love2wee,
I stopped burning candles about 3 years ago when we had our house repainted. However, our dark soot was at the highest points along the ceiling. I attributed that to the candles and haven't burned them since. When I had dark damage around pictures on the walls (many years earlier), it was because of an ionizer in the room. I think the new ionizers or room air cleaners are more efficient in pulling the debris into the filters now. However, it all used to be deposited onto the walls and other surface, darkening around pictures, etc; but we didn't breathe it, supposedly). Make sure that you don't have "air cleaning" devices that can still damage your walls after all you've done to repaint.

I burn candles all through the house and have repainted several rooms, but I've never seen any soot anywhere else. I'm thinking I may switch to an electric warmer in my other rooms.

That's why you don't see candles in the Sistine Chapel.

I stopped burning candles for the same reason. Soot.

I don't trust the thingys that release heated oil and artificial chemicals into the air, as that is not good to breath either.

To add a nice scent to a room I make my own spray out of natural products. The scent lasts and lasts.

I never have soot problems but don't burn candles that often. But what do you use to make your own spray? I would be interested in that.

I'd be interested in hearing more about that homemade spray too.

I almost did not come back to this thread.........I'm glad I checked it again.

Making your own room spray is EASY!

Of course you will need to buy one of those plastic spray bottles.

Then go to a health food store where they will sell REAL lavendar and other natural oils. You don't want to buy artifical scents that they sell at dollar stores. Yes, the real essential oils cost a bit of money but they are pure and concentrated, and you don't need much to make your spray. It will still be cheaper to make your own spray than to buy natural oil spray in a fancy bottle. Shop around for prices. The Aveda stores sell nice oils but they cost two to three times as much as those sold in local health stores. Whole Foods is a good source for oils. Read labels! Some oils are meant for massage and contain carrier oils and very little of the scent oils. You want pure essential oils. Some health food stores have clerks trained in aromatherapy who are glad to assist you in your selection. Don't be intimidated by the vast away of essential oils. Start out with the popular ones like lavendar, patchulli or cedar. Some of the essential oils ylang ylang and geranium, are not sold so much for their nice scent but for the 'healing' properties they have as aromatherapy. Some of the essential oils for sale are more for topical application like the tea tree oil which will soothe and heal skin problems. As you get more experienced with the oils you can start to make you own mixes that both smell nice and are envigorating. For a 'bathroom' room spray I like to use citrus scents like grapefruit, as it seems to knock down "bathroom odors" leaving a crisp scent behind. Heavy floral scent seems to mix with the ah, 'odor' and magnify it. Just in my opinion though.

For room spray mix a bit of the oil with water in the spray bottle. That's it! You can mix different scents to create you own fragrance or use just a single scent like lavender. Always shake the bottle well just before spraying as the oil/water mix will separate of course.

I just spray the mix high up in the air and let the mist settle. It is usually evaporated into the air immediately so I don't worry about getting anything wet. Sometimes I spray right over the couch or bed close to allow the spray to settle onto them.

Often times you will think the scent has faded but it is just because you have gotten used to it and the olefactory senses have tired. This can happen with ALL scents. Others entering you home will still comment on how nice it smells even if you are not aware of the scent. So if I want to really "smell" something in the air I switch out the scents every so often. I usually have three different spray bottles with differnt mixes set up to switch the scents.

One thing I do that I have never read anywhere , is to clear the air with vinegar if there are strong odors from cigar smoke or cooking odors. I got the idea (Here at GW!) from the tip to set out a bowl of vinegar in a room to absorb odors, so I figured if I wanted to accelerate the process I would spray the air in the room. The vinegar smell dissapates shortly so don't worry about it. Then follow with a light spray of room scent. (Warning. Do not spray vinegar over houseplants as they may die from contact with it.) I've thought about mixing the scented oils with the vinegar bit never have. I use my vinegar spray bottle for other cleaning uses like washing fruits and cleaning kitchen countertops. I just don't want more bottles to keep track of.

OK. That's how simple it is to make you own room spray. Neat huh? Essential oil+water.

Dilly, I'm going to have to try that! Another easy way to scent a room is to spray some cologne on a light bulb. Especially in the bathroom, once the light comes on a soft scent appears from the heat.

DD, "a bit" is somewhat vague, can you give us a ratio? Thanks!

