DIY Carpet Deodorizer with Essential Oils

Get rid of nasty odors with this DIY carpet deodorizer with essential oils. Just give your carpet a little sprinkle to eliminate odors and freshen it up.

Homemade Carpet Deodorizer with Essential Oils

I’m just going to get straight to the point.

I hate carpet!

I’ve dreamed of hardwood floors my entire adult life. And my dreams recently came true when we bought a fixer upper last year and we were able to install hardwood floors through out our entire home.

Thank you Jesus!

I do not miss having carpet at all. But we do have big area rugs in most of our rooms. And between the dog and the kids ( and husbands dirty work boots), they need freshening often.

So I came up with a super simple diy carpet deodorizer with essential oils that gets the job done.

But before I share the recipe let’s talk a little about carpet deodorizer.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure statement here.)

I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your doctor before using essential oils on children under 5 or while pregnant or breastfeeding. Please do not ask me for medical advice. Click here to read my full disclaimer.

How Does Carpet Deodorizer Work?

The particles in carpet deodorizer sink deep into the fibers of the carpet. They sink down to the base of the carpet and absorb and neutralize odors.

The particles as well as the unpleasant odors are then removed with a vacuum leaving your carpet odorless.

Related : All Natural DIY Glass Cleaner

Is Carpet Deodorizer Toxic?

I’m not a fan of most store-bought household cleaners and carpet deodorizer is no exception.

But with that being said many years ago before I knew any better and I had carpet all through out my house, I would use it all the time.

And I always ended up with a throbbing headache every time I used it. It took me a while to finally make the connection. But once I did I threw it out.

Luckily, that was the only side effect I experienced but according to the EWG some carpet deodorizer can cause skin irritation, allergies, and reproductive effects.

Store Bought Carpet Deodorizer Ingredients

Many store bought carpet deodorizers contain benzyl benzoate which can be very harmful if swallowed and is recognized by the European Union as a skin allergen.

You can learn more about the dangers of benzyl benzoate here.

Some also contain methylisothiazolinone which the US EPA reports can be very toxic to aquatic life and can also cause skin irritation. Click here to learn more.

Most carpet deodorizers have scents that are used to “freshen” the carpet but know one really knows what ingredients make up these scents. Most companies just list the ingredient as fragrance.

But no one knows what “fragrance” actually is. There are actually quite a few concerns regarding this mystery ingredient. Click here to check them out.

Is Carpet Freshener Safe During Pregnancy?

I couldn’t find any medically based evidence to confirm whether carpet freshener is safe to use during pregnancy or not.

But simply based on the information I gave you above, I wouldn’t use store bought carpet freshener ever and especially while pregnant.

You can easily make a diy carpet deodorizer (recipe below) that is chemical free and safe to use while pregnant.

Is Carpet Deodorizer Safe for Babies?

Once again I couldn’t find any medically based evidence to confirm whether store bought carpet deodorizer was safe to use around babies.

But just like I mentioned above, do you really want your baby exposed to those nasty chemicals?

Think about it. If your baby is crawling around, they’re coming in direct contact with the carpet.

I wouldn’t chance it. Just make your own.

Related: Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

Is Carpet deodorizer Safe For pets

According to the ASPCA carpet deodorizer can cause minor respiratory irritation, resulting in sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose if inhaled by your pet.

And if ingested it can cause an upset stomach.

While doing research I discovered many stories from people who used carpet deodorizer and their pets (snakes, birds, cats etc.) had very bad reactions.

I would not use store bought carpet deodorizer around pets at all.

Is Carpet Deodorizer Bad For Vacuum?

Powdered carpet deodorizer can have negative effects on your vacuum cleaner. Whether it is store bought or homemade.

The particles can clog the pores of your vacuum bag or hepa filter.

For this reason I sprinkle very little carpet deodorizer on my rugs and I only use it when I really need to. Usually only once or twice between shampooing.

Can You Put Carpet Freshener on Couch?

Yes, you can use carpet freshener on your couch. But you may want to test a small area before applying everywhere.

Just sprinkle it on the couch, let sit and vacuum up.

How to make natural carpet deodorizer

This carpet deodorizer is one of the easiest diy’s I have ever put together. You’ll just need to get a bottle or container (these shaker jars with the perforated lid are perfect) to store it in and gather the ingredients below.

Homemade Carpet Freshener ingredients

Aside from your jar or container you’ll also need baking soda and your favorite essential oils.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding or have small children make sure the essential oils you choose are safe to use around you and your family.

Click here to learn more about essential oil safety.

DIY Carpet Freshener Recipe

Add 1 cup of baking soda to a large bowl. Add 30 drops of your favorite essential oil(s) to bowl. Combine well (breaking up any chunks) and pour into container or jar.

How To Use DIY Carpet Deodorizer

To use this diy carpet deodorizer all you have to do is sprinkle it onto your carpet or rugs. You don’t need a whole lot so don’t get too carried away.

Let it sit for at least 20 minutes. And then vacuum thoroughly. Done!

How Long to Leave Carpet deodorizer on Carpet

You want to let it sit for at least 20 minutes. You can leave it on longer if you like. Up to 3 hours or so. Just make sure you keep pets and kids off the carpet during that time.

Need Essential Oils?

As essential oils have become increasingly popular over the years they’ve also become much easier to obtain. But do not be deceived. Not all oils are created equal. 

Many oils being sold today are synthetic. Your body processes synthetic oils as a toxin which does not help your body but actually works against it. So please do your research before purchasing essential oils.

There are many essential oil companies that sell high quality essential oils. I used to use Young Living oils exclusively but I just couldn’t afford to use them anymore.

 I was pleasantly surprised to discover several brands that sell amazing, high quality essential oils at very affordable prices.

A few of my favorites are Eden’s Garden, Plant Therapy and Florihana.

FLORIHANA ESSENTIAL OILS

Florihana is an amazing essential oil company that many people don’t know about. Florihana owns and operates their own distillery in France. 

They do GCMS batch testing and provide all the technical data and certificates for each oil on their product pages. That’s pretty awesome. 

So you don’t have to wonder if your oil is pure. All the info is completely available to you.

YOU CAN READ MY FULL FLORIHANA ESSENTIAL OILS REVIEW HERE AND DISCOVER WHY I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!

Florihana essential oils can be purchased at HealthyTraditions.com. 

Final thoughts

I hope this diy carpet deodorizer with essential oils brings you one step closer to a toxin free home and life.

Like I’ve mentioned in many other previous posts, a clean home should be a healthy home. You should never have to sacrifice one for the other.

Let me know if you have any comments or questions below!