Monday, March 21, 2011

Clean and Purify your Home, Office, Dorm with Pure Essential Oils

By Kathy Thorpe, MA, CHom

It’s time to get rid of toxic cleaning supplies in the home and replace them with fragrant essential oils. Certain essential oils can clean, disinfect, purify as well as refreshen your home making it a healthier, more enjoyable place to live. Essential oils can also dramatically change the energy of your home to create an ideal environment for relaxation, fun, romance, focus, new beginnings or meditation.

The following essential oils are perfect for cleaning and have been proven to have anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-mold, and anti-septic properties. They can also get rid of any unpleasant odors.

Lemon
Clove
Rosemary
Eucalyptus
Cinnamon
Oregano
Lavender
Tea tree
Here are some recipes to get started with.  Then experiment on your own!

Basic Kitchen Counter Disinfectant:
In a 16 oz. spray bottle, add pure water and 10 drops each of the following essential oils and shake well. If you don’t have a spray bottle, sprinkle a few drops of these essential oils on a damp cloth. This creates a good anti-bacterial and anti-fungal disinfectant for the kitchen.

Lemon
Lavender
Oregano

Spray and wipe down all the surfaces in the kitchen: counter tops, stove, appliances, and sink. Also spray it on any cutting boards. Enjoy the incredible smell when you’re finished and you will have purified your kitchen.

All Natural Scrubber
This is a fun easy one: use half of a lemon and rub it in baking soda.  Use this as your scrubber on grimy, dirty areas when needed.

Hardwood Floors
To a bucket of warm water add a cup of white vinegar and the following oils. Use a natural mop or sponge and clean the floors.  For extra dirty or grimy floors, add a squirt of an all-natural dish soap.

Spruce or Pine
Lemon
Tea Tree or Oregano

Window Spray
In a 16 oz. spray bottle mix the following and shake well before using.
1 c. Vinegar
1 c. Water
10 drops Lemon oil

Bathroom Cleaning Spray:
Because there are often many germs as well as mold in the bathroom, try this fabulous combination. Spray down any surfaces and wipe them clean.  Don’t forget to save a few drops of lavender for your next relaxing bath!

Lemon or Grapefruit
Eucalyptus or Tea Tree
Lavender
Clove

Bathroom or Kitchen Deodorizer
Put distilled water in a 4oz. spritzer bottle, add one of the essential oils combinations below and shake well.  Spray when needed to deodorize and purify a room.

Purifying Deodorizer & Disinfectant – also excellent to have during the cold & flu season
10 drops Lemon
5 drops Grapefruit
5 drops Rosemary
3 drops Eucalyptus

Citrus Deodorizer
10 drops Blood Orange or Litsea
5 drops Cinnamon
5 drops Clove

Essential Oil Room Fragrance
You can change the energy or ambiance of any room in your house with the use of essential oils. These ideas for essential oil sprays will change the environment in your room to make it more conducive to relaxation, higher energy, meditation, fun, focus and romance! For these sprays, fill a 4 oz. spray bottle with water and add the appropriate essential oil(s). You can also use these oils in a diffuser.

Meditative Spray for your bedroom:
Lavender
Clary sage
Sandalwood
Frankincense

Office Spray: for focus and concentration.
Lavender
Melissa or Basil
Cedar wood

Romantic spray for the bedroom:
Rose or Jasmine
Sweet orange
Sandalwood



Pure organic or wild-crafted essential oils are available at Six Persimmons Apothecary, 840 Pearl Street, Boulder. 303 583-0179

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