DIY Air Freshener Jars with Salt & Oils

Natural Air Freshner

Commercial air fresheners contain phthalates, endocrine disruptors linked to hormonal imbalance in children. This hack replaces all of them for under $1

Most homes aren't freshened by plug-ins. They're masked. Like spraying cologne on a dirty shirt.

🔬 | What's Actually In The Air :

The average home holds 2–5x more air pollutants than outdoors. Synthetic fragrances release VOCs — volatile organic compounds — that the lungs absorb directly into the bloodstream. No filter. No barrier. Straight in.

 

Ingredients: 

cotton balls - 8

plastic container with a lid

2 T Himalayan course salt

1 T baking soda

1 T white vingar

3 -6 drops of essential oil (fresh linen is a great clean smell) If you don't have essential oils you can always use a fabric softener or Downy unstoppables but there's chemicals in there. It's best to keep in clean with essential oils.

5-6 cloves

Instructions: 

• Poke holes in lid - heat up an old fork over gas stove burner and poke holes into top of lid all around it. 
• Put cotton on the bottom of container. Add salt, baking soda and vinegar. It will bubble due to the release of carbon dioxide. 
• Add the essential oils and top with cloves. 
• Seal container with the lid and store in a dry place. You can put it in your car, in your closet etc. Make sure its away from pets and children. There aren't chemicals in it but you don't want any small ones eating it!

Why these ingredients?  🧪 | Each Ingredient Has A Job :

Coarse salt is hygroscopic — it pulls moisture from the air like a sponge pulls water from a countertop. Moisture carries mold spores, bacteria, and odor molecules. Remove the moisture → remove what's riding in it.

Baking soda → neutralizes acidic odor molecules on contact. Doesn't cover smell — deletes it.

White vinegar reaction → releases CO₂ that disperses salt particles further into the air. The fizz isn't for show.

Cloves → contain eugenol. Antifungal, antibacterial, and a natural insect repellent. Roaches, moths, and spiders process eugenol like humans process pepper spray.

🏠 | Best Placement For Mothers :

- Nursery closet (mold silently colonizes baby clothes in humid storage)

- Under bathroom sink (highest moisture zone in most homes)

- Car seat area (children breathe 40% more air per body weight than adults)

❓ | FAQ :

⏱ | How long does it last?

4–6 months. When salt hardens into a solid block, it's full — time to replace.

👶 | Safe around babies?

Safer than any plug-in on the market. Zero VOCs. Zero synthetics.

✨ | Clean air shouldn't cost a subscription. A kitchen cabinet has everything a home needs.

💛 | Follow @hernesus for more holistic remedies and healthy tips & tricks