air deodorizer) and cedar
o Or you can simply add oils to a bowl of water, which adds moisture to dry, inside air during winter months
o Burning essential oils in an aromatherapy diffuser is safer than burning paraffin candles, which offgas VOCs
o Soy or beeswax candles also offer natural waxes that can be burned to release pleasant fragrances"

Home made Popurri

Natural Air Fresheners - Ideas & Recipes


Cinnamon and Cloves. Boil these spices for a fragrant smell. For ease of cleaning, make a cheesecloth bag to contain these spices, and boil the cheesecloth bag. An excellent alternative when entertaining is to steep spiced tea or cider.

Potpourri. Buy or make your own potpourri from your favorite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small basket or jar or in small sachet bags.

Oil of Wintergreen Dampen cotton balls with oil of wintergreen and place out of sight but where air will touch them.

Vinegar. Distribute partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room or boil 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odors.

Vanilla. Place pure vanilla on a cotton ball in a small saucer. Place the saucer in the car or refrigerator to remove odors. It is renowned to remove even skunk odors. Keep the cotton ball out of reach of children; vanilla has a high alcohol content.

Baking Soda. Place a partially filled saucer of baking soda on the refrigerator shelf. Replace every two months and when you do, pour the contents of the used box down the drain to remove odors and keep the drain clean. Baking soda can also be used to deodorize bottles by filling them with undiluted baking soda and allowing the bottles to soak overnight. Then wash as usual.

Borax. Empty the garbage frequently and clean the can as needed. To inhibit growth of odor-producing molds and bacteria, sprinkle 1/2 cup Borax in the bottom of the garbage can. (Borax is poisonous, keep away from children! It will also kill cockroaches)

I think NekoWashu has it covered here. Thanks so much for all the information you share.