** Vanilla Flavoring works 100% **
 

I thought I would share with my Yorkie friends a homemade air freshener that I use weekly and have now for the last 6 months. I love love love it! My house smells like I am baking cookies all day after using it...And best of all it works 100%.

Since finding this recipe I have read where hunters use it to cover up their sent before leaving for a hunt. I read where a lady left fish in a camper refrigerator for a long time and used vanilla to kill the stink. Tried three other things before trying the vanilla. That's one I'll always remember LOL that had to stink something awful! I also read they use it in hotels to help diminish the smell in the smoking rooms. And last I also read it's good as a Mosquito Repellent. So I just mist my dogs with it on our way out to potty at night. I haven't had a bite all summer. But I haven't seen many here this year so that may just be a fluke...Maybe someone with a lot of mosquitoes will try it on their arms and report back.

Here's what I do......
I take a small sprayer I bought in the hair department at Wal-Mart it is small not large. Probably no more than a cup really. Then fill it with water to the stop line then I just pour in the cheap imitation vanilla flavoring. I don't measure but, I guess a few tablespoons if I had to be exact. It really helps the doggie house odors.

How I use it....
If I know someone is coming by....I spray my furniture, carpets, and mist the air in the bathroom. Now mine are all dark so it doesn't show on my furniture but, I would not use this on light colors as it might stain or ring...shrug! Works great just sprayed in the air. Also after I clean their crates/beds I give it a good spraying and let it dry. Smells great all day and night!

I guess we could call this going GREEN air freshener LOL, as it is homemade and economical. woot! It works for me maybe someone will find this useful too!

Oh I meant to ask any other homemade recipes that are tried and true? Please post your!!

I love vanilla smell so I think I will give it a try.

Thanks for sharing.

Chantal the thing is getting enough vanilla for your liking. I started cutting back on the pour and it didn't work as well or as long. Maybe try misting a room, shut the door, come back later and if you don't smell it add some more and try it again. That's what I did...I just play around till it was the way I like it, except I pour, no measuring.

You can do the same thing with any essential oil as well. I use lemon or citrus a lot because its sorta my thing, but you can find and use a lot of others like rose, lavender, cedar, freesia, gardenia etc.

Some drugstores carry essential oils and the like in their natural remedies section, but a local health food store should have them as well. (And there is always the world wide web!)

I've always been fond of the essential oil route because you can use it in so many things.

Wow, what a great idea! I like the fact it is natural and wouldn't have to worry about using and my birds. I have heard of people with birds boiling water and putting cinnamon sticks or orange peels in the water. This sounds so much easier and economical, thanks!

If y'all have a Sams club close by you can get the huge Tone's Imitation Vanilla for less than $5.00 it's 64 oz size.

sounds like a great idea! I wonder if you could use the white vanilla flavoring...it is usually sold with the cake decorating stuff like at Michaels. I remember purchasing it when I took the cake decorating classes. It is vanilla but clear so as not to discolor the frosting. :)

Love the Op's idea, this makes it even better!! Thanks guys, I will try this I love the smell of vanilla!:)

Who what a great idea. I have a 1/2 gallon jug of it I used to use to clean my husbands ice chest after he went fishing. I will give it a try.

Here is something I do in winter. I put orange peels on the heater or in the oven and they make the house smell wonderful.

love the idea, great , thanks so much as im always spraying stuff around
my house.. i have diffusers all over too and candles.. cant wait to get home
and try the vanilla..

Ummm....nice idea. Even if you have regular air freshners you use, this would always be a nice back up when you unexpectedly run out too. I bet I would not have to use quite as much with the Real Vanilla Extract. I love Vanilla smell too. Thanks!

Just popping in to see how it work for you all?

Another great use for vanilla...
 

I have been told that a little smidget of vanilla on the tip of a dogs nose will block the scent of a female in heat. I have not tried it yet, but plan to when the need arises. Has anyone tried this?

Vanilla is fine, but please be careful with essential oils if you also have kitties in your house. Cat's can't metabolize certain EO's containing turpenes. Potentially toxic ones are Peppermint, Lemon, Lavender, Melaleuca, Tea Tree, Cinnamon Bark, Wintergreen, Thyme and Birch. If inhaled to excess, these can cause liver failure in cats pretty quickly.