If we believe all the commercials for scented candles, plug-in air fresheners and aerosol bombs, one thing is for sure: people are seriously concerned about keeping their homes smelling fresh and clean! But all those chemicals aren't great for you or your family, at all; instead, try some all natural ideas for keeping your home smelling so fresh and so clean.

Dressers and Drawers

Slip bundles of fresh-smelling flowers and herbs like dried lavender, rose petals or even cedar wood into your drawers to keep your linens smelling fresh. Simply wrap your desired flowers and herbs in a small piece of muslin cloth and tie the bundle with a piece of string. Bury the bundle in your drawer and forget about it for six months, at which point you should unwrap it, dispose of the old flowers and herbs, wash the muslin and reuse it with new herbs or flowers. If fabrics have already taken on some unpleasant odors, try some of these tips.

Rooms

As an air freshener for bedrooms or living rooms, old-fashioned potpourri works wonders. But instead of buying the ready-made kind, assemble your own! A great make-your-own potpourri guide is available online, but of course, this is just a jumping-off point. Any of your favorite scented flowers can be used in this recipe to create your own potpourri. Place it in pretty, wide containers so that the potpourri gives off its scent throughout the room.

If you're not that into DIY, you can, of course, simply select scented candles that are made from organic materials, like those from Neom Organics. Reed diffusers, room mists and candles are all available for order online.

Kitchens

Your kitchen probably already smells amazing most of the time, but after cooking strong-smelling dishes like curries or garlicky meals, you may want to soften up some of those odors wafting about. What better way to do it than via a natural, sweet-smelling method? Drop a fresh cinnamon stick into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and allow to sit on the stovetop, uncovered, for about half an hour. Soon your entire house will smell like Christmas!

Bathrooms

As much as we hate to admit it, bathrooms are perhaps the room in the house that most need attention from sweet-smelling additions. To do this, hammer a nail or a hook into the back of the bathroom door. Tie a large bundle of fresh mint or lavender with string, and hang from the nail. Replace it when the mint or lavender dries out, and keep the bathroom door closed to allow the herbs to do their magic.

image: Drab Makyo