How to make your home smell good safely

[CherylsAngel]

I have always been a candle and home fragrance person before Angel.. I am just wondering what I can use now to safely make my home smell good..
What types of cleaners can I safely use as I use to use bleach and lysol.. So what can I use now?

 

[Spiritbird]

You can google bird safe candles and you will see some for sale.
You can boil good smelling spices in some water to make the home smell good. Put orange and other fruit skins in the garbage disposal and grind away. (lemons and limes are good).

As far as cleaners go you can safely use vinegar and water, lemon juice in water or the products in the bird sites. For rock hard bird poop that I did not find somewhere I spray on an enzyme product and it is like magic. Name is Aviclean.

 

[Spiritbird]

Some Interesting Tib Bits On deodorizers you can make yourself for the home environment that are not toxic to birds.

Lavender Bouquets: Freshly picked Lavender (placed in water) or dried lavender bunches scent the rooms and are non-toxic.

Simmer cinnamon, cloves or allspice in a pan of water to scent the air

Sprinkle a few drops of vanilla or essential oil on a cotton ball. Place this in a small open container to prevent the oil or alcohol from damaging your furniture.

Put a few slices of leftover orange or lemon rinds in a pot of water, simmer for 1-2 hours

Place lemon slices in an open bowl

Place cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice or other favorite scented spice in a pot of water , simmer for 1-2 hours

Pour vanilla extract into a shallow dish and set in an out of the way place

Kitchen Deodorizer: Grind lemon or orange peels in the garbage disposal for a wonderful citrus smell in the kitchen

Don't forget the value of fresh flowers or cedar blocks for a gentle fragrance
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[bells]

I have a water-filled air purifier. In South Africa its called a KITZ. You basically fill up a bowl of fresh water everyday and plug in and your air is filtered through. It helps for controlling dust, animal dander, bad smells, smoke etc. It honestly smells like its rained indoors!! There are also essential-oil blends you can add to the water that are safe for pets(some are sold in pet stores) but I always check that they are safe for birds and reptiles too- some people think pets are cats and dogs LOL

 

[CherylsAngel]

Ahhh These are all great Ideas.. I will give them a try... I do have one of the plug ins that you can reuse (brand new nothing was ever in it).. I bet I could put in some vanilla extract and use that as well...
Thank you for your ideas..

 

[Leroy_Paige]

As far as cleaners go you should look into "GSE" grapefruit seed extract. A safe non-toxic everything cleaner. It is sold in health food stores but can be found for much cheaper on ebay.

 

[Von1983]

Thanks for all that Di, fabulous ideas!

I asked this a while ago and sadly, a lot of the suggestions at the time didn't apply to me being in Britain lol.

I can definately recommend Di's suggestion of cloves. I've been making mulled wine all week, alcoholic and non lol and my house has smelt divine! I also put essential oils on a cotton pad and sit it behind my radiators....divine! (Only the safe ones though and a tiny bit) Additionally, I found that giving Cal aniseed smelling grit....wow! Yummy! It has crushed oyster shells and the such.....

I can recommend it all!

 

[triordan]

curious what are some of the safe essential oils?

 

[Spiritbird]

Oh Von I will be right over for a glass of you wine. It sounds like devine wine!!

 

[Von1983]

I use lavender, apple and vanilla Triorden...there's lots but they are my favourite and I'd need to consult my book! There are a few that aren't safe but for sale?! As in, not safe for general use...you need to do an actual whole other course to learn what to do with them! One example is fig leaf off the top of my head! I put "safe" purely out of habit!

Although, there are some tree based oils I wouldn't use such as ceder oil. Smells very nice as a room fragrance, but as Ceder is an unsafe wood for birds, I'm sort of funny about it? In the "just in case" way?

I'm very lucky, I trained in aromatherapy massage just for fun so I always make sure I have lots of wonderful smelling essential oils around!

Di, you would be more than welcome to come and have some wine It is very, very nice.....Christmas in a glass! I've made another huuuuge vat this afternoon of the alcoholic one for customers to have tomorrow lol - and us, obviously

It will be my second tureen this week lol! I made non alch. for the lovely kids that deliver papers for us as well as half a ton of mince pies and shortbread....they've cleaned me out of those every day this week - I've even more in the oven now!!!!

That's ANOTHER way to make the home smell lovely - bake lots of mice pies LOL!

We'll be smelling cinnimon and cloves until next christmas at this rate......

 

[Chris Winkler]

Does anyone know if the scented wax that you put in an electric Potpourri melting pot is safe?

 

[roberto]

so can you use the air freshner you sprinkle on the carpet and sweep/vacume it up?

 

[EdiferiousRex]

I use a product called "Citrus Magic" for making the house smell good. It's made from orange/lemon/grapefruit peels and is safe for birds/snakes (Of which I have both). I've been using it for 3-4 years now, ever since I found it at our local Co-Op. The grapefruit is my favorite, followed by the orange, but there is also now a vanilla one. They have spray cans, and they're non-aerosol, a quick google sent me to their site: http://www.citrusmagic.com

As far as cleaning my floors/counters etc I'm strictly a vinegar and water fan. Nothing seems to do the trick better, even in times that I've been bird-less.

Does anyone have a good brand for bird-safe candles? What ingredients are not safe in typical candles? I'm tempted to make my own, with essential oils I just would be afraid even those are not OK. I miss candles

 

[markbrown]

hi,
I used candle and room freshener to make my room smelly and safety.I also used some cleaning services in a month or in a week.

 

[Colorguarder08]

It would be good to know what a bird safe candle consist of because then I can ask my mom to make me a few as she has EVERYTHING you could need to make candles.

 

[triordan]

hi,
I used candle and room freshener to make my room smelly and safety.I also used some cleaning services in a month or in a week.

but thats the problem, most scented candles and room fresheners can harm your birds...how about diffusers/potpouri? probably not any different

 

[JawzX]

Additionally, I found that giving Cal aniseed smelling grit....wow! Yummy! It has crushed oyster shells and the such.....

I can recommend it all!

I feed Ms. Beak whole anise seed clusters as treats every other day or so. She loves them, and both her and the bird-room smell sweet and lovely after she's crunched them up

 

[EdiferiousRex]

I'm wondering if candles made at home using just wax and essential oils are safe? Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Colorguarder08]

I'm wondering if candles made at home using just wax and essential oils are safe? Can anyone confirm this?

I'm not sure but I think there are some waxes that are harmful to birds but if I knew what was safe I would just have my mom make me some bird safe candles.

 

[EdiferiousRex]

I'm not sure but I think there are some waxes that are harmful to birds but if I knew what was safe I would just have my mom make me some bird safe candles.

But if the wax isn't ingested is the burning/melting of it unsafe?