2 Easy DIY Room Sprays That’ll Make Your Home Smell So Good (They’re Incredible!)
Store-bought room sprays are convenient, but they can be too pungent for people with fragrance sensitivities. If you can relate, then perhaps mixing up your own DIY room spray, where you can control the amount of scent, is an option.
How to Make an Essential Oil DIY Room Spray
It is super easy to create an essential oil DIY room spray. Simply combine distilled water, rubbing alcohol or witch hazel, and 30 drops of essential oil in a spray bottle and shake. Read on for exact details and steps to make it.
I’ve mixed up my own cleaning products using natural ingredients before, but I’ve never attempted a room spray. So I researched online for some ideas and asked Rochelle Wilkinson, owner of DirtDetectiveCleaning, for some insight on how to mix up my own concoction for home use.
Below, find two DIY room spray recipes: an essential oil room spray and a fruit and spice room spray — plus, a fabric spray.
How to Make a DIY Essential Oil Room Spray
The internet is awash with DIY cleaning products and room sprays made with essential oils. Pick your favorite fragrance and add a few other key ingredients for a super-easy DIY room spray.
Supplies Needed:
- Your choice of essential oil(s)
- Distilled water (distilled is preferable because it’s free of minerals, but you can use filtered water if that’s easier)
- Rubbing alcohol or witch hazel
- Spray bottle
- Herbs or dried flowers (optional)
Step 1: Put some drops of essential oil into an empty spray bottle.
Add about 30 drops of essential oil — such as lavender, lemon, peppermint, or eucalyptus — to an empty, clean spray bottle.
Step 2: Use rubbing alcohol or witch hazel.
Fill the bottle halfway with either rubbing alcohol or witch hazel. This will help the oil mix better with the water.
Step 3: Add distilled or filtered water.
Fill up the rest with distilled or filtered water.
Step 4: Include herbs or dried flowers.
Add herbs and/or dried flowers for another layer of scent, if desired.
Step 5: Use the spray.
Shake and spray.
How to Make a DIY Fruit and Spice Room Spray
Wilkinson says boiling a pot of fruit peels and spices can infuse the entire house with a lovely aroma. But if you prefer spraying a scent in the exact spot you want, she recommends taking it a step further and turning the fragrant liquid into an organic room spray — after cooling it down, of course.
Supplies Needed:
- Peels of three oranges
- Four cinnamon sticks
- Two tablespoons real vanilla extract (not imitation)
- Water
- Pot for the stove
- Spray bottle
Steps to Follow:
- Fill a pot on the stove with two cups of water.
- Add the peels of three oranges, along with four cinnamon sticks and two tablespoons of real vanilla, not imitation.
- Let the water simmer for a bit, then bring it to a boil for five minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the liquid cool completely.
- Pour into a spray bottle, shake well, and spray.
How to Make a DIY Fabric Spray
The following recipe from Wilkinson involves liquid or bead fabric softener as its main ingredient. You might want to proceed with caution if you have sensitivities or simply don’t like using fabric softener. And it’s important to note that this is a fabric spray, not a room spray, so please use accordingly.
“This is to be used on soft fabrics, like couches, pillows, blankets, dog beds, and carpet,” Wilkinson explains. “It’s not to be sprayed on tile or wood floors [and] some engineered wood floors [because it will discolor them].”
Your current fabric softener will likely do the trick, but if you need some recommendations, Wilkinson says, “Our best smells for this formula are the Gain Hibiscus Hula, the Downy Sparkling Amber and Rose, and the Downy in Lavender and Vanilla Bean.”
Supplies Needed:
- Fabric softener (liquid or beads, your choice)
- 32-ounce spray bottle
- Baking soda
- Rubbing alcohol
- Hot water
Steps to Follow:
- Measure 1/4 cup of liquid or bead fabric softener and pour into the spray bottle.
- Add two teaspoons of baking soda. “No more than that; otherwise, it will leave a white coating on things,” says Wilkinson.
- Add a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. (Tip: Don’t skip out on the little bit of rubbing alcohol in any DIY room spray recipe; Wilkinson says that’s what makes the spray dry quicker.)
- Fill the rest of the bottle with hot water and shake to mix; shake well if you’re using fabric softener beads.
What to Consider When Creating a DIY Room or Fabric Spray
It’s not difficult or all that time-consuming to create a DIY room spray, but is it the right move for your nose and home? Here are a few things to consider.
How to Make the Smell Last Longer
Room sprays don’t always last as long as you’d hope because the scent eventually dissipates into the air. You could try stronger scents if you’re DIYing or layer the scents with an essential oil diffuser. But one of the best ways to keep a room smelling good is to spritz on fabric or other soft items because the material will retain the scent for longer.
Mistakes to Avoid
Probably the biggest mistake to avoid is choosing a scent you don’t like or that is too strong. Just as you would spot-test a cleaning product to ensure that you don’t damage a surface, test out the scent in a small area before you spray the entire house.
Also, make sure you use the right spray for the job. The aforementioned DIY room sprays that use essential oils or fruits and spices are safe for breathing in, while the fabric softener-based fabric sprays are meant to spray only on fabric or soft items, not hard surfaces or in the air.
DIY vs Store-Bought Spray
Unless you’re buying some super-high-end essential oils, you’re likely saving money on your DIY room sprays. That said, ready-made room or fabric sprays might be worth the price for their convenience. However, they are likely to be much stronger than anything you DIY, so if you’ve experienced headaches or other adverse reactions to store-bought room sprays, then you might want to continue experimenting with an at-home recipe that’s gentler on your senses.