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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not understand why people spend money to pollute their homes with pointless chemicals?

563 replies

tomorrowisanotherdate · 30/03/2024 19:26

scent boosters, to go in laundry, air fresheners that squirt puffs of pollutants at you - the tv is full of adverts for these things, so presumably someone is buying them. I just don't get it though. Loading your family's home atmosphere with a load of unnecessary and unpleasant air pollutants, and paying for the privilege? Why?

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 01/04/2024 16:08

@Ponderingwindow - unless there's something seriously wrong with your cat, he or she can self clean very effectively.

Soaps and detergents can harm cats.

Wellhellooooodear · 01/04/2024 15:20

tomorrowisanotherdate · 30/03/2024 19:37

water and human beings are not really air pollutants

You haven't had to sit next to my repugnant smelling boss in a tiny office. I feel like dousing him in zoflora!

fieldsofbutterflies · 01/04/2024 15:16

Ponderingwindow · 01/04/2024 15:10

no, I suggested those products clean the home and remove smells in general. Even vinegar and baking soda can be used as air fresheners in their own ways.

clean your dog by giving it a bath with a dog safe shampoo. For the dog’s own good, I would expect it to include as few additives as possible including being fragrance free. For my cats, I use the same body wash I use on myself. It’s perfectly safe, low-foaming, and easy to use.

Why are you bathing your cats? Confused

Ponderingwindow · 01/04/2024 15:10

justasking111 · 01/04/2024 15:03

Are you suggesting people dunk their dogs in this solution 😂

no, I suggested those products clean the home and remove smells in general. Even vinegar and baking soda can be used as air fresheners in their own ways.

clean your dog by giving it a bath with a dog safe shampoo. For the dog’s own good, I would expect it to include as few additives as possible including being fragrance free. For my cats, I use the same body wash I use on myself. It’s perfectly safe, low-foaming, and easy to use.

justasking111 · 01/04/2024 15:03

Ponderingwindow · 01/04/2024 14:06

plain soap, vinegar, and baking soda in various combinations will clean just about anything.

vinegar is my go-to smell fixer
the briny smell dissipates quickly

Are you suggesting people dunk their dogs in this solution 😂

Ponderingwindow · 01/04/2024 14:06

KeinLiebeslied54321 · 01/04/2024 05:11

Clearly opening windows helps keep places fresh, but sometimes more is needed to clean stubborn/persistent odours!

plain soap, vinegar, and baking soda in various combinations will clean just about anything.

vinegar is my go-to smell fixer
the briny smell dissipates quickly

EarthlyNightshade · 01/04/2024 13:40

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:12

EarthlyNightshade · Today 10:57

So long as you are this worked up about everything that is damaging the environment and causing problems for people with allergies, etc. then that's fine.

Are you?

I can spray/burn what ever i want in my own home, thank you.

Was that a name change fail?
I thought I was addressing a different poster.

Gettingbysomehow · 01/04/2024 12:35

I hate them, they smell fake and disgusting. I have a pure essential oil diffuser I might put on for an hour if the house is in a fug and if it's not freezing I'll just throw open the windows.
The only chemical I use in my house is the cat pee neutraliser as my older cat is getting old and has a tendency to pee on things when she is asleep. But I have a good upholstery cleaner to use also.

fieldsofbutterflies · 01/04/2024 12:32

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:15

Nobbynobbs.
No, only where i am and add water smells amazing!

Please stop doing this - it's a huge fire risk.

haveyoutriedturningitoffandonagain · 01/04/2024 12:26

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:08

love fairy scent boosters! My laundry smells amazing.
I also love Zoflora, wax melts, plug ins, reed diffusers….
it smells nice and it smells clean

Me too, love them, smells of fresh washed babies and all things clean, i even burn them in my oil burner.

ERM.. the fairy unstoppables say not to heat ocer 30 degrees C. It doesn't say don't melt/burn them because I assume they thought people wouldn't be that silly

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:20

peleton2024
It's safer to buy the scent booster scented wax melts, loads of businesses do dupes of them in soy wax
It's a huge fire hazard and they're not meant to be burned

Am aware, i just dont like the smells of them.

peloton2024 · 01/04/2024 12:17

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:15

Nobbynobbs.
No, only where i am and add water smells amazing!

