Flame or not, they release smoke. Since pets have a more acute and powerful sense of smell, they are more susceptible to the effects of smoke. Additionally, your pet's age (puppy/kitten or senior), as well as their anatomy (brachycephalic – flat-faced pets), impacts the effects smoke can have on them. Having a house that smells pleasant and welcoming is one of the most delightful experiences that many people miss. While most people rely on air fresheners, potpourri is better than constantly perfuming the surroundings.

Even better, you can use flameless candles, which will also eliminate the candle smoke that can irritate a cat or dog's respiratory system, leading to worsening of any existing asthma, bronchitis, tracheal (windpipe) problems, or other conditions of their respiratory system. Cleaner Burning Option IngredientsNote that potpourri and scented candles can also cause asthma and coughing fits in cats and dogs, as highlighted above. The worst offenders in the ingredient list are volatile organic compounds (VOC). The Environmental Protection Agency provides a list of health effects that VOC can cause: You can also use bamboo charcoal bags in rooms, closets, cars, etc., to help purify the air too. Just make sure your pets don't find the bags and break them open. Herbal tea in any flavor that you want, adds to the wonderful scent of this holiday simmering potpourri. You just add an herbal tea bag to a pot that contains water, apple slices, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cloves and a few pine branches. Peppermint tea would be wonderful in this if you are looking to add some holiday scents or you could use chamomile for a more relaxing scent. The choice is yours! Some of our teammates in Seattle, Washington, use this air purifier, which has greatly helped with the smoke from forest fires. They really like the air quality sensor that indicates if the air is clean or dirty.

I love the smell of apples simmering and this apple and ginger potpourri is so perfect for fall. You can simmer this every day from now until New Year’s and it’s really easy to throw together. Just add apple halves – or you can use the cores and peelings if you’re making a pie – along with cloves, fresh ginger, cinnamon and a few other spices to get the most perfectly wonderful scent. Make this potpourri with the leftover apple cores and peels after you’ve made tasty apple pie fries.cups dried flowers — Petals and/or heads. We suggest roses, lavender and hydrangea, but any blooms of your choice will suffice. Many people will burn scented candles to help set the mood, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately, like all candles, the scented varieties can pose a burn risk for your inquisitive pets and a fire risk for your home and family (in other words, your dog or cat can tip the candle and start or fire or even light themselves on fire).