(I have some Colorado things to post about, but my computer is giving me fits with the videos. Maybe it will work for tomorrow. Until then, enjoy this post.)
This house is old. If memory serves, it was built in 1932, so it’s almost eighty years old. It has an odor, especially in the summer when the humidity opens its pores and sets the mildew spores free. (Isn’t that a lovely mental image?)
When Brad and I were at a garden center last week, he looked at plants and I looked at the knick-knacks. In one area they had a whole ‘odor removing’ system – sprays, candles, and an interesting little jar filled with liquid and beads. It claimed to remove odors just by existing, but it cost $15 and that’s too much for me to pay for a miracle.
I read the ‘ingredients’ list and it turned out it had water and a bunch of essential oils, and I was pretty sure those beads were the water-holding variety. Luckily we were in a place where they just sold the beads ($5), and I already had some essential oils at home! Woo-hoo! I was about to save ten bucks and make a big mess! Win-win for me.
They start out pretty tiny – I barely covered a third of the bottom of each container:
I poured in water and several drops of my lemon oil and let ’em sit.
Um. They soak up a LOT of water.
I’ve only just made them tonight, so there’s no telling if they work or not. I’m also going to forget that they exist, so in about two weeks – if they haven’t dried out – I’ll wonder why I have moldy bowls of lemon-scented goo sitting around.
Help me remember, ok?
UPDATE: ABORT! ABORT! These got really moldy. Bleh. They are the anti-help for a stinky house.
Mary Ellen says
Those are fun to put in a “sensory table” and let the preschoolers explore. You can buy a non-toxic variety by the gross from floral wholesalers. I only show em to the 4yr olds because those 3’s can still be very oral explorers and well, you can see where I’m going with that. Yuck.
Peggy says
Awesome! It’s like magic!
Please give an update as to how this works. I work in one of the oldest buildings here at Towson….and it can smell old.
And now I’m left to ponder: Can anything really ‘absorb’ bad oders? And if so, how does it distinguish between dirty socks & a roasting turkey?
Lauren's dad says
You mean there’s difference?
Lauren says
My dad -- not a turkey fan.
Brad says
Did you feel that stuff? It feels so cool. It’s squishy and wet feeling, but your hands come away drier than you expect. Of course if you did it now, your hands would smell lemony.
Lauren's mom says
I have used that stuff on outdoor plants. It helps so that you don’t have to water so much. But I don’t think it will do the job for you.
My best thought is to open the windows every morning (unless it is raining). And I would pour a Chlorox bleach solution in the upstairs bathroom drains (often).