Spring is just a
month away, but here in Florida it feels almost like Summer. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hit
pretty hard with the “spring cleaning” bug, wanting to organize my storage,
clear out things I don’t need, etc. I
figured that if I’d been feeling this burst of clean energy (sorry for the pun),
you might be feeling it too. So here are
a few recipes I turn to when I want to freshen up my home.
A Quick Word on Ingredients
Lavender is one
of my favorite herbs to use around my home because it helps to repel bugs. Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, just about
anything. Lavender is also very calming,
stress reliving, promote healthy and restful sleep, and its antiseptic, so it
literally cleans the air while deodorizing!
I am very cautious about it, however, because I have a cat. Cats do not process lavender well and over
time a harmful build-up can occur in their livers. So I do my best to keep my cat out of direct
contact with lavender as much as possible.
Lemon Balm also
helps repel bugs and helps to clean the air.
The scent uplifts the mood, and to harmonize the body and mind. It has been known to help those who feel
pressure easily and have a tendency to emotionally shut down.
Hops is not the
most pleasant of scents, but for people who have problems getting to sleep (and
staying asleep), hops can be invaluable.
Hops is an amazing sedative that also works to duce anxiety, relieve
pain, reduce respiratory distress, relieve headaches, soothe menstrual pains,
and many other things. This is a great
herb to include in a sleep sachet to help with sleep apnea. I do have one major caution when looking at
this herb. If you are prone to
depression, please do not use hops. Its
sedative effects can also increase symptoms of depression.
Rosemary is
another herb that is amazing to include in just about everything. It helps to uplift the mood and energize your
mind, it improves memory, relieves stress, lowers anxiety, improves
concentration, and is such a powerful antibiotic that it can help purify the
air and prevent the spread of bacterial infections. There is a major caution to think about with
this herb, however. If you or someone in
your home is prone to seizures, rosemary essential oil (as well as eucalyptus
and camphor) is so stimulating to the brain that it may bring about a
seizure. I have actually witnessed this
first hand. So please use caution if you
know someone who is prone to seizures.
However the herb itself is typically safe to use as long as you do not
use too much of it at once (it takes 70 lbs of rosemary leaves to make 5 oz of
essential oil).
Pine is a great,
fresh smelling scent. It’s also very
cleansing! It has amazing antiseptic
properties and helps to promote improved circulation as well as immune
function. Pine helps to boost mental
energy and reduce the symptoms of stress.
It also removes anxiety and tension while refreshing the spirit which
makes it an excellent mood enhancer. It
can also help to improve memory and concentration.
Citrus of all
kinds are great at keeping your home smelling fresh. Citrus is also an excellent mood booster and
energizer. It helps to improve focus and
alertness while calming and relaxing.
Citrus, in general, helps to open up creativity, calm the occasional
restlessness, and increase joy.
Other Herbs to
consider using for these recipes include basil, thyme, anise, cinnamon, clove,
or really any culinary herb you can think of.
You can also consider using rose petals, jasmine flowers, chamomile
flowers, lemongrass, and sprigs from aromatic trees (spruce, juniper, etc).
Baking Soda is a deodorizer,
not a cleaning agent. It will help
remove ugly scents from your carpet and furniture, but it will not remove
stains.
High Proof Alcohol
of any kind can be used in the room sprays, but I prefer vodka as it is
virtually scentless. It also helps to
preserve your spray and it evaporates quickly preventing residue from forming
when it lands on surfaces. You can also
use a good quality vanilla extract in place of the vodka. This will sweeten the scent and mellow out
harsher/stronger smells.
Essential Oils not
only make your home smell great, but they can also help balance your emotions
and improve your mood. I’ve included a
few good mixes at the bottom but feel free to experiment and try your own!
Carpet and Furniture Freshener
Ingredients:
½ cup Baking Soda
1-2 tsp ground, Dried Herbs (I prefer to
use Lavender, but there will be some good mixes below)
10-15 drops essential oils of your choice (I’ve
listed some good blends below)
Instructions:
Combine
ingredients and sprinkle the powder directly onto your carpet 5 minutes before
vacuuming. You can also sprinkle the
powder after vacuuming as well, or even on your furniture. It works particularly well to help get the
musty smell out of your mattress. Just
sprinkle the powder directly onto your mattress and cover with a fresh, fitted
sheet. You’ll experience the fresh and
wonderful scent every time you get into your bed. Depending on the herbs you use, you can even
use this powder for your pet bed. Cats
do not respond well to lavender, so for this use, I would recommend leaving lavender
out. Lemon Balm or Mint might be a good
substitution.
