Turning Green & Saving Green in New Brunswick: They Stink! The End of my Love Affair with Air Fresheners

This is my stash of 5 air fresheners and their refill packages I found around my home in just 30 seconds. I am positive I have other refill packages lurking in my other drawers. Many people join me in loving their air fresheners, plug-in room deodorizers, room sprays, and aromatherapy candles. Candles...I love them...I am not even going to go there. I notice air freshener ads are constantly on TV and now I know why, it is a huge business. According to ResearchandMarkets.com, by 2013, the global air fresheners market is forecast to have a value of $6.5 billion, an increase of 25% since 2008.

I started to wonder what exactly is in these sweet smelling containers? How much energy do the plugins use? How much would I save if I kicked the habit?

Based on my research from the sites linked below air fresheners can contain:

Allergens, potential carcinogens such as acetaldehyde or styrene, dangerous substances such as toluene and chlorbenzene, glycol ethers, phthalates (chemicals that manufacturers use as plastic softeners and to hold fragrances. California and Washington have banned the sale of children's toys containing phthalates because of their link to hormonal disruptions) and artificial musk.
Paradichchlorobenzene (a white, solid crystal) has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, and phenol (carbolic acid) is flammable, corrosive and very toxic.
Formaldehyde (admitted by the EPA to be a cause of cancer), and benzene (a carcinogen for which the WHO recommends zero exposure), may hang around the air after the use of several types of incense or electric scenter.
Most of these chemicals have never been the subject of an in-depth toxicological study or studies surrounding their effects on health and the environment.
Air fresheners and laundry products emitted almost 100 different volatile organic compounds (VOC) chemicals linked to kidney damage, liver damage and damage to the central nervous system.
Natural air fresheners, or those that are advertised as "green," "organic" or made with "essential oils," aren't any safer. A 2010 study confirmed that many of these so-called natural air fresheners, whether sold as gels, solids, sprays or plug-ins released toxic, hazardous or cancer-causing chemicals.

I will not re-plug in those air fresheners even if only one of the above were true. In addition, I spend about $8 on the freshmatic refills and about $6 on the double pack refills. So my picture above alone contains roughly $40. Not to mention the packaging garbage and waste. Uggg! That is sad. This blog was worth it to my family in discovering this.

So what will make my house smell pretty? What are my options?

The obvious option is opening a window.
Using natural deodorizers to break down smells. Baking soda and borax are probably the best known of these. Open a box of baking soda in the refrigerator or toss a tablespoon tossed in the bottom of a trash can. I love borax and will most likely write a whole post about it's benefits.
Cleaning with an acidic cleaner containing lemon oil or vinegar will also remove many household smells.
Fresh coffee grounds, orange peel or lemon on the counter.
Boil some cinnamon and/or cloves on the stovetop. Some people advise simmering the peel of an orange or other citrus fruit in water. You can get creative with natural spices and fruits -- vanilla extract, cardamon, bay leaves, sage, rose petals or other botanicals can be boiled in water or used as potpourri. Turn on the fan while on the stove to move the smell around the house.
Another tip. Pour 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of water into a small bowl. Add about a tablespoon of nice-smelling spices such as cinnamon or whole cloves. Keep this bowl near a heat source (such as a sunny window) and wait. The vinegar will evaporates and your home will be filled with the scent of the spices.

So what about energy savings? How much do plugins use?

Most sites say the basic plugin uses between 1 watt and 2 watts of energy. According to one, using 1 watt each they are on 7/24 so that amounts to 8,766 watt hours or 8.766 KWh. Depending on how much it costs for power that could be $1.41 per plugin air freshner per year.
The Glade Plug-in uses 2.1 watts of energy. The fancier ones with nightlights can use over 3.5 watts.
According to richardsona.squarespace.com, to power a year’s worth of Glade Plug-Ins requires almost 26 million gallons of oil, or 613,000 barrels. This not even counting the amount of energy and resources required to produce the Plug-Ins in the first place. Scary!