Does the essential oils on cotton wool thing really work?

[wondering7777]

I’m desperate for my house to smell lovely over Christmas. I’ve read that a few drops of essential oil on a cotton wool ball, plonked on top of the radiator, really works. Has anyone tried this and if so, how strong is the scent and does it really work? I’m sick of spending a fortune on scented candles so am looking for a cheaper and more effective option!

Not tried that myself. I have just made a pile of reed diffusers though. I got the Augeo base, reeds and essential oils from eBay. I used a mix of old glass diffuser containers and Beskara vases from IKEA. From the price of 1 fancy diffuser I have enough for 11! They smell lovely and you can customise the scent how you like. I have a festive scent for downstairs and a relaxing scent for our bedroom. Being so much cheaper I can have more than 1 in the living room so get a good scent throw across the room.

No, it doesn’t in my experience!

Just buy a nice Diffuser instead!

It does! You can also mix fabric softener with water in a spray bottle and spray that on the radiators. Gives off a wonderful scent when they’re on.

Be careful if you have pets

Be careful if you have pets

@Potentialmadcatlady I do have a cat - would the oil affect him?

I love my oil diffuser. However - if you want a cheap way to make your house smell lovely and christmassy I can recommend the febreze cinnamon and apple air spray. Its about £2.50 and it lasts for ages. I used it the other morning and my friend came in about an hour later and asked if I'd been baking christmas cakes. She immediately went out to buy some.

I know some people hate air fresheners but its a lot cheaper than using the oils.

I think it does work but has no longevity. Reed diffusers last longer with little effort.

@wondering7777 you do need to be careful if you have cats

www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/kittens-cats/cats-and-essential-oils

I always find that adding another smell just makes it worse - the original smell is still there with extra on top. What's the actual problem with your place OP?

Thanks for the heads up on the risk to cats - I had no idea. I will steer clear of using oils and will give the fabric conditioner spray a try instead - as long as it doesn’t make my radiators sticky!

@SpoonBlender I’m not sure what the problem is really - it’s just an old house and smells “old” and tired. I did paint a few rooms with Little Greene, which I was hoping would give a nice, fresh new paint smell - but it turns out their paints aren’t scented!

I’ve also had some new curtains in the lounge that smell a bit odd and would like to get those smelling better if I can.

Carpet/underlays perhaps? Any damp or cold walls (which also means damp)? That's the usual source of undefined mustiness. Worth a scout around.

Yes it does work!
A drop of lavender or similar on a tissue on top of the radiator is great.

I learnt this when an inpatient and the nurses did it for everyone who had problems sleeping

Open the windows for 5 minutes every day in the morning. Gets fresh air blowing through the house and won't lose you too much heat.

Agree carpets could be a source of "old" smells. You could hire a carpet cleaner or buy a steam cleaner.

@PurpleFrames glad I wasn't on that ward. They'd have been cleaning up puke for days. Lavender is a major migraine trigger for me (and a lot of people).

Heating orange peel and cinnamon sticks in water on the stove is another one

I use an oil burner OP. I find wax melts and candles don’t quite get the job done. But a few drops of essential oil in a oil burner works an absolute treat!

I don’t like leaving candles out of my site though, not even to pop upstairs and put washing away. I’m such a paranoid person if I’m not in the same room as the candle I blow it out so I’m looking for an alternative.

Might try the cotton wool job, but I also have a cat so will read the PP link first!

Rub a festive zoflora on the radiators 😍

I work in a shop that sells diffusers and beautiful scented candles. Highly recommend diffusers

Just remember when you're doing this that a lot of these chemicals are really not that safe. Essential oils in a diffuser or a mister are much better.

From Zoflora's own website!

www.zoflora.co.uk/media/28211/zoflora-fresh-home.pdf

fabric conditioner

Essential oils are very dangerous. Don’t go chucking those around undiluted. Oil and water doesn’t mix so you can’t dilute oil in a sprayer.

Open windows regularly and change the stale air. Washing soft furnishings and carpets helps.

I have an essential oil diffuser like you get in a salon and it smells amazing, lasts for ages

If something smells bad just clean it?

Artificial scents are not good for anyone. Your health, the environment, your pets, your children, your bank balance...

Bake bread, get some plants etc

Essential oils aren't artificial. Put some on a cotton wool ball and hoover it up then it scents the room as you hoover it.