Spring
is finally here, thankfully! Open
all your windows and let in the clean, fresh air. There are lots of wonderful ways
to use herbs to dispel the dreary doldrums, germs and stale air of winter. There
are several herbs that are particularly good for this.
Tea
tree is tops for disinfecting. It does not have the most appealing of
fragrances but does
the
job well, as do all the citrus family members. That is why we see so many lemon
and orange scented cleansers on the market. Grapefruit seed extract also has
disinfecting properties, along with eucalyptus, rosemary, bergamot, juniper,
oregano, thyme, cinnamon, pine, lavender, peppermint and sage.
Because
most of us do not always have these herbs available, the essential oils of the
plants are the handiest form to use that will deliver the potency to get the
job done. However, if you have a cup or two of last summer’s harvest of
lavender flowers, oregano, rosemary, or eucalyptus leaves or you have a several
lemons or oranges (use peels only cut into small slivers) you can try this economical
recipe.
Easy
Herb Household Rinse
1
part herb or fruit peel
3
parts water
Bring
water to a simmer. Add herb or peel. Bring back to simmer, turn off heat and cover
the pot. Strain when cool and use to wipe and disinfect surfaces. Add a drop or two
of dishwashing detergent to help remove grease. Store the mixture in a glass
jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This
basic recipe for using essential oils is easy to prepare when needed:
Essential
Oil Cleaning Solution
Mix
8 drops of essential oil with 2 quarts warm water and one teaspoon isopropyl alcohol.
This mixture can be pumped from a spray bottle; use a glass one if possible.
Essential
oils can be blended to create useful preparation with pleasant fragrances. If
you don’t know which ones to mix, there are many books that will help inform
you about which ones work synergistically, that is, blend well to create an
aroma that seems balanced. I like any books by Valerie Ann Worwood. The
Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy is
a good one to start with.
There
are many ways to diffuse fragrance and germ killing power. Apply a few drops to
a tissue and place it in the diaper pale or waste paper basket or put a couple
of drops on the inside of a new toilet paper or paper towel roll. Dilute the
essential oils with an ample amount of water to wipe down changing tables and
counter tops. Here are two pleasing blends.
Feel
free to halve or double the recipe to suit your needs. Always store essential
oils in dark
bottles, out of direct light, and keep out of reach of children.
To clean
windows without ammonia, firmly wipe them down with a damp cloth. Then wipe
again
with a bunched up a sheet of newspaper with a drop or two of a citrus (lemon,
orange, lime or grapefruit) essential oil on it to remove streaks.
It can
be pleasing, satisfying and economical to concoct your own botanical cleaning
supplies. They offer a great way to avoid the physical aversion so many people
feel to the chemical cleaners and artificial fragrances.
Homemade
Furniture Polish
4
oz. beeswax
2.5
cup turpentine
1.5
cups water
1
oz. pure soap flakes or grated soap
10
drops of essential oil
In
a double boiler, slowly melt the beeswax. Carefully add room temperature
turpentine and stir until it becomes liquid again. Remove from
heat. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add soap flakes and stir
until dissolved. When both mixtures are cool, combine them and add the
essential oil. Blend thoroughly and pour into a wide mouth container that
has a lid. Caution: do not use an open flame to make this recipe as the turpentine is extremely flammable. Warm it gently over a
very low heat.
It can be pleasing, satisfying and economical to concoct your own botanical cleaning supplies. They offer a great way to avoid the physical aversion so many of us feel to chemical cleaners and artificial fragrances.
