Cotton Balls Will Eradicate Bad Smells In Your Bathroom
Bathrooms are one of the hardest places in your house to keep fresh, but they're also one of the most important places to keep smelling pristine. If you're able to do so, it shows your house is well taken care of and that you value a clean and hygienic place. We all likely need a little help in that department, but luckily, cotton balls can help us achieve that goal.
They are a great tool to help deliver scent to a room, making them a budget-friendly alternative to fancy candles and diffusers that make the space smell like you just scrubbed it. The downside of cleaning is that the squeaky-clean scent only lingers for a day and then disappears. But if you would like to keep it smelling that way for a couple of days to a week, then cotton balls are the perfect vehicle. To pull that off, here is what you need to do.
How to use cotton balls to mask bad smells
The best way to eradicate bad smells in your bathroom is by using scented cotton balls to deliver ongoing doses of your favorite scent. They're much safer than a candle, which can be dangerous if left unattended, and much more health-conscious than a scent plug-in, which could be packed with chemicals.
Instead, there are essential oil hacks that will deliver a subtle scent all week long. To create a lingering scent, simply add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to some cotton balls. It can be a crowd-pleaser scent such as vanilla or lemon, or experiment with headier scents like cinnamon or bergamot.
Put them into a decorative bowl and place them on a bathroom shelf. If you would like to display them, feel free to put them somewhere at eye level. But if you would like to hide them, try placing the bowl on a higher shelf so guests won't notice. The scent should waft over the space for a couple of days, but if you notice it fading, simply add a couple more drops into the balls.
Why this works
Cotton balls are a great vehicle to deliver scent because they are extremely absorbent. They're made from cotton, and cotton is known as hydrophilic, which means it loves water molecules. Because of that, cotton can hold up to 27 times its weight in water. That's very absorbent, and that translates to oil-based liquids as well. That's why it's perfect for holding scents.
All you will need is just a few drops of essential oil, and it will linger in the cotton balls for days. The only time the balls will need a refresh is when the essential oil eventually evaporates.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing scents for this hack is that there is a difference between essential oils and fragrant synthetic oils. While the latter is cheaper and often holds its scent for longer, it doesn't have any of the essential oils' health benefits. That's because they're made to mimic their smell; they're not actually natural.