As many of you know I was sent bottles Air Wick Aqua Mist (Air Freshener) to sample with family and friends, so I hosted a sniffing party with my neighbours which I mentioned here. I also handed bottles to each of my 6 work colleagues in the team I work with.
Many of these people regularly purchase air freshening products. I myself don't as I'm on a tight budget and use ecalyptus oil, bicarb and vinegar to clean. Plus I keep my windows open when I'm home. Also air fresheners sometimes trigger asthma in The Rambling Expat. However I put up my hand to try a product for FREE and give it a Review, so I tested it myself at home.
I found the new Air Wick Aqua Mist to be mild and soft. I hasn't triggered coughing in my family and the smell is not as throat grabbing intense and artificial smelling as other popular products from the supermarket shelf which I smell at work or friends homes.
These are the three scents I received and tried out:
- Wild Lavender & Mountain Breeze (lavender, herbs, chamomile and precious woods.)
- Fresh Waters (ocean waters and sparkling citrus.)
- Magnolia & Cherry Blossom (magnolia, cherry blossom, apple and jasmine).
I found all 3 scents to be very pleasant. My absolute favourite is Fresh Waters. It's a very light scent that doesn't smell overly feminine. It smells fresh and uplifting. I placed brackets around (Air Freshener) because these can actually be used on some fabrics such as clothing and furniture. I know I will find my bottles of Air Wick Aqua Mist to very be useful when the wet season is in full swing and our clothes get that musty mouldy odour when it rains day, after day, after day. And I could have done with this is my wild and crazy nightclubbing cigarette smoking heydays.
My neighbours have also enjoyed the scents and their favourite has been diverse. Some like Lavender, others Cherry Blossom and some prefer Fresh Waters. My work colleagues have also given lots of positive feedback on the scents, packaging and dispersion of the Air Wick Aqua Mist.
Don't worry, I have not buried my head in the sand. I will say ecologically/sustainably, purchased air fresheners and many of those home made varieties are not environmentally sound. However, if you already purchase air fresheners this seems to be one of the better choices on the supermarket shelf. The new Air Wick Aqua Mist is non aerosol so that is a major plus. You can also re-use or recycle the spray plastic bottle, which is a good thing. As for the ingredients listed, there is a lot of debate on the web and a lot of it is heavily chemistry jargoned and hard to understand. I have learnt the ingredients are not great however they are not the worst in the air freshener world. So my neighbours and friends who LOVE air fresheners can make baby steps to be slightly more eco with their supermarket choices and now select Air Wick Aqua Mist. And hopefully as demand for ecological products increase, popular brands will rise to the occasion and offer better choices.
As for me and my 3 bottles. I will use them sparingly and they will last 2 or 3 years. I will then reuse the spray bottle because I'm eco frugal like that. And I'm glad Soup and Air Wick gave me the opportunity to put my hand up to Try, Review, Giveaway and Educate myself on Air Wick Aqua Mist and other household products in the process.
Now for my BEST GIVEAWAY EVER on my blog, for Australian Residents. Soup and Air Wick gave me some money to run a Giveaway Comp, so this is it!
You need to leave a comment below telling me "What is your best tip for keeping your home looking and feeling fresh."
The Best Entry will win a $200 Coles Myer Gift Voucher!!! How cool is that! A bit of cash to spend now, so you can get ahead with your budget for those important things in life. And that's not all!!! I have a second prize of a $100 Coles Myer Voucher and amazingly a 3rd Prize of a $50 Coles Myer Voucher.
Terms and Conditions:
- To keep it equitable, I've asked lovely Dana from the Soup team to select my winner.
- If you are not one of my lovely followers you must leave your email address in case you're the winner. But best to follow me to save yourself the hassle ;-)
- Open to Australian residents only. (Sorry to all my international followers and readers)
- One entry only per person.
- Competition ends on Tuesday 29 November 2011, 11:59pm Darwin Time.
- If my winners do not respond to my emails within 7 days then the prize will be redrawn.
Good Luck :-)
gosh what a wonderful giveaway! I am an avid follower, and always enjoy your blog. I think the wild lavender and mountain breeze sounds like it would be my favorite. Now for my favorite tip: I find our upholstered couches and recliners can get a bit musty smelling as you mentioned. What breeds smell is bacteria, so I occasionally spray the headrest area with a spray like glen 20 which actually gets rid of the problem, rather than just masking it. Tea tree and eucalyptus oil can also be used as a more environmentally friendly option, just test for stains first.. I purchased towels the same color as my furniture (dark brown) and lay those over the seats and headrests of the recliners we use every day. These are washed weekly with all the towels, thus reducing the amount of sweat that actually gets onto the furniture. These can be whipped off when visitors arrive, revealing the fresh clean furniture underneath.I know it is an icky subject, but this is the tropics, and sweat happens....
ReplyDeleteCool Comp: Fresh as what exactly is the question??? In my house with a husband and 3 small children - the answer is not one but many........ I guess in order to keep MY home looking and feeling fresh these 3 main things need to be done if nothing else:
ReplyDelete1: Run the vaccum over the floor
2: Do the dishes
3: Do a load of washing
This way even despite my busy household the floor is always clean for my children to play on and with white tiles throughout inviting to the unannounced guest despite the chaos that looms, the kitchen sink is tidy and a cuppa can always be made and cups just rinsed without having to empty a sink full of dishes and last but not least with all the windows open a fresh washed lot of laundry always invites a lovely smelling breeze (for a couple of hours at least). Im no expert at keeping it fresh all the time of course......but i do like to try!
