I have a very delicate nose. There’s a chemical that’s in a lot of scented products that makes it hard for me to breath — not in a throat-closing, I’m-going-to-die kind of way, just enough to make my nose clog up. I have strong feelings about people who wear perfume, especially to places like restaurants or the gym or, god forbid, on public transportation. So it’s been hard for us to find a bathroom spray that my sensitive schnoz can handle. Not to mention the climate consideration: I’d really prefer to avoid aerosols as much as possible, obviously.

One of my derby mates has been making gear-freshener with essential oils, and I thought, “You know, I could totes do that for bathroom spray!” So I went on the Amazon, like you do, and I bought some essential oils: orange, grapefruit to cut the cloying sweetness orange can have, and vanilla. I also picked up some witch hazel, which the internet informed I needed as an emulsifier, and a couple of nice glass spray bottles.

I turned out not to like the vanilla oil…something about it turns my stomach. But the combo of orange and grapefruit is perfect. The best thing is, this spray is much less intense smelling than store-bought stuff but does just as well –or better! — at deodorizing.

Here’s the formula I use — you should of course adjust the scents to your personal tastes:

• Fill the bottle 2/3 with water, then the remaining 1/3 with witch hazel.
• 15 drops orange oil
• 10 drops grapefruit oil

Smells delish!