Greenfish, I never really "measured" it. Just eyeball it. Use an 80/20 ratio or 90/10 or 75/25. More water than oil. Fill the bottle half full of water (So there is room to shake it well.) and add the oil until there is a layer that looks about the right proportion. Shake the bottle and spray. You can't 'screw it up' because you are only mixing the oil in water. There is no chemical reaction or anything that takes place where one would have to be exact in the measurements. I wouldn't go 50/50 or greater with the oil as then the mixture becomes too thick to spray and the sprayer clogs. If that ever happens just run under hot water. (Do this when you are going to fill the bathtub and the oils that you rinse off won't be wasted. You will scent your bathwater!) Sometimes if a bottle sits around for a long while the sprayer tip gets thick with oil and needs to be rinsed. Not a big problem. If you make a batch of spray that is too heavy just dilute with more water. Or add more oil if it isn't giving enough scent. After you have been using the sprays on a regular basis you may want to cut down on the proportion as there will be scent in the room already and you just need to freshen it and kick it up a notch.

Oakley, I've tried that trick and my lightbulbs ended up with brown, baked, junk all over them. I've hear that doing this can cause the lightbulbs to shatter. Using the scent diffuser rings that they sell, is better. Keep in mind that 'perfumes' now days are made from all sorts of chemicals and some are considered toxic. I would make my own scent for light bulbs. Mix a carrier oil with your favorite aromantherapy essential oils and fill the ring. Set on the light bulb. Whenever you turn on the light the scent will fill the air. I like to stick with spice scents for heat diffusers. Somehow the citrus and flower scents seem to smell "hot" or something, to me and jsut don't seem "right".

Before I came back to this thread I was motivated to mix up a new batch of room spray. I used Peppermint and Eucalyptus. It is snowing outside and the whole house seems crisp and fresh now.

BTW if you believe in aromatherapy, the Peppermint and Eucalyptus mix sprayed into the air and breathed in will help curb appetite and aid in a subtle way with weight loss. If you are feeling hungry and it is not mealtime, spray some of this around your desk (or where ever you are) and you won't feel hungry and run to get snacks out of the cupboard. Bergamot and Fennel are said to do the same thing. Studies have proven that Lavender can alter brain waves into a calming state and Peppermint can make one more alert.

Here is a list of types of essential oils that can be found. There are many more others offered for sale at other sites. I have no connection to this site, nor have I purchsed from them:
http://www.aromatherapy.com/essentialoils.html

Diffuser for sale. No connection to site:

http://metapot.com/product.php?productid=3404

Here is a link that might be useful: Scent Diffuser for Lightbulbs

Thanks, DD!

"BTW if you believe in aromatherapy, the Peppermint and Eucalyptus mix sprayed into the air and breathed in will help curb appetite and aid in a subtle way with weight loss."

Let me clarify this. I may not have made the sentence clear when I typed. Do not breath in the spray directly from the air. Getting oil in the lungs in dangerous. Do not breath in the mist.

Just spritz the area and let things settle. Then the scent will come through and waft throughout the room.

Sometimes I burn candles, mostly when we have company. I did buy a soy candle for the newly painted room - I was told that the amount of soot is greatly reduced with soy. I'd be interested to know if that's the gospel or not.

Susan

dilly dally: I'm going to re-read after I've fed DH, but I'm definitely going to try your essential oil/water spray and why didn't we know about the vinegar in the air before now!? Trying that, too.
I was trapped at a bazaar for HOURS! a couple of weeks ago where one person was selling that (nameless) scented melted wax. I got a headache that lasted for two days -- couldn't get that horrid "scent" out of my brain! Our homes should not smell (stink) like we're covering up something. Thanks for sharing.

I just went to a home party and purchased one of those plug in stands that uses a light bulb to melt the scented blocks. Smells really nice. No worry about fire. I suppose that could catch on fire too, but it's no different than leaving a lamp on. I unplug it when I leave the house or when we go to sleep. Do you think that those things give off something that might discolor the walls as well. I have a friend that used to burn the really cheap candles and she really had sooty markings around everything hanging on the wall when she painted.

For that warm glow of a wax candle without the soot, check these out:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/lights/94ce/

I don't own one, but I have seen them in nightclubs on tables. They look pretty cool and you don't have to burn your fingers trying to light them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wax Flameles Candles

That's odd, I burn lots of candles and have never noticed soot on the walls. I do notice it if the wick gets too long.

dilly dally - I am extremely sensitive to scents. I get an instant headache when I walk past the laundry soap isle. Scented candles are absolutely out. Could I use essential oils?

I can't address your individual case as I am not a doctor or allergist but here are some things to take into consideration....

