CRAFTS: Summer Scents for Your Home (OILS, HERBS, HOUSEHOLD, AROMA, GIFTS)

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Summer Scents for Your Home

By Cait Johnson, author of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air

 

When the weather turns warm and sometimes sticky, most of our homes

could use a little help smelling and feeling fresh. Clean summery scents

can do a lot for us, but we don’t want to rely on plug-in air fresheners

or air freshener sprays: both contain chemicals thought to be harmful.

Instead, we can rely on the wisdom of our great-grandmothers, and use

natural ingredients to make our homes smell delightfully refreshing and

clean. Find out how lemon peel, fresh or dried mint, vanilla extract,

lavender, and more can make your home smell fresh as the proverbial

daisy, here:

 

Lively Lemons -

The zesty clean fragrance of lemon is an instant uplift. Try rubbing a

few drops of lemon essential oil on doorknobs, or peeling a lemon and

simply twisting the peel so that the oils are released into the room.

You can simmer lemon slices in water on the stove to scent the air

deliciously, too.

 

Lavender Refresher Plunk -

A handful of dried lavender in a pretty container next to the bed to

make your bedroom smell fresh and to promote relaxing sleep and deep

dreams.

 

Rosemary Smudge -

You can burn sprigs of dried rosemary (using an ashtray underneath to

catch any sparks!) to cleanse the atmosphere in your home. The scent is

refreshing, and the herb has been used in sickrooms for centuries, since

it is a time-honored antimicrobial.

 

Sweet Green Mist -

Mists and sprays are an easy way to add wonderful, natural scent to your

home and they are proven allies in the fight against germs. Mists and

sprays are a simple way of providing aromatherapy by just using

essential oils, water and a spray bottle. Nothing could be easier than

spritzing a few drops of these antibacterial sprays on doorknobs,

bathroom surfaces, telephones--anything you touch--to keep your home

smelling sweet. Because essential oils are antibacterial, they also help

kill germs. The formulas keep indefinitely and, in a pretty bottle tied

with a ribbon, they make great gifts. Your home will smell marvelous,

and you won’t need to worry as much when guests bring coughs and sneezes

in with them.

 

Look for all-natural pure essential oils at your local natural foods

store. This couldn’t-be-easier recipe makes enough for five cups of

mist, enough to share with a friend. Use liberally on non-staining

surfaces or simply spray upward in the center of the room, being sure to

avoid contact with eyes.

 

Mist Ingredients:

 

Use an eyedropper to place the following in a small glass jar with a lid

(a baby food jar is ideal)--

20 drops sweet orange essential oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

10 drops eucalyptus essential oil

 

Mix well. To use, add 4-8 drops of this base to one cup of purified or

distilled water in a spray bottle, shaking to mix. Store in a cool, dark

place.

 

 

Spicy Summer Potpourri-

This potpourri looks lovely set out in a bowl, or stored in little

potpourri bags.

 

Base: a combination of any or all of the following, thoroughly dried--

orange peel, marigolds, chrysanthemums, lavender, asters, Queen Anne’s

lace, star anise seeds, cinnamon powder or sticks, whole or powdered cloves

 

Oil scents: a few drops each--

Sweet orange essential oil

Lavender essential oil

Clove essential oil

 

Sprinkle dried base with oils and mix well. Refresh base with a few

drops of oil whenever needed.

 

 

Vanilla Odor Remover -

The vanilla bean has properties that reduce odors! Try this super-easy

trick for removing smells you don't want: 1 to 2 teaspoons natural

vanilla extract. Just put the vanilla in a small cup anywhere you want

air freshening.

 

 

Summery Stovetop Freshener-

Mint is a wonderful freshener that gives an uplifting feeling to the

atmosphere. You can use either fresh or dried mint in this formula.

 

Ingredients:

A handful of mint leaves

8 cups of water

 

Combine all the ingredients in a pan on the stove. Bring to a boil, and

then turn down to a simmer. Replace the liquid when needed as it

evaporates.

 

 

Cinnamon Trick

I have a small terra-cotta pot filled with ground cinnamon sitting near

my desk. I get wafts of the sweet fragrance all day long.

 

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