You know, we didn’t always have air fresheners. Those little cans of spray fragrance that are so ubiquitous might be convenient, but they are expensive, harmful to the environment, and as far as I’m concerned, creepy.
Almost all of them smell like what they are: laboratory imitations of actual, real things. I don’t even want to think about what those chemical concoctions will do to your lungs and skin over time.
But you don’t want a smelly, musty house, either. You want a fresh, inviting home! To get it without the questionable chems, it’s time to go old-fashioned with a simmer pot.
Simmer pot potpourri has been used for ages for exactly this purpose and is wholesome, all-natural, and everything in it is biodegradable and good for the environment. You can even compost the leftovers!
If you’ve never used a simmer pot, you’ve really been missing out, and it’s time to put an end to that with these 12 recipes…
What is a Simmer Pot?
A simmer pot is, colloquially, basically a kind of wet potpourri. It’s a combination of natural ingredients like herbs, flowers, fruit, and spices that you simply steep in water and then set to a low simmer on your stovetop.
As the aromatic compounds start to break down, dissolve, and then get carried away with the steam from the water, the fragrance is carried gently through your home. They really are wonderful!
And a simmer pot isn’t anything special as far as the hardware goes: you can use a sauce pot, stock pot, or even something like a slow cooker or crock pot in a pinch. As long as it can apply gentle heat and simmer water, you’re all set.
What Ingredients Can You Use?
My very favorite thing about using a simmer pot is the fact that you can put recipes together almost like you would for a meal, and tweak them accordingly.
Fruits are a nearly constant ingredient, especially tangy citrus fruits like grapefruit, oranges, limes, and lemons but also berries like cranberries, elderberries, and mulberries.
Herbs and flowers are also perennial favorites in all sorts of seasonal mixes. Peppercorns, clove, cinnamon, and more will make appearances in fresh summer fragrances and warming ones that will help keep the chill of winter at bay.
Various flowers and herbs also play their part, whether they are fresh or dried. Some of them already have a well-earned reputation for adding a soothing ambiance to any room like sage, lavender, and mint, but you can use many others like rosemary and thyme.
Lastly, you can add woods. Or we should say wood products: bark, twigs and sprigs, pine needles, pine cones, and other things can all be incredibly fragrant and add dimensionality to the aroma lofting through your home.
The good news is combining all of these things, unlike chemicals, is safe and you can feel free to play around with your own mixtures.
And if you’re more of a by-the-book person like me, don’t worry: there are countless simmer pot recipes out there on the web and in print, and I’m bringing you my favorites just below…
Winter Wonder
- Lemon, x1
- Vanilla extract, 1 ½ tsp.
- Black peppercorns, 1 tsp.
- Rosemary, fresh, x3 sprigs
This winter fragrance is incredibly good! Rosemary and peppercorn might seem like odd inclusions, but don’t be fooled; it has a freshness, almost a coolness to it, and pairs perfectly with the lemon.
Just slice the lemon into discs, drop everything into your pot, and then cover with water. Simmer on low for 2 hours.
Fantastic Fall
- Apple, x1 half
- Orange, x2 slices
- Cloves, whole, 2 tsp.
- Cinnamon sticks, x3
- Bay leaf, dried, x1
- Vanilla extract, 1 tsp.
- Pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp.
As far as I’m concerned, this is the definitive fall fragrance. My family loves it, and the moment I can get fresh ingredients, it is a first day of autumn tradition.
Cut the apple into slices along with the orange, but you can leave the seeds in. Pop everything else in the pot, cover it with several inches of water, and simmer away for up to four hours.
Springtime Simmer Pot
- Summer Sunshine
- Lemon, x1
- Lime, x1
- Orange, x1
- Thyme, fresh, x3 sprigs
- Rosemary, fresh, x2 sprigs
- Peppercorns, 1 ¼ Tbsp.
This fantastically fresh mixture is the perfect thing for heralding the arrival of spring.
Slice your citrus fruit into discs as described above, and gently crush your fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Dump everything in the pot, cover with several inches of water, and simmer for 2 to 4 hours.
Fresh Summer Simmer Mix
- Lime, x ½
- Vanilla extract, 1 tsp.
- Fresh Mint leaves
- Thyme, fresh, x3 sprigs
Some of my favorite simmer pot mixes are for summertime, and with just a few ingredients you can freshen your whole home. It just smells like sunshine!
Slice the lime into discs before tossing them in. With the mint leaves, you want to add at least a small handful, but you can add more according to your preference or tolerance for it. Fresh mint can be quite potent!
Don’t forget to gently crush the mint and thyme. This mix is usually good for about 2 hours but it is strong!
