Homemade Stovetop Potpourri
Homemade Stovetop Potpourri is a great way to add a natural scent to your home using fresh ingredients from the kitchen that simmer right on your stovetop.
When you start down the journey of living more naturally, you tend to learn things you can’t quite unlearn. It’s hard to participate in anything that you know is not up to your standard. I try my very best to keep toxins and chemicals from our homes.
This means a lot of times I have to make things myself. It can be difficult when we are bombarded by enticing scents or things that might make our jobs of keeping the home easier. I have learned that easier is not necessarily always best. And living simply does not mean we want to live in a fashion that is necessarily easy but rather meaningful. The marriage of these two tends to go hand in hand.
To live a simple life, and nurture a more natural lifestyle frequently appeal to the same individual. Or at least this has been the case with me and those around me. We appreciate the things we can make with our own hands and more often than not, we find ourselves embracing old ways in order to do so.
In today’s world, there is an entire aisle in the grocery store dedicated to scented products for our homes. Not only do most of these items contaminate the air and affect the air quality directly. But most of them have overpowering scents that make me a bit sick after smelling them for too long. I typically opt for essential oil blends or sprays like my 2 ingredient fabric refresher to help keep our home smelling fresh.
I really must say a stovetop potpourri does the trick for an all-around room scent that you can alter to your scent preference. This is a great way to scent the house for gatherings, holiday parties, or just because without using any harsh chemicals.
Why I Love a Stovetop Potpourri
After cleaning the house, I love to throw something like a Homemade Stovetop Potpourri on to simmer and fill the house with a lovely scent. It feels old-fashioned, works well and I love that I can use what I have on hand to make one. I have some suggestions for Homemade Stovetop Potpourri below to give you some ideas of what you can use for one.
These are the ones I have used and enjoyed. But with a Homemade Stovetop Potpourri, you really can use what you like and make a blend that suits your scent preference all the same. During the holidays a few sticks of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice create a warm cozy scent without having to bake anything.
Scent Ideas
Note that all of these Homemade Stovetop Potpourris utilize a simmering pot kept on the stovetop. Never leave the house with it simmering. Simply turn it off when you leave and back on when you return. Be sure to also check on your Homemade Stovetop Potpourri frequently to make sure it has enough water.
Lemon and Rosemary
For those who love a clean fresh scent, this one is for you. This is one of my favorite Homemade Stovetop Potpourri to add to the pot. I too love a clean fresh scent personally. Especially after cleaning the house. The lemony scent and fresh rosemary blend so well together creating a crisp scent throughout the house.
For this. I use 2-3 lemons, sliced or quartered, and 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Fill your stock pot all the way, leaving a couple of inches at the top. Add the lemons and fresh rosemary. Heat on med to low heat. When the pot begins simmering reduce the heat to low and allow it to lightly simmer on the stovetop. Check the pot throughout the day to make sure it has enough water in it. If it needs water, simply refill the pot with more water and continue on a low simmer.
Cranberry, Orange and Vanilla
This is a great one for those of you who like freezing cranberries throughout the year. I tend to freeze mine and then don’t know what to use them in so it’s usually just cranberry sauce for me for when I make my Shredded Chicken and Cranberry Sauce. Other than that they just sit in the freezer frozen and forgotten. This Homemade Stove Top Potpourri is the perfect thing to add them to.
For this blend, I add about 1 to 2 cups to the pot along with 1 sliced orange and 2 vanilla pods. During the holiday season, I also throw in 1 tbsp of cloves. You can also add a cinnamon stick which works lovely for this mixture as well.
Add the ingredients to a stock pot, and fill with water. Heat on med to low heat. When the pot begins to start simmering reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer. Check the pot throughout the day to make sure it has enough water in it. If it needs water, simply add more water to the pot and continue on a low simmer.
Citrus Blend Lemon, Orange and Rosemary
Out of all the scents, I don’t think any come close to a citrus blend. They are so clean, crisp and so intoxicating when blended. For this one, I tend to use my essential oils as I don’t normally have a grapefruit on hand. But you can use either. That is the best part, you literally can use what you have on hand. Either fresh items or essential oils.
There are no specific rules other than making sure not to leave the house with this on the stovetop and ensuring it has enough water. That means you will need to check on it to make sure there is enough water and well, be home when it is on.
For this one, I add about 1-2 lemons, 1 orange, 5 drops of grapefruit essential oil, and 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Add the ingredients to a stock pot, and fill it with water. Heat on med to low heat. When the pot begins to start simmering reduce the heat to the low setting and allow it to simmer. Check the pot throughout the day to make sure it has enough water in it. If it needs water, simply add more water to the pot and continue on a low simmer.
Orange and Vanilla
If you like more of a sweet scent for your whole house smell. This one ought to do it. A sweet orange and vanilla combination will have your house smelling great as this little concoction bubbles away on the stovetop.
For this one, I like to add 2 to 3 large oranges sliced and 2-3 vanilla pods. Add the ingredients to a stock pot, and fill it with water. Heat on med to low heat. When the pot begins to start simmering reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer. Check the pot throughout the day to make sure it has enough water in it. If it needs water, simply add more water to the pot and continue on a low simmer.
Vanilla, Rosemary and Lime
This one is a bit of an unordinary blend but trust me. It is a fresh, sweet but clean scent that works so amazingly well to freshen up your home. For me, it is a great one for springtime with this scent combination.
For this one I like to use 3 large limes, 2-3 sprigs or rosemary and 2 vanilla pods.
Add the ingredients to a stock pot, and fill it with water. Heat on med to low heat. When the pot begins to start simmering reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer. Check the pot throughout the day to make sure it has enough water in it. If it needs water, simply add more water to the pot and continue on a low simmer.
Plain Vanilla
If nothing else, a plain old vanilla pod or 2 will do the trick. Vanilla is a light sweet scent on its own and works well for a stovetop potpourri. If you have nothing else on hand, this one will do in a pinch. Add the pod or pods to a small sauce pot.
Add the ingredients to a stock pot, and fill it with water. Heat on med to low heat. When the pot begins to start simmering reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer. Check the pot throughout the day to make sure it has enough water in it. If it needs water, simply add more water to the pot and continue on a low simmer.
Tip
If you don’t like the idea of a pot simmering away on your stovetop, I don’t blame you. My kitchen is small and if it is too hot out, well you can forget about me having a gas stove top on all day. It can get extra heated real quick.
That is when I use the good ole’ crockpot. I use the same idea, filling with water, lid off, and adding the blend I want. I set the crockpot to low and bam! A whole house scent with simple ingredients and no toxins. Just be sure to not leave home with it on and check it frequently to add water when needed. The crockpot works especially great for holiday parties and gatherings.
*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).
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