The "laundry soap" aisle is not selling SOAP. It is selling detergents. Detergents are just a bunch of chemicals mixed up together that will clean well. On top of all that, the scents they add are just more chemicals. The molecular composition of a lot of these scents are closely related to things like lighter fluid. Mmmm. Nice huh?

Have you checked out Charlies Soap for laundry? Real soap. No scent. There is a lot of discussion here on GW about it. Check the Laundry Forum and the Cleaning Forum and then Google for lots more reviews and info.

Fabric softner is another culprit that triggers headaches and sinus problems. Fabric softner is a whole bunch of chemicals that are not good for you. (Why coat your clothes with them and breath the fumes?)

Some people do have allergies to flowers, but it is the pollen that is the allergen. That does not mean that the scent flowers throw off may not be a trigger to migraines if you are predisposed to them. Migraines triggers are not understood even by doctors. Some people get migraines from certain lighting.

All essential oils are not lumped into the same catagory. Some are derived from flowers, (rose, lavender) some from fruit oils, (tangerine, lemon) and some from wood sap.

You definately would be far less likely to have a headache from natural products compared to the chemical scents like those in laundry soap. Of course I can't tell you it's for sure, for sure. You may have developed a sensitivity to some things that are found in nature.

Are you willing to experiment? Do you have a health food store near you with a trained staff. They can guide you. You could be brave and test one in the store. They have sample bottles to try. Put a drop of oil on a cotton ball or tissue and sniff it by waving it in the air in front of you. Do not sniff directly from the bottles. You may get dizzy. It is too overwhening as the oils are highly concentrated. Also you will not experience the TRUE scent the oil will have when you use it as a bath scent or room scent. Things like Ylang Ylang smell 'bleh' right out of the bottle. If the scent seems OK to you carry the sample with you in your purse and go back to it again later. Put the sample in a little baby food jar or plastic zip baggies so you do not scent your purse in case you do not care for the scent. You should feel fine but if the scent is bothering you, maybe experiment with another scent or just decide that scents are just not for you, as you are too sensitive.

You may want to read up on natural essential oils online before you shop for them so you know exactly what you want when you get there and don't have to do a lot of experiementing.

Thanks dd...there's a great health food store right up the street from my apartment. I never thought to ask if I could try a little sample before committing to the whole bottle. I have a funny feeling that the floral ones might set me off, but I'd be willing to try some out. I think I'd probably be more drawn to the citrus ones.

I used to be hooked on scented candles and even made my own candles and added all kinds of scents. I loved having nice smells around - I miss them. If I could use something that didn't make me feel sick, that would be great!

Hmmm. Making your own candles and using concentrated scents may have sensitized you. You used artificial scents right? Often times people in certain types of employment have to sack their career because they developed a sensitivity to the things they use or are surrounded by. Nurses, painters, horicultualists, just about any one who works in a factory or on a farm (pesticides and herbicides are horrible to be around), all are suseptable to deveoping sensitivities.

Yes, ask about samples of the oils to try. They should have them. If they do not have them set out like most places do, they may have stuck them behind a counter so people don't mess them up or steal them.

The popular sellers will come in two size bottles. Little one ounce or so ones, and big 12 ounce ones.

Yes, I used the stuff at the craft store. Just thinking about those scents makes my sinuses ache!

I have to chime in on the discussion of candles & soot. I was a claim rep for an insurance co for many years. Occasionally we would be called out for soot, sometimes it would be attributed to gas logs (unvented) or candles. Surfaces can be cleaned &/or painted - but stop and think about who is breathing in that environment. Our houses are built pretty tight - not much fresh air comes in. THink about small children, pets, people who aren't well ... I only light candles for special occasions and do not leave them "unattended". I don't crave atmosphere in my bathroom... I would NEVER purchase, install or use UNVENTED gas logs. And I haven't even started in on fire damage and loss of life...

I had the same experience with soot on my walls and ceilings and was going to give up burning candles. I started doing a little research to see if there was any other kind of candles out there. Most candles are made with from paraffin wax which I hadn't realized is a petroleum product.

I started burning soy and other vegetable wax candles and they are much cleaner burning. My favorite brand is Mia Bella's which leaves no black soot and smells great all the way to the end of the candle.

If you like the scent of candles, but don't want the flame, you can also go to an electric simmer pot, tart warmer, etc. Personally, part of my enjoyment is the glow of the flame - I guess I'm a pyro!

Anyway before you completely give up on candles you might want to try Mia Bella's or some of the other brands made with vegetable waxes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mia Bella's Candles

Dilly, that's wonderful! I recently found a company that sells linden flower EO and I would love to have a linden room. Ooh, I'm excited!