I live in a modern 1960's house, with no fire place and poor ventilation, so keeping the house fresh is pretty important to me. A few weeks ago Nina wrote a fascinating post about the
scent she uses in her home, do follow the link to read her inspiring post. I found the post was full of great ideas, and of course, super photographs. At the end of the post she asked for ideas and I replied that I use sliced lemons with cloves and cinnamon.
Many years ago, I read about this simple idea in the
Good Things column of Martha Stewart's
Living Magazine, and I have found a link for you
here. Of all the inspiration I have taken from magazines, I find that this is the one I use most often.
It's simple, it's inexpensive and it works!
Chop up a couple of lemons, they don't have to be the freshest, ones that have been at the bottom of the fruit bowl will do. Put them in a saucepan half filled with water and add a good handful of cloves. I sometimes add a cinnamon stick as well.
Pop the pan on the stove top, once boiling turn to a simmer and leave for about 20 minutes. You will find the scent permeates throughout the house, and it is delightful, clean and fresh.
It's especially good if you have been doing a lot of stove top cooking, and there are any lingering kitchen smells. I also find it perfect on those very wet and very cold winter days, when I can't face chilling the house by opening the windows to allow a through breeze!
Nina's suggestions inspired me to try the
Yankee Candle range. I found them in my local department store in Kingston, and bought a few mini candles. I stuck the labels on the base of the candle holders, so I knew which candle I was burning. I have lit them several times and they certainly add a lovely mellow scent to the rooms. With the bonus, that there is still a faint pleasant smell in the morning. So Thank you Nina, for inspiring me, I will certainly be buying more.
 |
| It smells wonderful, and is pretty too! |
 |
| Ingredients that everyone has in their kitchen |
 |
| Old or new, both are fine |
 |
| Chop and pop in the pot |
 |
| I always add lots of cloves |
 |
| And sometimes a cinnamon stick |
 |
| My super new candles |
 |
| Wonderful scents |
 |
| Ready to be tested! |
oh what a great idea!! I love the lemon idea! and I also love many of the yankee candles I like christmas eve and also Home for the holidays....mmmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lemon idea - I've used slices of lemon in a bowl of water to clean the microwave but simmering them on the stove to freshen the house is a great idea, just what I need when I've cooked a curry especially. I'll be doing this tomorrow morning.
ReplyDeleteThank you Miss Holly and Jennifer, it is such a simple idea and it works. It's great to know that even after a curry you can get the kitchen and house smelling wonderful, really quickly!
ReplyDeleteFabulous idea, and so easy!
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
- Irina
I've never thought of doing that. What a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try it now!
ReplyDeleteOur youngest declared she wanted chips last night (for her birthday - how could I refuse?) but now the stove smells all greasy - even though I've cleaned it with white vinegar 'uuggggh' the smell of fat just lingers.
So glad you like the scented candles I use.
Have a super day,
Nina x
Thats a fantastic tip, thank you. My main complaint in the 'new' house we have is that cooking smells linger.
ReplyDeleteI also use Yankee Candles, they are sometimes more expensive than others but they work and the fragrance lasts.
Like your idea with the lemons. I have had to stop useing spray cleaners of any sort as they are affecting my breathing. Scrubbing down with boiling water and washing up liquid just doesn't leave the same fresh smell in the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteummmmm how lovely. I used to clean my microwave ( never replaced it after it broke ) by putting left over lemons in a bowl of water & heating it very hot them leaving for ten minutes. The steam helped shift oily splatters inside the microwave & the smell was lovely !
ReplyDeleteI do use scented candles & those sticks in oil things as I'm aware that we have a wet dog smell lingering !!!
I chopped a lot of onions yesterday, the kitchen was very onionny this morning, boiled some lemons and cloves, hey presto a fresh smelling home!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for such great comments, I do hope you find that this works for you too.
We're off to Ireland, very remote and rural so no Internet. I'll catch up with all your blogs when I'm back.
Jude x