back to basics

Recent studies have shown that plug-in type air fresheners can cause cancer in pets. Like many pet owners, I consider my cat to be family, and the thought that the air freshener I purchased could be harmful to her health is not easy to swallow. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that a plug-in air freshener doesn’t go along with how I’m trying to live, anyway.

Since it’s holiday season now, I brought out my favorite natural air freshener/humidifier. It’s simply an old saucepan that I fill with water and heat over a low flame. To the pot, I add a cinnamon stick or two, a couple of cloves, and orange peel. The simmering water adds steam to the dry air in my home, and the orange spice perfumes the air with a scent that is associated with the holiday season.