It’s unpleasant when a closet with clean, carefully washed linen is inhabited by a foreign odor that completely deprives the item of its aura of freshness. The reason for this may be both the furniture itself, which has accumulated and persistently stored odors (especially new, varnished ones), as well as clothes in the case when they are laid out on shelves under-dried. Someone habitually loads into the wardrobe an item that has been worn 1-2 times and seems to have not had time to get dirty, without thinking that it still carries a certain “trail” of particles of sweat, bacteria, perfume and tobacco. And, of course, few people consider it their duty to regularly ventilate the depths of the closet, leaving it open at least overnight.
Purpose
To sense the world, people use 5 types of sensitivity. They also include the sense of smell. It helps to distinguish edible from spoiled, one’s own person from someone else’s, clean from dirty, with its help people are even able to navigate in space.
Different smells can affect our mood. Some make it better, others make you sad or disliked. A pleasant-smelling person attracts the interlocutor, which helps in communication, in building a career and personal life. In a good mood, people work more productively, and relationships with loved ones are strengthened and improved.
Pleasant smells in the house create an atmosphere of comfort; you want to return to such a home. Some aromas have a relaxing and calming effect, which is especially necessary after a long day of work. Clothes are something that is around most of your life. Therefore, it is important that the smell from it is pleasant and has a positive effect on a person’s sense of self. To do this, use a fragrance for linen in the closet.
Fragrant soap
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This method is used by many people because it is extremely simple and quite effective. You will need soap, but not just any soap, but a fragrant one, with a strong and bright perfume composition that you like.
Remove the soap from the packaging and place it in a muslin bag (to prevent the soap from staining your items). One bar is unlikely to be enough for an entire closet, so lay out several so that things are sure to be saturated with its aroma.
Instead of soap, some people use scented candles, but, as a rule, their scent is weaker and less lasting.
Soap story: how to make soap with your own hands
Varieties
There are several forms of flavorings. Everyone will choose the one that is most convenient. Fragrance for the cabinet comes in the following types:
- cellophane sachets - used more often than others due to ease of use. Not long-lasting, the smell disappears after 3-4 weeks;
- fabric pads with scented petals - smells long, lasts for 3-6 months. The cost is higher than other flavors;
- sprays are not so popular due to the need to constantly treat clothes. The bottle lasts for 2-3 months, the smell after treatment disappears after a few days;
- Treated wood pieces are easy to use, durable, but the choice of scents is limited;
- gel plates – have a pungent aroma that gradually dissipates. Refers to expensive but durable options.
The choice of type of fragrance is made based on the needs of the owner of the wardrobe. If a fairly strong scent is required, gel sheets and sprays are suitable. For lighter scents, it is better to use sachets, pads or wood. If you are not satisfied with the scents offered by manufacturers, it is better to create a flavoring yourself. In this case, you will be able to choose not only how the clothes will smell, but also how long the smell will last on it.
pads
Sachet
Gel
Wooden sticks
Spray
Method 1. Scented sachets
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One of the most popular options, but many of its disadvantages include the fragility of the sachets and the need for their frequent replacement.
Similar sachets can be bought in stores - they can contain either dry aromatic herbs and flavoring, or simply synthetic flavoring. If you prefer natural scents, you can sew the sachet yourself, especially since in this case you can make a bouquet of scents with your own hands.
Read about how to sew and what to fill such a sachet in our step-by-step master class:
Heart's decree: DIY lavender sachet
Popular fragrances
There are several main directions in which the smells of flavoring agents differ. By choosing a group of your favorite scents, it will be easier to decide on a specific one. All smells are divided into:
- fruity - this includes numerous citrus aromas, apple, exotic fruits. These scents are not too sweet, have fresh notes and can give a summer mood even on gloomy autumn or winter days;
- wood - perfect for a man's wardrobe. Discreet, tart, refreshing aromas that emphasize status, perfect for young business people;
- conifers – the aroma of the forest invigorates and gives a feeling of freshness, perfect for lovers of tent holidays, reminiscent of a vacation during everyday work;
- floral - scents for beautiful ladies that give a feeling of lightness, spring and summer, helping to remain feminine and graceful even in jeans or business trousers. The aroma of your favorite flowers can lift the mood of any girl;
- green tea is an unobtrusive scent that reminds you of moments of relaxation with a cup of your favorite drink. Suitable for connoisseurs of airy aromas with a slight sourness;
- berry - the smell of summer and fresh berries can lift your spirits at any time of the year and the weather outside the window. This scent will be appreciated by young girls and ladies who are always 18.