Calming Herbs
- Eucalyptus branch, fresh
- Dried Lavender, ½ cup
- Rosemary, fresh, x2 sprigs
When you just want to relax, reach for this calming herb blend of dried lavender, rosemary, and eucalyptus.
The dried lavender and rosemary can go straight into the pot, but take the eucalyptus branch and cut it down so it will fit and stay submerged. You know the drill, cover it with water, set the heat to a low simmer, and enjoy.
Lavender Lovers
- Dried lavender, 1 cup
- Nutmeg, 1 Tbsp.
- Cinnamon stick, x1
- Anise, 1 tsp.
- Whole cloves, 1 Tbsp.
I’m one of those nutcases who can’t get enough lavender, but lavender by itself can become almost domineering if you make it too strong.
Level it out and give it some dimensionality with this interesting mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, anise, and clove. These warm spices might seem like a peculiar choice for the intense floral fragrance of lavender, but it works quite well!
Orange Juniper Blend
This is another insanely good and super simple simmer pot mixture. The fresh sweetness of orange combined with the intense, piney resin scent of juniper will make you feel like you are in a Pacific pine forest. Check out the link above for details, and the pic below to see what it looks like:
Rose Eucalyptus Simmer Pot
A subtle, fresh, and alluring combination, rose plus eucalyptus is a pairing that I never would have reached for on my own until a friend begged me to try it.
It’s not overpowering in any way; sometimes it seems like it’s not even there. But when you leave the house and then come back a little later, it will hit you. It just smells clean!
I always reach for it when I’m doing some actual deep cleaning in and around my home.
Christmas Celebration
Everyone knows what Christmas smells like. How can Christmas have a smell? It just does, and you know it’s true!
This simmer pot blend pulls out all the stops and adds basically every warm, spicy note you can think of and several that you can’t! It’s the perfect one to put on for a big family gathering, or helping to clear out the lingering smell of that big Christmas dinner you spent all day preparing.
Lime Rosemary Vanilla
Another gloriously good combo on our list! The subtle warmth of vanilla, the resin-like fragrance of rosemary, and the both of them cut by the bright, clear freshness of lime. It just smells terrific!
I use this one all the time so long as I have fresh ingredients on hand, and this is one of the very best for covering up and clearing out unpleasant odors in my home.
Intoxicating Autumn Potpourri
Another great autumn recipe, and this one with a beguiling quality that is almost mesmerizing.
Compared to the one we talked about earlier, I found it seems like it doesn’t last quite as long but you’ll still get plenty of long-lasting fragrance out of it; it seems to hang around for a while! Give it a try if you’re ready for something different when fall rolls around.
Lilac Potpourri
Here’s one you don’t hear of every day. Lilac has an intensely floral fragrance, often described as a stronger essence of rose, but it also has a distinctly sweet and subtly warm vanilla-like note.
Suffice it to say, it is picture-perfect for our simmer pot! If you grow lilacs and are willing to spend the time to dry them yourself, this one will blow your socks off.
How Long Can You Simmer Your Mixture?
Typically, anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, though you can sometimes get more out of them than that. As the essential oils and other compounds start to break down, dissolve, and then float away with the steam from the water, the fragrance will get less and less potent over time.
Eventually, even on gentle heat, your ingredients will start to cook down and often take on a distinctly unpleasant aroma.
You’ll be able to tell when the fragrance runs out well before that happens as long as you keep the heat on low, so don’t worry about it but don’t try to push your luck either. Just mix up a fresh batch with fresh water and start again.
And make sure you keep an eye on the water level. It will be steadily evaporating over time, and if it all boils away in your pot, your ingredients can start to burn or even catch fire.
Are Simmer Pot Mixes Reusable?
Yes. So long as the ingredients still have some potency left, you can take them out of the water and store them in the refrigerator in a Ziploc bag or other airtight container to be used the next day. You’ll want to use fresh water for the next session, too…
But, unless you’re storing dried ingredients that are shelf stable, don’t try to hang on to a used batch for very long because it will continue to decompose. Fresh is best! Prepare it fresh and use it up in a day for best results.
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment with Your Favorite Blend
One last tip. Don’t hesitate to experiment with the recipes I shared with you above. I like what might best be described as moderate fragrances, not too light, not too heavy.
You can get more intensity from your fragrances simply by adding more ingredients, like I do with lavender!
Likewise, if you want a lighter and subtler fragrance, just cut back the proportions a little bit. It won’t hurt anything.
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Tom has lived and worked on farms and homesteads from the Carolinas to Kentucky and beyond. He is passionate about helping people prepare for tough times by embracing lifestyles of self-sufficiency.