A Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bar is much better than the one your mother prepares at home, right? If your answer is yes, then I would like to share a very funny story with you.
Back in 2018, when I had just started my college classes, I was tempted to have my first meal at McDonald’s. However, my mother didn’t like high-end brands that sold stale food items in the name of trendy and tasty meals. So, she went with me to see what the craze was all about. After standing in a long queue for almost 40 minutes, we got two burgers.
Once my mother took a bite of the ‘Mc Aloo Tikki’ burger, she said, with her mouth half-stuffed, “Ye to main ghar pe bhi bana dungi.” It was then that I realised why manufactured products taste so much better than homemade products.
Do you know the reason? Yes, the use of chemicals makes the food last longer. Just as bread lasts much more than an apple, this phenomenon is true in the case of store-bought air fresheners and homemade air fresheners.
In this blog, we will compare store-bought and homemade air fresheners and decide which one to buy.
Ingredients in a Store Bought and DIY Air Freshener
Check out this list to see the list of ingredients in a well-known air freshener brand and BloomGreen’s products:
| Store Brought Air Freshener | DIY Air Freshener |
| Formaldehyde | Essential Oils |
| Parabens | Distilled Water |
| Phthalates | Alcohol-Free Thayer’s Witch Hazel |
| Alcohol | Ethyl Alcohol |
| Water | Baking Soda |
Woah! The ingredients used in both categories have no match! So, now we should come back to the question, “DIY vs. Store Bought Air Fresheners: Which One Works Better?” Scroll down and start reading the pros and cons of each of these ingredients.
Formaldehyde vs. Alcohol-Free Thayer’s Witch Hazel
Turn around your product to see the list of ingredients. If you find any of these ingredients, here’s a list to inform you of their ill effects and positive effects.
| Formaldehyde | Alcohol-Free Thayer’s Witch Hazel | |
| Positive | Used as a preservative to help the air freshener last longer. | Made of chemicals called tannins. |
| Used as a sterilizer. Helps disinfect surfaces. | Reduces swelling and fights bacteria. | |
| – | Naturally procured from the dried leaves, bark, and twigs of witch hazel. | |
| – | If consumed by mouth in high dosage, it might affect the liver and kidneys. | |
| Negative | Causes skin irritation due to acidic nature. | It might cause major skin irritation on sensitive skin. |
| It is a known carcinogen and can cause cancer of the nasopharynx (part of the throat.) | It is not safe for consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding. | |
| Severe exposure can cause respiratory distress and swelling in the lungs. | – | |
| Drinking as little as 30 millilitres can cause death. | – |
Parabens and Essential Oils
In the late 2010s, there was a wave among woke humans to boycott parabens because they have many ill effects on our bodies, hair, and skin. However, even after a decade, the air freshener industry highly depends on parabens. In the list below, we have mentioned the two sides of this double-edged sword.
| Parabens | Distilled Water | |
| Positive Effects | Carries out anti-microbial activities against moulds, fungi, and bacteria. | Free from contaminants like bacteria, minerals, and chemicals. |
| Reduces the risk of kidney stones due to lack of minerals. | ||
| Gentle on sensitive skin. | ||
| Negative Effects | Causes hormone disruption. | It lacks minerals that are important for the human body. |
| If inhaled in high quantity, it can drastically lower the male sperm count. | It might ‘leach’ minerals from the body due to its nature of removing essential minerals. | |
| Causes preterm birth of child. | – | |
| It might lead to breast cancer if inhaled for long hours. | – |
Alcohol vs. Ethyl Alcohol
| Alcohol | Ethyl Alcohol | |
| Positive | It may reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. | A primary-acting solvent that helps fragrance oils disperse quickly. |
| It may reduce the risk of developing diabetes. | The rapid evaporation rate makes the scent more noticeable. | |
| It may reduce the risk of developing gallstones. | Has natural antimicrobial properties which help prevent bacterial growth. | |
| Negative | Causes brain damage and conditions like stroke and dementia. | It can cause respiratory diseases if inhaled in high quantities. |
| It can cause high blood pressure and heart attacks. | Constant intake can lead to headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions. | |
| It causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can lead to pancreatitis. | Direct contact with the eyes can cause irritation and stinging. |
Phthalates and Baking Soda
Most store-bought air fresheners use phthalates, while your mother might hand you baking soda as a safe option. If you are comfortable with replacing the synthetic air freshener ingredients with baking soda, then follow this step-by-step process:
Step 1: Get some small plastic containers, preferably round in shape.
Step 2: Remove the lids of all these containers and arrange for a stove.
Step 3: Use a hot knife to drill holes in the lids of these containers.
Step 4: Ask your mother or another family member for 10-20 grams of baking soda.
Step 5: Take a measuring cup and divide the baking soda into 4 equal quantities.
Step 6: Put the baking soda powder in those containers and close the lids.
Step 7: Place these containers in every corner of your car.
Step 8: Sit back and eat anything as the baking soda would eliminate the foul odours.
Conclusion
Store-bought air fresheners save you time and effort and are often a cheap substitute for DIY air fresheners. Therefore, people tend to make the easy choice and infest their homes with several diseases related to respiration. If you don’t want to book a pulmonologist, spend time with your kids and make DIY air fresheners.
