Healthier Ways to Scent Your Home for the Holidays

From candles to plug-ins, cozy scents are a popular way to create a welcoming space—especially around the holidays. While the aromas themselves have calming benefits, many scented candles pose health concerns.

Fortunately, there are simple ways to minimize those concerns by choosing better candles, switching to natural scents, and improving indoor air quality.

“We may feel like a lot is out of our control, but inside our homes, there’s actually a lot we have control over,” says Mary Beth Terry, PhD, an environmental health expert at Columbia. “We spend 90 percent of our time indoors, so practices like ventilating, as well as reducing dust and chemical use, can make a difference.”

When it comes to home scents, Dr. Terry explains the issues around commercial candles and shares safer ways to enjoy comforting aromas.

Health concerns of scented candles

Although scented candles are popular (Americans spend about $2 billion on them each year, mostly around December), a growing number of studies are finding health concerns.

The first issue is the burning itself. “Anything you burn in the house, including cooking or candles, involves indoor combustion,” Dr. Terry says. Combustion gases (like carbon monoxide or nitrogen oxide) can cause problems including airway inflammation and increased asthma attacks.

In addition, a lot of candle wax, including common paraffin candles, is petroleum-based. Melting petroleum releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which linger in the air and settle in dust. VOCs such as toluene have been linked to health issues that include lung irritation, neurological impairment, and some cancers. A 2025 study found that scented wax melts (popularized as safer alternatives to burning candles) actually release more VOCs due to their “higher fragrance concentration” and the fact that more wax is melted.

Finally, the aromas themselves pose concerns. “Many of these fragrances have endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are related to several hormonal cancers,” says Dr. Terry. A key chemical of concern is phthalates, which have been linked to reproductive issues, developmental issues, infertility, asthma, and some cancers (including breast).

Who is most sensitive to scented candles?

As friends and family gather for the holidays, it’s especially important to consider who may be especially vulnerable to scented candles.

The most sensitive groups for VOCs are children (because of their developing systems and the tendency of younger children to put things in their mouths) and anyone with a respiratory condition, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Improving indoor air quality is especially important for these individuals, Dr. Terry says.

Healthier ways to scent your home

There are plenty of ways to enjoy comforting aromas while limiting health concerns, says Dr. Terry, who suggests considering the following when choosing candles:

• Buy quality candles: Instead of paraffin or artificial materials, look for candles made of natural components, such as beeswax or soy wax.
• Use newer candles: Many older candles had wicks containing lead, which has been linked to health issues ranging from learning disabilities to nerve disorders. Lead wicks were banned in the US in 2003.
• Avoid colored candles: Colored waxes can contain benzidine-based dyes, which have been linked to bladder cancer.

For natural aromatherapy options, trying various DIY approaches such as these can offer calming scents with fewer chemicals:

• Simmer oranges on the stove: Fill a pot of water with sliced oranges, as well as cloves and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for several hours. Add water occasionally as it evaporates and monitor for burning.
• Mix a DIY room spray: Purchase essential oils (which are safer than synthetic fragrances) such as cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and orange. Mix a few drops of each oil into one cup of distilled water, then put the mixture in a spray bottle.
• Make your own reed diffuser: Combine a carrier oil (recommendations range from coconut oil to sweet almond oil) with essential oils (like lemon, wintergreen, and bergamot) in a glass jar. Add about 30-50 drops of essential oils per one drop of the carrier oil and shake. Put several rattan reeds into the mixture to soak up and diffuse the scent.

Tips for improving indoor air quality

Candles are just one contributor to your home’s air quality—along with other common sources, like cooking, fireplace use, and smoking. Dr. Terry recommends the following to clear the air:

• Open a window: If the weather allows and outdoor air quality is good, ventilate your home by opening windows.
• Dust often: Harmful chemicals and particulates gather in dust, which can circulate in the air or accumulate on toys that young children put in their mouths. Regular dusting minimizes these exposures.
• Try an air purifier: A portable air purifier with HEPA filter helps to capture particulate matter and chemicals. Ideally, place an air purifier in rooms where you spend the most time.
• Maintain your furnace filter: Change your furnace filter as recommended by the manufacturer, says the American Lung Association.

Maintaining healthy habits is essential for keeping your home’s air clean throughout the year.