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Laundry commercials can be pretty entertaining—images of flowers and sunshine amidst a backdrop of snowy mountains promise your laundry will be as fresh as a day in the Alps if you use their product. But those man-made chemicals may be harmful to you and your family, and they don’t hold a candle to real, natural freshness (that is actually good for you). Instead, you can make your own linen spray so your clothes smell fresh without all the chemicals.
This recipe is a natural alternative to the chemical options. It uses essential oils to leave fabrics smelling clean and fresh, without artificial fragrances.
DIY Linen Spray or… Chemical Soup?
Homemade laundry detergent gets clothes clean without chemicals, but it does have one significant drawback—the scent doesn’t stick around for very long. We all love our laundry to not only look clean and fresh but to smell that way too. And natural scents like essential oils just don’t last as long as conventional detergents’ artificial chemicals. (It’s kind of freaky how strong those scents are and how long they last!)
Laundry washed in conventional detergent may smell nice, but it hardly seems worth risking brain cell death. One study analyzing over 90 fragrances reports that these artificial scents may mutate cells in the body and may even contribute to autism.
The scent of this spray won’t last a whole week (and then some) like the conventional options, but it’s easy to reach for whenever a boost of natural freshness is needed. And you will be keeping your home safe from unwanted artificial fragrances.
And there are no harmful side effects… in fact, only good ones.
Essential Oil DIY Linen Spray: Double Duty
Linen spray is nice to have around not only for laundry but for bigger fabric items that can’t go in the washing machine: carpets, bedding, sofas, pillows… even a child’s favorite life-size teddy bear.
As a bonus, essential oils don’t just mask the scent but, thanks to their antimicrobial properties, actually work against the bacteria that cause unpleasant odors. They also provide some amazing benefits to our well-being.
A few key players in this spray are:
- Lavender – A gentle microbial essential oil that disinfects and cleanses while calming and uplifting the mind.
- Citrus oil (lemon) – It has similar benefits as lavender oil but is more invigorating and uplifting as it cleanses surfaces.
- White fir – This calming and grounding oil also boasts antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
- Cypress – Known for its ability to help ground your emotions, this woodsy-smelling oil is a great addition to help relieve stress.
These essential oils combine to create an uplifting, calming, and refreshing linen spray with notes of woodsy, citrus, and floral scents.
Other Uses for Homemade Linen Spray
This spray can be used for other things besides freshening up laundry or items that can’t be washed. You can use this any time you need an air freshener or want to spritz your pillowcases.
Before bed, you can use a lavender linen spray to spritz on your bedding. This can help you drift off to sleep because of the relaxing properties of lavender. Just add a few drops of lavender to some water in a glass bottle. Keep it by your bed and use it each night.
Do you ever have to iron clothes? One of my favorite hacks is to use this spray when I’m ironing. Not only will it help get the wrinkles out of your clothes, but it will also make them smell fresh.
Need to pick-me-up? Make some spray with peppermint or eucalyptus and use it as a room spray in the afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some answers to the common questions I get about this recipe:
How do you make your own linen spray?
This linen spray recipe is super simple to make. You might already have most of the ingredients in your home. It only takes a few minutes to mix up a few items and add your essential oils, then your fabrics and clothes will be smelling fresh. This way, you can customize your spray with your favorite scents.
You will need a glass spray bottle to store it in. Because of their potency, essential oils don’t store well in plastic. This recipe calls for an 8-ounce bottle, but you are welcome to make this in smaller batches in a smaller bottle.
Can you make natural linen spray without alcohol?
Water and essential oils don’t mix well, so the vodka works to disperse the oil throughout the spray. You can substitute the vodka for witch hazel. In addition, if you have rubbing alcohol, you can also use that.
While it won’t last as long, you can make this with just water and essential oils. Since you’ll want to use the water-only version quickly, you will probably want to make a smaller batch. You can use a 2-ounce spray bottle and reduce the water and drops of essential oils as well. Or, to extend the shelf life, you can also use distilled water.
Can you use different essential oils?
Yes! DIY recipes are flexible and you can tailor them to your needs and what you have on hand. If you don’t have any of the oils listed above or prefer different scents, feel free to mix and match and use your favorite essential oils in your DIY spray.
These were chosen for their calming and grounding properties, but other essential oils have different benefits and work well for other needs. Other ideas are bergamot, grapefruit, ylang-ylang, or cedarwood.
Is it safe to use around pets?
If you have pets, you will want to read more about using essential oils around your furry friends. It is safe to spray this around your pets, although you will want to take some precautions.
DIY Linen Spray Recipe
A light, natural fragrance for freshening fabrics—keep on hand for sheets, towels, pillowcases, and more!
Yield: 1 8 oz spray bottle
Instructions
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Combine the vodka and essential oils in the spray bottle, and give it a good swirl to combine. Let it sit for 15 minutes for scents to combine. Shake again.
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Add water until almost full, leaving about ½ inch of space at the top.
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Cap the bottle and shake again to combine.
Notes
Storage: With the alcohol, this spray will last for months without the need for refrigeration.
What’s your favorite way to keep fabrics smelling fresh? What are your favorite essential oils for your DIY linen spray?
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