Storage:
This powder
is good as long as you can smell the herbs well. As far as containers go, some people use
recycled parmesan cheese containers, some people use salt and/or pepper
shakers, some people use mason jars with holes punched in the top. I almost always prefer glass storage
containers, but for this I just use a stainless steel spice shaker that you can find just about anywhere, and it’s pretty darn cheap.
Fresh Scented Room Spray
Ingredients:
¾ cup Water
2 tablespoons High Proof Alcohol or Vanilla
Extract (for a sweeter scent)
20-30 drops essential oils of your choice (I’ve
listed some good blends below)
Instructions:
Combine
ingredients in an 8 oz spray bottle. Shake
well and spray away!
Storage:
These sprays
should last for several years as long as the water is pure (distilled is the
best, but if you have access to good quality tap water, feel free to use it)
and the oils are good quality. This is
not an internal use product, so feel free to store/use in a plastic bottle.
Herbal Sachets
What you need:
Muslin or Cotton Bag (you can make your
own, or buy them)
Dried Herbs of Your Choice (whole herbs, not
ground)
10-15 drops essential oils of your choice (I’ve
listed some good blends below)
Instructions:
Combine herbs
and oils in a bowl. Carefully pour them
into a bag. Secure the bag well (sewing
works best, but you can buy a strip of iron-on tape if you are not interested
in sewing). Place your sachets in a
sealed container in a warm, dry, dark place for a few weeks to cure. You can put the sachet in your pillow case to
help you sleep, in your linen drawer to help keep your linens smelling fresh,
in the pocket of a winter coat during the long summer, you can even put them in
your bath to help relax you after a particularly stressful day. There are so many possibilities for these
little bags. You can also use the herb
and essential oil mixture as decorative potpourri.
Essential Oil Blends to Start With:
1.Invigorating
Citrus 2.Simply Clean
10 drops Mandarin Essential Oil 5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil 5 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
5 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
3.Essentially
Citrus
5 drops Mandarin Essential Oil
5 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
5 drops Lemon Essential Oil
5 drops Lime Essential Oil
5.Spring
Flowers 6.Focus and Clarity
10 drops Jasmine Essential Oil
5 drops Geranium Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil 5 drops Pine Essential Oil
7.Woodland
Mist
10 drops White Fir Essential Oil
5 drops Juniper Essential Oil
5 drops Pine Essential Oil
5 drops Frankincense Essential Oil 2 drops Ginger Essential Oil
9.Stimulating
Living 10.Romance
10 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
5 drops Basil Essential Oil 5 drops Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
2 drops Peppermint Essential Oil 2 drops Patchouli Essential Oil
1.Simply
Citrus 2.Spring Flower Garden
½ oz Grapefruit Peel
½ oz Lemon Balm
¼ oz Lemongrass
¼ oz Lime Peel
¼ oz
Orange Peel
3.Soothing
Sleep 4.Spice It Up
½ oz Lavender
½ oz Hops or Lemon Balm
¼ oz Clove
¼ oz Ginger
5.Eastern
Influences
½ oz Jasmine Flowers
¼ oz Anise
¼ oz Cardamom
¼ oz Lemon Balm
7.Bug Away
½ oz Lavender
¼ oz Lemongrass ¼ oz Lemongrass
¼ oz Lemon Balm ¼ oz Lemon Balm
¼ oz Basil
¼ oz Thyme
9.Creative Inspirations
½ oz Orange Peel
¼ oz Lime Peel ¼ oz Rose Petals
¼ oz Rosemary ¼ oz Cinnamon
¼ oz Pine ¼ oz Lemon Balm
¼ oz Mint
Resources:
Experience Essential Oils: Citrus Fresh Essential Oil: http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/citrus-fresh-essential-oil.html
Experience Essential Oils: Lemon Balm or Melissa Uses: http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/lemon-balm-uses.html
Mother Nature Network: 8 Health Benefits of Rosemary: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/8-health-benefits-rosemary
Organic Facts: 7 Proven Benefits of Lavender: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/lavender.html
Organic Facts: Health Benefits of Hops Essential Oil: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/hops-essential-oil.html
Organic Facts: Health Benefits of Pine Essential Oil: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/pine-essential-oil.html
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