It's safer to buy the scent booster scented wax melts, loads of businesses do dupes of them in soy wax
It's a huge fire hazard and they're not meant to be burned

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:15

Nobbynobbs.
No, only where i am and add water smells amazing!

NobbyNobbs · 01/04/2024 12:12

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:08

love fairy scent boosters! My laundry smells amazing.
I also love Zoflora, wax melts, plug ins, reed diffusers….
it smells nice and it smells clean

Me too, love them, smells of fresh washed babies and all things clean, i even burn them in my oil burner.

You're joking, right?

Even in the usual bun-fight spirit of Mumsnet, you're joking about putting those scent boosters in your burner?

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:12

EarthlyNightshade · Today 10:57

So long as you are this worked up about everything that is damaging the environment and causing problems for people with allergies, etc. then that's fine.

Are you?

I can spray/burn what ever i want in my own home, thank you.

GoodnightAdeline · 01/04/2024 12:10

EarthlyNightshade · 01/04/2024 10:57

So long as you are this worked up about everything that is damaging the environment and causing problems for people with allergies, etc. then that's fine.

Are you?

Do you care about some things more than others?

GoodnightAdeline · 01/04/2024 12:09

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:08

love fairy scent boosters! My laundry smells amazing.
I also love Zoflora, wax melts, plug ins, reed diffusers….
it smells nice and it smells clean

Me too, love them, smells of fresh washed babies and all things clean, i even burn them in my oil burner.

😱

Barney60 · 01/04/2024 12:08

love fairy scent boosters! My laundry smells amazing.
I also love Zoflora, wax melts, plug ins, reed diffusers….
it smells nice and it smells clean

Me too, love them, smells of fresh washed babies and all things clean, i even burn them in my oil burner.

Thisgroupneverceasestoamazeme · 01/04/2024 11:19

tomorrowisanotherdate · 30/03/2024 19:35

well, it might be your opinion that it smells nice, but objectively, it cannot smell "clean". It is contaminated, and smells contaminated. Maybe you like the smell, but you can't call it clean

You’ve actually answered your own question in this post and the one before when you used the phrases/words ‘IMO’ and ‘opinion’. People have different opinions and different priorities. HTH solves this deep rooted conundrum for you.

fieldsofbutterflies · 01/04/2024 11:00

crumbledog · 01/04/2024 10:23

Likewise something marketed as desirable and ‘fresh’ smelling isn’t necessarily pleasant to be around.

Yep - I never said otherwise :)

EarthlyNightshade · 01/04/2024 10:57

wotsistmum90 · 31/03/2024 21:04

But it is hurting people, that's the point!

Read the thread back - lots of people talking about allergies, asthma and infertility linked to these things. Not to mention the huge damage done to the environment. So it's not each to their own when every single river in the UK is polluted with this stuff.

I have seen no answer on this thread other than 'because it smells nice' or 'because we can'. The selfishness is unbelievable.

So long as you are this worked up about everything that is damaging the environment and causing problems for people with allergies, etc. then that's fine.

Are you?

BlueFlowers5 · 01/04/2024 10:47

I use essential oils to make my home smell nice. They are natural and it's relaxing..

crumbledog · 01/04/2024 10:23

fieldsofbutterflies · 01/04/2024 09:37

Just because something is natural doesn't mean it's enjoyable or pleasant to be around.

Likewise something marketed as desirable and ‘fresh’ smelling isn’t necessarily pleasant to be around.

Quatty · 01/04/2024 09:51

Indeed.
and yet women are encouraged to wear scented panty liners and the like to keep ‘fresh’ when actually those types of perfumed products can play havoc with our biology and intimate health.

fieldsofbutterflies · 01/04/2024 09:37

Quatty · 01/04/2024 09:27

We’ve been conditioned through marketing to believe that any natural smells from our houses or our bodies are bad and need to be masked with fake ‘fresh’ scents.

Just because something is natural doesn't mean it's enjoyable or pleasant to be around.