Lisa emmnat2@yahoo.com.au
Hi,I have to agree with Africanaussie and say what a wonderful giveaway! My favourite tip would be to open your windows and have clean floors. I was told this when I first moved out on my own, clean floors make your house look tidy even when its not at its best and open windows allow the air to circulate (billowing curtains dont look bad either!)
ReplyDeleteHi wonderful blog you have here lovin all your frugal tips. I love to keep my house smelling fresh by having small vases of fresh picked herbs and flowers sitting by my kitchen sink, so i can smell and admire the natural beauty daily. I also put drops of orange oil down sink drains and the toilet to get a nice citrus smell happening..
ReplyDeletetiffany.okazaki@gmail.com
Hi! Thanks for the giveaway, how timely for Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI think the best tip for actively scenting your house is to simmer a couple or oranges or lemons on the stove top. The scent is incredible, lasts a couple of days, and afterwards you can toss them into the food processor along with some almond meal or flour and turn them into a cake! Perfect.
I keep my home smelling fresh by also opening all windows to let air circulate through. Secondly, I re-use empty jars, fill approximately 1/3 with bicarb soda, and some drops of eucalyptus oil, and punch holes in the jar lids (plastic jars work well for this, like nutella jars) I leave jars around the house, usually in areas of potential smell - near the bin, bathroom etc. This really does help keep my home smelling, and feeling fresh and clean.
ReplyDeleteI re-arrange my house OFTEN, it makes me clean where things have been and it feels fresh and clean. I usually have a scented candle lit while doing it so it smells clean and they say a change is as good as a holiday!
ReplyDeleteMy favouite way to keep my home clean and fresh is to get up early and open all the windows and doors to air out the house and get rid of cooking and night time smells, then I would go outside and pick a few flowers and leafy branches and scatter little vases of flowers around the house. In the evening I like to light scented candles - divine.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying all your ideas on your blog I also need to tighten the food budget which is hard to do with a husband and 4 teenage boys to feed but I am inspired and will do my best!! Thanks, Helena
The way I keep my home looking clean and fresh is to a quick basic tiday each morning. Beds made, Dishes done, Floors swept and a quick spot mop open up the house for fresh air! Having 3 kidlets under 4 makes this so important for my day to run smoothly!
ReplyDeleteHaving a 9 month old kitten with long hair going through her first shed....I made friends with my clothes brush. Besides tidying my clothes (black jumper + white cat = problem!), it also does my sofa, ottoman, mat on the floor (better than a vacuum), quilt top and curtains. It's quick, easy effort (I often do the ottoman while watching television), and strangely quite therapeutic. Oh, and it gets not just cat hair, but a lot of dust too so my place is cleaner than ever!
ReplyDeleteI live in two houses, so it is really hard to keep them both feeling fresh. My best tip is to always have clean floors and regularly wash the window screens - not just the glass. It really brings the outside in.
ReplyDeleteIt is a constant battle with 2 inside dogs to contend with (although I do adore them) so I like to open the windows, put a few drops of sandalwood essential oil in the vacuum bag and hoover away. I end up with a clean floor and a gentle touch of aroma. It is not too overwhelming just fresh enough for me to feel like I have made a big impact in a short time.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a rubbish bin inside my home. I put rubbish into bags and take it straight to the wheelie bin.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a big believer in open windows and doors to get all that fresh air inside and I love bunches of flowers and scented foliage scattered about the traps.
Loving the frugality!
Oh i nearly missed this give away, thanks for the heads up. My tip for making the house smell fresh is the aroma of freshly cooked bread and fresh flowers from your garden (mmmm does that make you hungry?). Cleaning things with vinegar diluted with water is also my way of ridding nasty aromas along with the windows open too.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that if you strike a match in the bathroom those offensive smells will disappear?
ReplyDeleteDishes Done
ReplyDeleteBeds Made
Floors swept/mopped
scented candles/fresh air
All these things are what keeps my home looking and feeling fresh.
The odd times the bloke around the house gets outside and tidies up it looks and feels even better.
"What is your best tip for keeping your home looking and feeling fresh.
ReplyDeletePlenty of breeze, scented candles from L'Occitane (quite expensive but have lovely scent that will get rid of ABSOLUTELY every nasty odor) , spray lavender oil in cupboards (for that "Mediterranean/ South of France feel) and have lovely potpourri made with cinnamon sticks, dried orange peels and other aromatic plants (inexpensive, lots of fun to make with the kids) There are lots of natural alternatives to nasty chemicals, just follow your nose and make your room fresh and pleasant to live in. Nathalie D.
My tip in keeping the house clean and smelling great is having a retired husband at home to clean and have scented plants planted near all your open windows.
ReplyDeleteHelen.L
"What is your best tip for keeping your home looking and feeling fresh.
ReplyDeleteFresh Linen and a good vacuum and dust. The whole house smells fresh with newly washed sheets, especially sun dried sheets! Vacuuming always makes my house look great and then just a quick dust over the surfaces. Tracey S.
My favourite way for the house to loooking clean and fresh - is using my citrus sprays, whenever possible having windows and doors open to allow the freshness of outside to enter. Also vacuuming and having clear surfaces helps the house feel more like a home/haven.
ReplyDeleteLynne
coe.house@hotmail.com