Among the popular scents, everyone can find a scent to their liking. If there is none among them, there is always the opportunity to make a flavoring yourself. This will allow you to create your own scent that will delight you and set the mood for the whole day from the very morning.
Ventilation and cleaning
Like all our homes, closets also need periodic cleaning. This is a surefire way to not only get rid of bad odors, but also prevent their occurrence.
- First, we take out everything that is stored in the closet. Then we wipe it and ventilate the things in the fresh air. This should be done at least once every 3-4 months (preferably more often).
- Cabinets and other enclosed spaces (closets, chests of drawers, closed shelves) need to be ventilated periodically. It’s even better to do this at the same time as ventilating the entire room.
- After taking out your clothes and hanging them in the fresh air, open the closet doors wide. And leave it for several hours.
- If there is a strong musty odor, take additional measures. Wet a large bath towel, twist it and hang it in an empty cabinet for about 1 hour. Close the doors tightly. After the required time has passed, the towel should be washed and hung in the closet again. Repeat this procedure 3-4 times.
How to use
The method of application depends on the type of flavoring. But they all have a common principle of use: you need to place the source of the smell inside the cabinet.
- sachets, gel and wooden flavors are equipped with a special hanger, with which they are attached to a holder for things;
- fabric pads are placed deep in the closet, but it is better to place them on shelves near the back wall or in linen drawers;
- Sprays are used to treat things; the bottle itself has no odor and is stored on a shelf with household chemicals.
Before using, the sachet or gel flavor package must be cut along the top edge, from where the hanger can be removed. The package cannot be opened completely. This will lead to rapid dissipation of the smell.
Essential oil flavoring
In most cases, an aroma lamp is used as a flavoring agent using essential oils. An aroma lamp is a ceramic vessel into the cavity of which a small candle is placed. A burning candle heats the upper bowl of the aroma lamp, the water with added essential oil evaporates, aromatizing the air. Before you start using an aroma lamp, you need to be especially careful when choosing an essential oil. To begin, purchase a trial, light scent. Heavy and pungent odors can cause discomfort and headaches. The most suitable scents for first use are orange blossom essential oils; this aroma is believed to improve mood and relax. Lemon oil smells fresh, reduces headaches, improves emotional state. Ylang-ylang is able to increase the production of endorphins (pleasure hormones) and is an aphrodisiac. Coniferous odors have healing properties, disinfect the air, and strengthen the immune system. Aggressive aromas include essential oils of jasmine, cloves, rosemary, and basil.
How to make it yourself
Making your own flavoring is not difficult. There are several ways:
- sew a pillow from natural fabric (it’s better to take cotton or linen), where to place fragrant objects: lemon or orange peel, pine needles (it’s better to grind them in your hands first), lavender, oregano or rose petals, green spruce or pine cones);
- take a piece of wood (you can ask for it at a hardware store or at a market where lumber is available), screw a hanger into it and place it in the closet. Fragrant tree species are best suited: cedar, birch, aspen;
- soak several cotton pads with natural essential oils. A few drops are enough to create a strong scent that will last for a long time;
- Place small pieces of soap with your favorite scent on the shelves between the clothes. Such a flavor is easy to make, its cost is low, and the aroma will delight you for a long time. The method is not suitable for allergy sufferers, since soap can provoke the appearance of allergic rhinitis and urticaria upon contact with the body;
- Place an empty bottle of your favorite perfume inside the cabinet. The remaining odorous liquid, which can no longer be sprayed on yourself, will evaporate and give off an odor. This flavor lasts up to six months, and is essentially made from garbage;
- Place open bags of spices on the shelves. Cinnamon and vanilla are best, but many people appreciate the refreshing scent of mint, basil or thyme. Bundles of dried herbs serve as an excellent flavoring agent. But they are quite fragile and break off when touched, dry leaves and sticks get on clothes;
- scented candles - have a strong smell, but take up a lot of space and can leave greasy marks on clothes. It is better to use them in the dressing room, where you can allocate a separate shelf for them or even light them occasionally;
- paper for cabinets is an expensive interior item from Jo Malone. It has a beautiful design, long-lasting aroma, but a high price;
- scented wet wipes - suitable for both special ones for closets and ordinary ones, but with a strong smell. Their significant disadvantage is their very short service life, they dry out quickly.
