Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Lavender Rug & Carpet Freshener

By
Karen Peltier
Karen Peltier

Karen Peltier is an expert on green living and natural cleaning methods who has contributed over 200 articles to The Spruce. On her blog, WellGal.com, Peltier covers natural cleaning methods for the home and tips on living an eco-conscious lifestyle.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 06/14/22
Reviewed by
Rhea Mehta
Dr. Rhea Mehta, PhD
Reviewed by Rhea Mehta
Rhea Mehta, PhD, is an award-winning toxicologist who has worked to empower people to lead healthier lives, starting in their homes, for over a decade. Rhea holds a PhD in Toxicology, with over 15 scientific publications, and a certificate in integrative health coaching. 
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
lavender carpet deodorizer

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska 

Project Overview
  • Total Time: 5 mins

We all wind up with pet odors, dirt, and food stains on our rugs and carpets. Instead of reaching for a harmful, conventional carpet cleaner, why not consider a healthy and safe, eco-friendly alternative instead?

This easy-to-make, great smelling carpet deodorizer will transport you away to the lavender fields of Provence. It's great for light and maintenance cleaning jobs. With just two simple Earth-friendly ingredients—lavender essential oil and baking soda—it's a breeze to whip up in no time.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Medium-sized bowl
  • Wooden or plastic spoon
  • Glass, airtight storage container

Materials

  • 1 cup Baking soda
  • 12 drops French lavender essential oil

Instructions

ingredients for lavender rug freshener
The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  1. Combine Ingredients

    Add the essential oils to the baking soda in a bowl being sure to disperse the drops throughout the mixture evenly. (This makes it easier for them to be incorporated into the baking soda.)

    adding essential oil to baking soda
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Stir Well

    Blend well with a non-metal spoon making sure to break up all of the clumps. (Essential oils can react with metals.)

    stirring ingredients together
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Store

    Store the mixture in an airtight container, preferably made of glass.

    adding the mixture to a glass jar
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Spread Over Surface and Vacuum

    To use, shake the mixture lightly and evenly over the entire surface of your rug or carpet. Let it sit for 15 minutes up to a day. Vacuum well.

    using the mixture on a rug
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Options for Personalizing Your Carpet Deodorizer

If you tire of lavender and want to change things up a bit, try blending it with tea tree, lemon, orange, or peppermint. Some other great oils to try include citrus-scented oils, such as bergamot and grapefruit, woodsy-scented oils, such as cypress, and herbal oils like Roman chamomile and rosemary. In most cases, you'll probably use at least 50% lavender for the scent, since many of the other essential oils can be very strong and may overpower the lavender. So, start by adding just a few drops and modify as needed until you've got something you like.

ingredients for natural rug freshener
The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

How Does This All-Natural Deodorizer Work?

The baking soda absorbs odors, moisture, and oils and also helps loosen dirt. The lavender oil, which has antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, can help take care of any germs that may be lurking in your carpet.

As a bonus, the lavender essential oil even provides some health benefits while you clean, such as calming the nervous system. That means some rest after all your cleaning is done! Also, because the oil comes directly from the lavender plant, it's environmentally-friendly and biodegradable, which is a must for green cleaning.

Tips

  • If you have spots or stains that are bad, consider cleaning them first with a dab of castile soap and water or a green carpet cleaner meant to treat spots and stains.
  • Because carpets and rugs vary in the materials they are made of and may be treated with chemicals in the factory (e.g., treatments that repel stains), always first test products, including this homemade rug and carpet cleaner, in a small, inconspicuous area.

Warning

You must use essential oils safely. If you get essential oils in your eyes, flush with water for 10-15 minutes. Consult a doctor if irritation persists. If you get essential oils on your skin, wash with warm soapy water. One exception: lavender doesn't harm the skin; in fact, it is often used directly on the skin to treat burns, insect bites, etc.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Halvorson, Christine, and Bot Roda. Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda: over 100 Helpful Household Hints. Publications International, 2009

  2. Predoi, Daniela, et al. Antimicrobial Activity of New Materials Based on Lavender and Basil Essential Oils and Hydroxyapatite. Nanomaterials, vol. 8, no. 5, 2018, p. 291., doi:10.3390/nano8050291

  3. Malcolm, Benjamin J., and Kimberly Tallian. Essential Oil of Lavender in Anxiety Disorders: Ready for Prime Time? Mental Health Clinician, vol. 7, no. 4, 2017, pp. 147–155., doi:10.9740/mhc.2017.07.147