Natural scents?

[brfussne]

With 2 dogs, 2 chinchillas, and a parrot, I'm having trouble keeping my apartment smelling "fresh." I know this topic has been fussed over numerous times but I can't seem to find an exact answer. I want to know is there any product I can use to freshen up my home without harming my parrot & chinchillas due to their sensitive respiratory systems?

I was at work the other day and my manager brought in a wax warmer type thing or a "waxless candle warmer" I guess you would call it. It was Scentsy, I believe? Anyway, you basically plug it in and the warmer melts the scented wax. It had such an awesome, powerful smell for such a small little warmer, and there's no flame for a fire hazard! I was really impressed but I don't think I can have one due to the fact that I own a parrot & 2 chinchillas. Is scented wax harmful to parrots?

My parrot's & chinchillas' cages are both in my bedroom which the dogs are not allowed so my bedroom door is typically closed. Could I have the Scentsy set up in my living room and have a towel stuffed under my bedroom door so the scent can't get into the bedroom?

I've also thought of using organic plants such as real Lavender stalks put in a vase to freshen up my home. As long as the parrot does not eat the Lavender, could I use real Lavender in my home? Or Vanilla bean stalks?

[Shelby]

I don't know about what you mentioned, but one of my mom's friends likes to boil cinnamon sticks in water once in a while and it makes her house smell really good. Maybe try planting some aromatic but nontoxic plants in pots and keep them in your living room?

[GlassOnion]

I know people who use Young Living essential oils with parrots in the house.

http://cocosflock.wordpress.com/2012/02 ... xperience/

[liz]

I use Febreze. It is a heavy mist and does not fly through the air. It takes smell out of anything. I have dogs and cats in my house too. So I use Febreze every time I vacume the furniture. I spray it on the curtains because they retain cooking smells. I vacume the mattress and spray it when I change sheets. I don't know how it works but it will get the smell out of dog beds that washing won't do. I spray the beds before I put them in the washer.

[DanielA]

I have tons of aromatic plants, and that keeps my house fresh.

[liz]

I use Febreze. It is a heavy mist and does not fly through the air. It takes smell out of anything. I have dogs and cats in my house too. So I use Febreze every time I vacume the furniture. I spray it on the curtains because they retain cooking smells. I vacume the mattress and spray it when I change sheets. I don't know how it works but it will get the smell out of dog beds that washing won't do. I spray the beds before I put them in the washer.

Febreze does not add scent. It just takes stink away. I have 5 dogs and 5 cats as well as my birds. Everyone comments that if they were not greeted at the door they would not know I have pets by the smell.

[brfussne]

I use Febreze. It is a heavy mist and does not fly through the air. It takes smell out of anything. I have dogs and cats in my house too. So I use Febreze every time I vacume the furniture. I spray it on the curtains because they retain cooking smells. I vacume the mattress and spray it when I change sheets. I don't know how it works but it will get the smell out of dog beds that washing won't do. I spray the beds before I put them in the washer.

Febreze is safe for birds? I'm afraid to spray any harsh chemicals in the air.

[brfussne]

I have tons of aromatic plants, and that keeps my house fresh.

I have tons of house plants! But none of the smelling kind! I have several Orchids, African Violets, Bamboo, Cacti, a Venus Fly Trap ...

What kind of plants do you have?

[marie83]

The manufacturers of the febreeze products state the product is not suitable for use around animals. This pretty much means use at your own risk as it hasn't been fully tested around animals so they cover their own backs by advising against it so they don't get sued.

Now I used to use febreeze and never had a bird drop down dead from it but I did stop using it once I thought about the possibility of the effects of long term exposure. I think its fairly safe to assume that nobody knows the effects of repeated exposure, just because something seems safe in the short term doesn't mean that a build up over 30 years isn't harmful. I think using a cigarette as an example will get my point across. Smoking one cigarette or even 5, 10, 20 is unlikely to harm you in the long term, although obviously that wouldn't be any good for you either but over a few months or years the risk of certain diseases like lung cancer etc gets higher the more you smoke and the longer the smoking habit goes on for. By the way I'm in no way saying using febreeze is like smoking a cigarette in front of your birds before anyone questions why I'm comparing the two, its not supposed to be a comparison over whats harmful and what is not.

[liz]

Febreze is sprayed on fabric not in the air. I don't use it when a critter is in the room. I don't use aeromatics because their sence of smell is better than ours. The last potted plant I had was a carnation. Myrtle ate it. No more plants.