How to Make Your Home Smell Amazing This Holiday Season
Simmer Pot Recipes and Fresh Wave Odor Removers
We all know those people whose homes always smell amazing. You walk through their front door, and you feel like you stepped into a Williams Sonoma store. The air smells so festive and fresh that you may wonder if these people deal with trash can odors, stinky pets, and smelly laundry like the rest of us.
The truth is we all deal with funky household odors, but with a few natural odor removing techniques, you can make your home smell amazing. You’ll keep your guests guessing: what’s their secret??
In today's blog, we’re giving you two of our top secrets for fresh, inviting homes: Fresh Wave and simmer pots!
Why Choose Fresh Wave?
Fresh Wave (hey, that’s us!) is a leading brand of natural air fresheners. Our products use plant-based ingredients, like essential oils, to remove odors at the source without harsh chemicals.
We stand out from other air fresheners by creating a neutral, odor-free scent. We like to tell our customers that our products smell like a breath of fresh air. While other air fresheners use artificial fragrance and toxic chemicals, we use a special blend of plant oils that trap and destroy odor molecules. There’s no lingering aroma after using Fresh Wave—just a fresh, blank slate.
While our Odor Removing Spray is great for getting rid of odors in the kitchen as you’re cooking, sometimes you want to add a little more fragrance to your home. Simmer pots are another great natural solution.
How Do Simmer Pots Work?
Simmer pots. Stovetop potpourri. Potpourri in a crockpot. Whatever you call them, simmer pots are so easy to whip together.
Simply add your herbs and ingredients to a pot of water, set it to simmer on the stove (or turn your crockpot on low), and let these delightful scents fill your home.
Simmer pots work in a similar way to Fresh Wave. The simmering water breaks down the natural compounds in the plants, which release into the air to create a pleasant aroma. In fact, a lot of simmer pots use the same ingredients you’ll find in Fresh Wave’s natural formula. If you have these seasonal spices, fruits, and herbs in your pantry, you have everything you need to get started.
3 Best Simmer Pot Recipes for Fall and Winter
Fresh Wave’s Winter Simmer Pot Recipe
This fresh, cozy simmer pot recipe uses many of the same ingredients in Fresh Wave air fresheners. Your home will smell like a wintery forest in no time. Clip a pine branch from your Christmas tree or go for a walk in the woods to harvest your own.
- 1 cup pine needles
- 1/4 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
- 6 whole cloves
Add your ingredients to a pot, then cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Keep an eye on the simmer pot.
Christmas Simmer Pot Recipe
This simmer pot creates that classic holiday scent. Check out this festive recipe from Gourmet Project.
- 5 allspice berries
- 6 whole cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Fall Simmer Pot Recipe
This recipe is for the people who wish Pumpkin Spice Season was all year long. Your home will smell like the height of harvest season with these warm, soothing herbs and ingredients.
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 whole cloves
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Simmer Pots Last?
Simmer pots typically last for one to three hours. If the water is getting low, you can add a couple more cups of water to extend its lifespan. Typically, after three hours, the ingredients have released all their fragrance into the air.
Are Simmer Pots Safe for Cats and Dogs?
Like Fresh Wave, simmer pots are safe to use around pets, as long as you take necessary precautions. Keep the simmer pot out of reach of pets, and make sure the space is well-ventilated. Cats and dogs have a more sensitive sense of smell than we do, so be sure to monitor the fragrance levels of your simmer pot to keep your pets happy and healthy.
What Can You Do with Simmer Pot Water?
Can you drink simmer pot water?
We wouldn’t recommend it. While many of the ingredients in simmer pots are edible, they are used in such high concentrations that they could be harmful to ingest.
You have a few options for discarding or reusing simmer pot water.
Once the water cools down, you can pour the simmer pot down the garbage disposal, which has the nice benefit of making your garbage disposal smell better. Or dump the ingredients in the backyard or onto the compost pile. You could even strain the water and use it for a refreshing herbal bath.
With simmer pots and Fresh Wave on your side, the possibilities for freshness are truly endless!
