I’ve begun to learn all about essential oils and how to use them in our homestead. Of course, they are beautiful to smell and the scents take me back to different memories and that is very pleasant. But mainly, I’ve been trying to learn how to use them in place of harsh commercial cleaners as well as natural pest repellants and other healthy alternatives to the chemicals we use for day to day things.
This being said, I’m very very conservative and careful, like when concerned with animals and our own health, so don’t worry… it’s all good.
Some of the things so far that we like… adding a few drops of ANY beautiful oil to our white vinegar and water glass and counter spray is a nice touch.
A drop or three on a cotton ball will scent a stinky trash basket for a long time!
10 to 15 drops of a citrus oil into a small squirt bottle of water makes a very effective flea and tick spray for bedding and even pets. Just avoid their face and areas they lick a great deal… just a light spritz seems to really help and makes them smell so nice!
Peppermint oil on a cotton ball keeps mice away from under cabinets or in drawers! It works! Apparently it repels spiders as well, but since we’ve never had spider trouble, I can’t say for sure that it works for us… but, hey, we’ve got no spiders, so maybe!!!
A drop of lavender on your sheets up near your pillow gives you sweet dreams and relaxation!
A few drops of cinnamon bark in a bag of pine cones infuses them so beautifully. Then you can set the pine cones out as decorations around the holidays and get that sweet Christmas scent when you walk into a room.
They say that cinnamon also has great medicinal benefits towards diabetics, and I’ll be honest, I started to use a drop on my stomach to smooth in and around the area. Just started, so I can’t say that it helps or not, but hey, if nicotine patches work and other skin absorbed things… I’m willing to give it a try! I’d like to make some skin lotions and add the cinnamon bark oil to it and see how that works, too!
Of course, you can add them to candles when you create your own… soaps…. I even place a few drops of lavender in with my stinky raw wool that I store before cleaning and sorting!
I’m curious to try making my own perfume blends… apparently, you use a decent quality vodka, non-flavored. And to one ounce in a small glass bottle, you add drops of your scents into the vodka and let infuse for a week or so. About 25 drops per ounce is a good suggestion. That would be neat to play around and blend your own signature scent!!! There was a perfume from my younger days that I adored and can no longer find… it had a base of musk and vanilla with a touch of lavender. I remember people saying it really suited me. Haha… animals, cookies and my favorite flowers! Yep, I guess that is me.
So… any other suggestions of what we can use our lovely oils with? How do you use them? Please share… I’d love to have a good reason to get more!
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I have been thinking about all the “home remedies” that I use toward housekeeping, cleaning, and/or repelling pests. Like I said on FB, I do use lemon or orange peels in my garbage disposal to give it a fresh smell and in the bathroom, I use the lemon juice from the peeling to clean the drain and it does make the room smell nice and lemony. I also use vinegar to clean. Baking soda is also good to remove stains from counter tops. And, garlic and salt around my sidewalk does keep away fleas. Actually, we have garlic growing all around our yard and we don’t have a flea problem and we do have four cats.
I also use lavendar oil and vanilla oil to make my bedroom smell nice.