Use This Formula to Make Your Own Deodorizing Spray

The best way to get rid of bad smells in your home is to find the source, and eliminate or clean it. But even if you do that, you may still be left with some lingering odors that didn't get their eviction notice. Perhaps you're having guests over, and want to freshen up your linens with a quick spritz of something pleasant. Or you can't quite seem to get the smell of last night's roasted garlic out of your kitchen. Whatever the reason, it's helpful to have something nice-smelling at the ready.

Fortunately, it's easy—and relatively inexpensive—to make one yourself. In fact, you can create a wide variety of scents by following a simple formula: Water + a base + (optional) fragrance. Here's how to make your own home deodorizing spray.

How to make a DIY home deodorizing spray

Start with a clean, empty spray bottle, then add an odor-neutralizing base, some water (distilled, ideally), and a fragrance (if you choose to do so):

Pick a base

Choose one of the following, and pour it into the spray bottle, along with one cup of (preferably distilled) water:

• Vodka: 1 cup (cheap vodka works just fine)

• Witch hazel (unscented): 1 cup

• Rubbing alcohol: 1/4 cup

• Distilled white vinegar: 1/2 teaspoon

Opt for vodka or witch hazel if you aren't planning to add some type of fragrance to the spray.

Add a fragrance

Now it's time to add the scent(s) of your choice to the spray (if you'd like), by selecting one or a combination of the following:

Essential oils

Somewhere between five and 30 drops of one or a combination of the following:

• Lemon oil

• Lavender oil

• Eucalyptus oil

• Peppermint oil

• Bergamot oil

• Orange oil

• Rosemary oil

• Tea tree oil

• Chamomile oil

• Grapefruit oil

• Cinnamon oil

• Cedar wood oil

• White fir oil

• Clove oil

Extracts

One tablespoon of:

• Vanilla extract

• Almond extract

• Peppermint extract

• Or some combination of the above

Citrus peels

Choose peels from:

• Oranges

• Lemons

• Limes

• Grapefruits

Fresh herbs

A few sprigs of fresh herbs, like:

• Rosemary

• Basil

• Mint

• Lavender

• Sage

• Thyme

When in doubt, keep it simple, and stick to one or two complementary aromas.

Shake and spritz

Once you're happy with the scent (or lack thereof), make sure the spray bottle is closed tightly, then thoroughly shake it to combine all the ingredients. Now you're ready to spritz your linens, garbage can, couch, or anywhere else that could use some deodorizing. Moving forward, give the spray bottle a good shake before each use.