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

[tomorrowisanotherdate]

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?

Same for ‘toxic’. In isolation these terms are meaningless.

Agreed.
The greenwashing marketers love using meaningless scary phrases though.

Yes ok. To clarify, my post is about the continuous air fresheners, e.g. plug-ins.

@KeinLiebeslied54321 asked if it works, if you don't know, why engage.

I've found deterrents don't work unless you spray absolutely everywhere.
They sidestep the bits with lavender and still come in.

I’m old enough to remember when your house was supposed to smell only of furniture polish, flowers, something baking in the oven, fresh coffee.

Unfortunately there was often some bristly old geezer in a tweedy jacket or a beige cardi with eggs stains down the front, stinking it out with pipe tobacco.

(I used to love the smell of pipe tobacco though!)

I hate the smell of air freshener in the toilet that someone shat a pine tree stink

When I can smell artificial scents like Zoflora, Glade and Fairy scent, I always wonder what nasties they're covering up. They certainly don't smell fresh.

You can only smell scents you perceive to be 'artificial'?

So only artificial scents can be used to cover things up?

Both DH and eldest DC hate strong smells so even perfume is out in our house unless it’s applied sparingly.
I don’t like air fresheners, but used to love incense sticks which are definitely forbidden in our house. Apparently the cause headaches 😟

I don’t have strong views on the health aspect of artificial air fresheners - after all, as others have pointed out, we all do things that are unhealthy because we like them. I just don’t like the smell!

I like having the air around me and my clothes not to smell of anything much. Then my nose is ‘fresh’, for want of a better term, to appreciate passing smells - a pot of rosemary I just bought from the supermarket, my son’s hair when I cuddle him, the smell of earth when I pot up plants, my nice hand soap, cooking with spices, a freshly poured hoppy beer…

You'd think this was common sense 👏.

But apparently we're all meant to like/dislike the same things.

Wonder if people who avoid these scents also avoid body cream, perfume,
Loo bleach, swimming pools for the chlorine, alcohol, processed food, air travel, car use, etc....
all the stuff that pollutes the environment.

There's always the name calling just because people make different choices, so predictable!

People who use fresheners, eat processed food, drink alcohol or smoke aren't brainless as some have charmingly put it.

Just as an addict knows drugs can kill, they still choose to do it. We have intelligent people in parliament, top of their professions etc taking drugs for one, so being brainless isn't the reason. Nice try.

Most things that are bad for us, we do as they bring us comfort.
So just as no chemicals give you comfort,
it's the reverse for others.

People like different things. It's a choice and unless you're Kim Jon Un, people are free to make their own choices.

I don’t think ‘craft’ businesses are inherently better. You’re putting words in my mouth.

So because your home is fresh to you, you assume everyone else's smells like yours?

You really couldn't think why some people choose to use air fresheners?

Do you wonder why people do most things differently to you or is it just air fresheners?

No lavender is disgusting because it stinks and old ladies wear it.

That clearer for you?

HTH

The same question goes to those who smoke and vape.

but at least my home smells nice. Smokers don’t

Because I thought some fun at the expense of the scaremongering would be mildly amusing. And as the poster and I agree on this thread, it didn’t seem outrageous.

I’m not sure you understood, TBH.

🤷‍♀️

Bottom line is people have different opinions, who'd have thought it!

You implied it.

No you read into it what wasn’t there. Anyway, I’ve clarified it for you. HTH

👏👏👏.

What other answer other than "it smells nice" do you expect? It is the most reasonable one.

I help out an elderly relative and am liberal with the bleach to get rid of the smell of pee and use tons of fabric conditioner on clothes for the same reason. I didn’t give it a second thought before reading this thread. Does anyone have any healthier solutions?

No, quite honestly. I had to do the same when my dad was still here, dementia made him doubly incontinent and he would refuse to wash.

I don’t think anything natural would shift it. I had to use all sorts of stuff that I didn’t really want to just to give him a bit of dignity.

You just have to do what you can to help them, it’s so undignified to have someone smell of urine.

Enzyme cleaner (the pet stuff) and dettol laundry sanitizer
Not necessarily more natural but less covering and more removing