What does home smell like to you?
Is it the smell of a homemade meal? Or maybe it’s the smell of fabric softener floating on a warm breeze that makes you close your eyes and inhale deeply.
Is it the smell of cigarette smoke that curls and dances from your mother’s cigarette as it makes its way toward the ceiling? Or maybe, it’s the smell of Windex on a Saturday morning while Šaban Šaulić blasts in the background. I think all first-generation Balkan kids living in the diaspora can relate to some part of this.
Home to me smells like a fresh breeze coming through an open window. Like Fabuloso, and Pine-Sol, and Šaban on repeat. Like Krompir Paprikas, and Sarma, and roasted peppers.
But even though I associate all of those smells with home, now that I have my own, I like to make sure my home smells fresh, clean, and welcoming for my guests. Sure, there are thousands of scented candles to choose from, but I prefer a natural scent when having guests; you never know if someone is sensitive to smell or allergic.
So here is my go-to easy natural air freshener that can be used year-round.
Gather up some orange and lemon peels and toss them in a small saucepan filled 2/3 of the way with water. Add a splash of vanilla and a clove or two if you have some around. Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Make sure the peels are submerged. When the liquid comes to a boil, lower the heat to your lowest setting and simmer on the stove for as long as you’d like ( I do usually about an hour).
Do you have any natural air freshener ideas? I’m always looking for tips and tricks to add to my homemaking toolbox. Drop a comment below, I can’t wait to read your suggestions.
Enjoy!
