It may be hard to believe, but your home can actually smell as bad as a gym locker room. In fact, some of the signals that our nose sends to our brain are from odors from bacteria, mold and mildew hidden deep in carpets and high-traffic areas. One way you can fight those pesky smells is by using something we all have: vanilla extract.
Vanilla extract has a natural delicious scent that is pleasing to the nose and it actually takes odors from the air and replaces them with a welcoming, pleasant scent. It also works in other ways around your home, too. It will help get rid of odors from pet accidents, candle soot, cigarette smoke or even coffee spills.
When used in home cleaning products, vanilla extract can help fight bad smells in the air and on surfaces. One of the simplest ways to use vanilla extract is to just spray some into a homemade cleaning solution, wipe down surfaces and let it all evaporate naturally.
Vanilla extract can also be used naturally to freshen up your laundry room. Just add a few drops of vanilla extract to your favorite laundry detergent. The odor from sweaty workout clothes will be neutralized, and the laundry room will smell like something you’d want to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee in.
Vanilla extract can also be used in homemade fire logs to make your fireplace smell inviting and not like last year’s Christmas tree. Just add a few drops of vanilla extract along with some water to the logs when you store them away for next year’s holiday season. It’s so simple that even kids can do it, too!
Vanilla extract is food-safe, making it safe to use on all surfaces in your home, as well as on skin that comes in contact with it. It’s an all-natural way to fight bad smells in your home and make it smell amazing.
Check out the blog post for more details on how this all powerful ingredient can help you get rid of those horrid odors.
Have you ever tried to sleep in a room that smells like cigarettes? It can be hard to sleep and even harder to get rid of the smell once it takes hold. The good news is that there are easy ways to remove that old smoke smell from your home, and here’s how…
Interested in more information on cigarette smoke removal? Check out the rest of the article for helpful tips and tricks.
Want to know more about getting rid of other odors in your house? Visit this page .
Whether you want to remove cooking or foul odors from your home, using regular vanilla extract and an oven safe skillet will get the job done simply and quickly. This method is also suitable for simply adding another layer of scent to your home, one reminiscent of freshly baked cookies.
Find an oven-safe pan or dish. Alternatively, use an oven-safe coffee mug or similar heatproof container. Turn your oven to 300ºF/150ºC.
You don’t want to actually cook the vanilla, just warm it, so if your oven runs hot, decrease the temperature to 275ºF/140ºC.
Do not use a non-stick pan as the odors might be compromised by the chemical make-up of the non-stick surface and you may not get the true essence of the vanilla. You want the aroma of the vanilla to permeate the cooking device, which will translate over to your home. Prefer ceramic, terracotta, glass, etc. style containers.
Re-arrange the oven racks so that you can place the pan or cup of vanilla on the middle rack. This way the extract won’t burn or scorch.
Pour two capfuls or two tablespoons of vanilla into the pan or cup. Using good quality vanilla extract will help bring out more aroma.[1]
Lace the vanilla extract with a few vanilla bean pods to enhance the scent. The beans will support the extract and give the vanilla a more sugary aroma.
Bake the vanilla in the oven for up to 20 minutes or until the odor has left the building.[2]
If the vanilla smell seems a bit on the strong side, open a few windows and allow the breeze to diffuse the fragrance.
Set the kitchen timer so you don’t forget the vanilla is in the oven. Twenty minutes is usually adequate to refresh the home. Setting the timer will remind you to turn off the heat and remove the pan from the oven or stovetop.
Consider reinforcing the vanilla smell if your home smells particularly funky. Pour two tablespoons of vanilla into a pan and cook the vanilla at low heat on your stovetop. As with the oven method, only cook for about 20 minutes and set the timer to remind you to remove it.
How do I use vanilla extract to scent my house?
You can use vanilla extract to scent your house in a few different ways. Here are some ideas:
You can use vanilla extract to make homemade air fresheners.
Fill a glass or vase with water and add 2-3 drops of vanilla extract. Let the glass sit out in a cool, dry place for 4 hours.
Add 10 drops of vanilla extract to a spray bottle filled with water and lather the mixture in your home. Spray the rooms with your favorite scents; such as lavender, lemon, cinnamon and peppermint essential oils or recipes that use these scents. Or, heath leaf ferns or lemongrass can be added too to add an aromatic scent. You can place the mixture in a spray bottle or sprinkle it on a tissue and take it with you to use where you’ll be.
Use vanilla extract to make homemade home cleaning products. Here are some ideas:
Combine equal parts of vinegar, water and vanilla extract in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray on countertops, walls, floors, glass and other hard surfaces throughout your home.
Add ¼ cup of vanilla extract to your favorite homemade laundry detergent for an aromatic boost!
Can I use alcohol instead of vanilla?
We don’t recommend using alcohol instead of vanilla extract because it isn’t as effective for scenting the home as pure-vanilla extract is. Using alcohol as a home-fragrance ingredient will be less effective than vanilla extract.
How do I use vanilla extract to make homemade air fresheners?
To make these homemade air fresheners you will need the following items: 1-2 cup sized mason jar, butter knife, glass votive holders (sometimes called votive candle holders), strips of paper towels, and any essential oils that smell good. To get started you will want to get all of your supplies together but before you do so you will need to know how much vanilla to use per surface. Here is a guide that shows what amount from drop to teaspoon size ratio should be used for different surfaces (i.e., every surface in your house).
Can I use vanilla extract as a fragrance?
Yes you can use vanilla extract as a fragrance. You can make homemade air fresheners with it, or fill glass containers with water and add a few drops of vanilla extract to make homemade air fresheners. If your home is feeling a little stuffy, you can spray down the air with a mixture of vanilla and water in a spray bottle.
How do I use vanilla extract to remove cooking odors from my home?
Here’s how you can use vanilla extract to remove cooking odors from your home:
If you have recently cooked fish or burned something in the kitchen, there are a few ways that you can clear the smell from your house.
Can you microwave vanilla extract to make house smell good?
Yes but only for a very short time. Do not microwave vanilla extract for long periods of time or leave it in the microwave unattended. Microwaving vanilla extract may result in a fire or injuries from the boiling hot liquid splashing out of the microwave.
How do I make my house smell good with cinnamon and vanilla extract?
If you want your home to smell like cinnamon and vanilla, you can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a half teaspoon of ground cinnamon to a pot of water. Boil the mixture until it smells good and then turn off the heat. Place lit tea lights in the room or home to diffuse the scent.
How do I make my home smell good with some baking soda?
To make your home smell like baking cookies, you can start by mixing two teaspoons each of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves into a bowl with one-fourth cup of baking soda. After you’ve mixed the ingredients put them in a sealed container for around half-hour so that they can mix well together.
“Vanilla extract is a highly versatile ingredient used for its fragrance, flavor, and of course for enhancing foods for their aroma.” Concerning the safety of vanilla extract, information posted on the FDA website states that “no one should use vanilla extract if they are allergic to it or have significant sensitivity to it”. If you are allergic to vanilla or have significant sensitivity to it, you should not use pure vanilla extract.
“The FDA has identified an allergenic substance in many types of vanillin (vanilla) extracts. Vanillin (vanilla) extracts often contain alcohols that were synthesized from coal tar dithiols and sesquiterpenes.
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