There are many ways to make your own laundry fragrance. This allows you to create your own unique fragrance, choose the most convenient form, and turn the fragrance into a stylish home accessory.
Mix baking soda with a few drops of essential oil and put it in a jar. The jar is covered with foil with holes. The jar can be decorated and the flavor is ready.
Home fragrance with sticks
Popular feng shui is known for the use of incense and fragrances. Home fragrance sticks are an integral part of Eastern culture. In most cases, incense sticks are made of bamboo and are soaked in oils and resins of aromatic plants. Such flavors are used in aromatherapy. They have a calming and tonic effect, promote relaxation and get rid of negative energy, give peace and harmony with oneself. The scents are different; for flavoring sticks, plants such as mint, cinnamon, vanilla, sandalwood, mandarin, ylang-ylang, lavender, and many others are used. The smell of incense sticks envelops the home space and lasts for quite a long time without fading.
Natural materials
Natural materials - such as wax, wood, cotton, clay - are also excellent conductors for odors.
It turns out that if you collect fallen twigs in the yard, peel them from the bark and put them in a beautifully decorated bottle with a narrow neck, filled with a homemade aromatic substance (water + essential oils), you will get an original diffuser.
Eliminating unpleasant odors in the kitchen is very easy. Just take a beautiful bowl, throw fluffy cotton balls into it (drip citrus aromatic oil on them) and place it on the kitchen table or windowsill.
These are the simple natural flavors you can make yourself from clay. Just roll out a piece of clay, cut it into different shapes, make incisions with a knife and dry it in the oven. If you hang clay figurines, do not forget to make holes, and if you use them as magnets, then glue the magnet circles using hot glue to the already cooled products. Rub essential oil into the notches on the figures.
For such homemade scented candles, it is best to use beeswax or soy wax, since paraffin wax will not hold the scent for long. Melt the wax in a water bath or in a glass bowl in the microwave and add a few drops of aromatic essential oil to it. Pour the hot (but not boiling) mixture into a silicone ice cube tray and let cool.
Simple room fresheners
- Candle with orange. Cut the fruit into two parts, removing the pulp. Drop any scent into the melted wax. Strengthen the wick, fill the peel with wax.
- Cinnamon candle. Select a candle and cover it with cinnamon sticks in a circle. When the glue dries, decorate it with ribbons or twine.
- Fragrant wooden cubes. Apply the essential substance to the wood cubes with a brush. Place them in a closed container and leave overnight. In the morning you can enjoy a pleasant amber. Instead of cubes, you can use thin saw cuts.
- Dry collection. In autumn, remove petals of different flowers from the garden and dry them in the oven. Mix them with herbs or spices and place them in a transparent vase on the table. You can use such mixtures for bathing.
Spices
Instead of sachets, many people use various spices. Very popular: cinnamon, cloves or vanilla.
Cinnamon sticks or cloves are also laid out in the closet, having previously been placed in bags made of organza.
With vanilla, the situation is even simpler: several holes are made in bags of vanilla and secured with tape to the wall of the chest of drawers. One sachet is enough to fill your entire closet with a sweet vanilla aroma.
