From the wonderful feedback we have received we have learned that our last few newsletters with tips about Aromatherapy and Herbs have been most popular. However, we have heard from a few readers that they would like some more general tips as not everyone has children or grandchildren! And of course, as we aim to please, we thought it would be good to end the summer with one more newsletter on Aromatherapy and Herbal tips.
Just a reminder, essential oils are highly-concentrated and strongly scented distillations from plant materials. Although these products are from natural sources they are very powerful chemicals and need to be used with care. Your pets won’t like them and they should be kept out of the reach of children. That said, the same goes for your chemical household cleaners and as such a small amount of essential oils are used at a time for common household use we thought you might enjoy exploring Aromatherapy around the home.
For example, did you know that many essential oils have disinfectant properties that kill germs? This makes them very effective, not-so-toxic cleaners! We include in this list the ever popular teatree. However, some of us find that teatree doesn’t smell that great. So we mix it with lemon or lemongrass to cut the “medicinal” smell. Lemon and lemongrass also have disinfectant properties, so you may use them alone if you prefer. In addition favourites we use at SCT are grapefruit, orange, eucalyptus and spruce. Also Emma likes thyme and Jacqueline likes pine.
So now you know what you might like to use, how do you use them? You can add a few essential oils to distilled water in a spray bottle. For a nice spray that kills bacteria, deodorizes and disinfects the air with light cleaning power, try the following:
500 ml distilled water in a spray bottle, to which you add:
4 drops rosemary
4 drops lemon
6 drops eucalyptus
8 drops lavender
Just remember to shake it up each time before you use it. Good for cleaning kitchen and bathroom cupboards, bathrooms fixtures, sinks, tiles and woodwork. And also works as a room spray!
You may have heard how good vinegar is as a cleaning product, but the smell alone isn’t very inviting. (Personally, I find that vinegar used alone as a cleaner makes the home smell rather like a fish and chip shop-not always the kind of impression you want!)
To clean the floors in the kitchen and bathroom you might like to try adding to a bucket of warm water:
¼ cup white vinegar
10 to 20 drops of the following essential oils, alone or combined:
Lemon
Pine
Spruce
Lavender
For windows and mirrors use a 1 litre spray bottle:
1 cup white vinegar
12 to 24 drops lemon
Top-up with water
And remember to shake well each time you use it.
For other rooms in the house you may like to try using some essential oils mixed with baking soda sprinkled on the carpet before vacuuming. Place 1 cup baking soda in a ziplock bag and add some of your favourite essential oils (around 10 to 15 drops should be enough). Zip up bag and shake vigorously. Sprinkle over the carpet, leave for 5 minutes and then vacuum up. This is an inexpensive and natural tip to freshen the air in your home.
When using your dryer try adding a wash cloth with essential oils. Take a wash cloth and dampen in warm water. Wring it out and place around 5 to 10 drops of your favourite essential oils on it. Toss in the dryer with your laundry. Lavender, lemon or rosemary are often favourites and much better on the environment and our skin than commercial dryer sheets. You will have to take care with delicate fabrics, but most natural fabrics are fine.
Let us know how these tips work for you. If you don’t know where to get your essential oils, pleasecontact Emma at jf@jacquelinefairbrass.com. Emma is also available to make personalized blends for you.
Want to learn more about Aromatherapy? We have an Aromatherapy training course http://schoolofct.com and coming soon is our Introduction to Aromatherapy Correspondence Course. Interested, please let us know and we’ll keep you posted. If you would like a personal consultation on Aromatherapy for your health needs just call 206.201.2764 or email jf@jacquelinefairbrass.com for an appointment.
Keep well,
Jacqueline Fairbrass
PS The HerbFest was a great success again. It was a pleasure to catch-up with so many friends of the School; old and new, and to meet lots of new faces. And I enjoyed very much seeing so many successful students and graduates from our programmes participating in the event! Good job!
