homemade room and linen spray

We are moving in a few weeks. I don't want to get into too much about it now, lest I jinx the process, but sufficed to say there are lots of cleaning and arranging movements happening around here. Hence all the talk of purging. I've also been getting this house ready round the clock for new potential renters to come check it out.

Yesterday I thought it would be fun to make my own air freshener (got the idea from the Urban Farm Handbook and that Prevention article I shared with you a few days ago) so that the house would smell warm and inviting. Frugal, too! I had heard before about using vodka and essential oil, and it just so happened I had both on hand and an empty spray bottle that used to hold Vivi's homemade detangler before we cut her hair.

I gathered all the items and then suddenly recalled that I needed to pause the activity and scrub the upstairs bathroom quickly. Cut to twenty minutes later when the possible future tenants arrived. The moment I remembered the unfinished room spray project was the same moment that I walked into the kitchen with the renters. Rather than being warm and inviting, there was an open bottle of vodka on the counter. Which is almost the same thing.

p.s. Did you know they can make vodka out of maple sap? Science, y'all. Three cheers for local booze! I like to pretend its New England's white lightnin', so I make sure always to mix my drink in a mason jar.

I modified the measurements for the recipe below from an E-How article on vodka spray. I think 3 1/2 cups of water would make more of one smell than I'd ever want in years, so I cut it down to 1 cup. You can't really get it wrong though, so play around with it to get the strength and scent you want. You can spray the inside of a garbage can (one of my personal favorites), your linens, or the general air of a room. Think of it as leaving little sacrifices to the vodka fairy. If you're looking for other ideas, The Prairie Homestead has some great ideas for freshening up the scents in your home.

homemade room spray

1 c. water
1 Tbs. vodka
1/4 tsp. essential oil (I used lavender this time)

If your spray bottle isn't already 100% clean, rinse it out with a mixture of water and vinegar, overnight if you think it needs to soak. Whisk together the vodka and oil before mixing with water. Why this way? Because of reasons. Don't ask me, just do it. Pour the water into the spray bottle and add the vodka/oil emulsion. Shake to combine. Shake again every time you use it if it has been sitting around.

Editor's note: This post is part of The Homestead Barn Hop, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways, LHITS DIY Linky, and Frugal Friday.