Have you ever wanted to make your home smell fabulous but didn’t want to use synthetic fragrances? Stove-top potpourri is the answer! Not only is it easy to make, but it also uses only natural ingredients, making it a great alternative to store-bought air fresheners, and you add a little moister to the dry winter air.
As my readers know my household is completely faux fragrance-free as of November 2022. I happen to LOVE the smell of beautiful candles during the holiday season and “discovered” the stove-top method of potpourri last year after my husband’s open heart surgery.
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What is Stove Top Potpourri?
Stove top potpourri is a combination of natural ingredients such as fruits, spices, and herbs that are simmered in water on the stove. As the ingredients simmer, they release a natural fragrance that fills your home with a pleasant scent.
Why Use Natural Ingredients?
Using natural ingredients in your stove-top potpourri is a great way to avoid the synthetic fragrances in store-bought air fresheners. Synthetic fragrances can be harmful to your health and can cause headaches, dizziness, and other health issues. Using natural ingredients ensures that you are not exposing yourself or your family to any harmful chemicals.
Now for the kicker. Everything is so expensive right now so spending money on frivolous things to make your house smell good may seem a tad unreasonable. I feel you and agree.
How to Make Stove Top Potpourri with Natural Ingredients
Making stove-top potpourri with natural ingredients is very easy. Here are the steps:
Choose your ingredients – Choose your favorite fruits, spices, essential oils, and herbs to use in your potpourri. Some popular choices include oranges, lemons, apples, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and rosemary.
Slice and chop – Slice the fruits and chop the herbs into small pieces. This will help release their fragrance more quickly.
Simmer – Add the ingredients to a pot of water and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the potpourri simmer for as long as you like, adding more water as needed. Remember you can always use a crockpot as long as it is set to low, water is added occasionally and you watch it just as if you were to use a pot.
Enjoy – As the potpourri simmers, it will release a beautiful fragrance filling your home. Enjoy the natural scent!
Recipes for Stove Top Potpourri
Here are some delicious recipes to get you started: All of these recipes will be placed in a pot of water and simmered. WATCH YOUR POT!! You are 100% responsible for your cooking and preparing of these recipes. Add additional water as needed. Do not leave the pot unattended. It needs to be watched and loved on.
Orange and Cinnamon – Slice one orange and add it to a pot of water with 2 cinnamon sticks. Simmer for as long as you like.
Lemon and Rosemary – Slice one lemon and add it to a pot of water with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Simmer for as long as you like.
Apple and Clove – Slice one apple and add it to a pot of water with 1 tablespoon of whole cloves. Simmer for as long as you like.
Pine and Cranberry – Add a handful of fresh cranberries and a few pine needles to a pot of water. Simmer for as long as you like.
Lavender and Vanilla – Add a few drops of lavender essential oil and a teaspoon of vanilla extract to a pot of water. Simmer for as long as you like.
Holiday season in a pot – one whole orange sliced to a pot of water, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 whole cloves, 1 cup whole cranberries, and one tablespoon of vanilla extract. Simmer on low as long as you like.
Coffee house – 1 cup of coffee (grounds or whole bean) this can be used coffee to a pot of water, 1 tablespoon vanilla. You can add some orange slices or cinnamon to mix this up but the coffee is enough.
Keep in mind that all of these recipes can be added to a slow cooker and put on low temp to simmer. You will still need to keep an eye out for it and add water as necessary.
Using stove-top potpourri is an easy and natural way to make your home smell amazing. Try out different combinations of ingredients to find your favorite scent, and enjoy the natural fragrance!
Can you use it more than once?
Let’s face it, everything is super expensive right now so making something like these simmer pots is a luxury. One of the best things about them is that they will continue to smell great for up to 3-4 days.
Once I am done simmering the pot for the day, I shut off the heat and allow it to cool slightly before placing the pot in the fridge. In the morning I take it out add water if needed and set it to simmer again.
Every day I check on the fruit and take out the old oranges, apples, and lemons and replace them with fresh-cut fruit if they are looking mushy if I can afford it!
I have also been asked on more than one occasion if you can drink this and the answer is no. Boiling the fruit smells wonderful but brings out all of the bitter flavors in the process.
Why this is a fantastic gift
I love to gift people handmade items as much as possible. I believe that it makes the gift a bit more special when someone has crafted something for you with their own two hands and precious time. You can easily make these into pouches/bags with cute tags and recipe cards. This is a cheap and easy way to gift something cozy to make the long winter days a bit more enjoyable.
A
ll you would need to gift this is a container to place the ingredients in and the ingredients themselves. Of course, if you are someone like me and “Extra” you would include a sweet tag and some festive ribbon. And lucky for you I have made a few tags and printables you can use to gift this to someone you care about.
Simply click on the picture or link the image to download the free printable PDF. Watermarks will be removed when you download your tags. Each tag measures 2×3.5 inches like a business card. All labels will have my blog name on them.
Are you looking for some other fall-themed printables? Check out these other blog posts below.
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