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Commercial aerosols often just mask bad odors with an artificial fragrance that, moreover, fades quickly. That is why a homemade, natural and very inexpensive mixture gained popularity: cinnamon sticks, olive oil and orange peel, combined in a jar.
What mixing cinnamon, olive oil and orange peel is for
The purpose of this combination is to perfume rooms in a long-lasting and pleasant way, and help neutralize odors, without resorting to aerosols or artificial fragrances. It works as a homemade air freshener with slow release: placed in a corner, it slowly gives off a citrusy and warm aroma at the same time, especially useful in the kitchen or in enclosed spaces with a stale smell.
Orange peel concentrates in its essential oils a compound called limonene, which makes up more than 90% of the peel oil and is responsible for the typical citrus aroma. It is a volatile molecule, meaning it evaporates easily, and that is why it perfumes the air and helps mask strong odors, such as those left after cooking.
Cinnamon sticks, for their part, owe their warm, sweet smell to cinnamaldehyde, the spice’s main aromatic compound. And olive oil plays the most interesting role: those aromatic compounds are liposoluble, meaning they dissolve in fats and not in water, so the oil captures and retains them.
Since oil is little volatile, it does not evaporate quickly and acts as a fixative, releasing the fragrance little by little instead of all at once. That is precisely the key to why the mixture fragrances for longer than if the cinnamon and orange were used separately.
Step by step: how to make the mixture
The preparation is very simple and does not require cooking:
- In a clean glass jar, put a little olive oil.
- Add orange peels that have been previously washed and well dried.
- Add one or two cinnamon sticks, whole or broken.
- Let the mixture sit for at least four hours so the oil absorbs the aromas.
- Leave the jar uncovered in the corner you want to scent.
For a more intense aroma, it can be placed near a gentle heat source. The intensity of the fragrance varies depending on the amount of cinnamon and orange used, so it is advisable to adjust it to taste.
Why it is recommended
Beyond the result, the appeal is that it is a natural, cheap and readily available alternative to commercial air fresheners. It uses ingredients that are usually found in any kitchen, does not leave the air laden with aerosol chemicals, makes use of leftovers that are normally thrown away, such as orange peel, and allows the intensity of the aroma to be adjusted to taste, depending on how much cinnamon and orange are used.
Added to this is the fact that the effect is longer-lasting than that of a spray perfume, which evaporates within a few minutes.