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If you want to keep your home free of insects, bacteria and bad smells, use essential oils
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Smell the goodness Use essential oils to clean your home
This is the hottest period of the year. The heat and the humidity bring with it odour and bacteria which can cause disease. Everyone is now going back to natural remedies. Using essential oils in your home helps to get rid of bad smell and bad temper. Many essential oils have powerful disinfectant properties that kill germs and improve hygiene more effectively than many household cleansers. The added advantage is that these oils are natural and do not need any environmental damaging chemical additives for a better effect. For most cleansing jobs at home you need only a few drops of essential oils; hence, they are long lasting and economical. They also disinfect without leaving behind a strong smell. Here are some ways to use essential oils to cleanse, protect and purify your home.
Air purifier
Use essential oils to make your house smell fresh and purify the air. The best way to do this is to put 5 drops of essential oils on a cotton wool and place it in the dust bag of your vacuum cleaner against the exist filter where the air blows out of the machine. If you are not using a vacuum cleaner, you can place this cotton ball on the grill of your air conditioner near the blower. You can use any of the purifying oils given below. To change the fragrance just replace it with a new cotton ball as often as you wish.
Best purifying oils are lavender, rosemary, lemon and tea tree.
Cleansers
* To wipe kitchen surfaces, chopping boards and wash floors add 8 drops of an essential oil to a small bucket of warm water, wring out a cloth and wipe.
* To clean basins, toilets, baths and sinks, put 3 drops of the essential oil on a damp cloth and clean.
* To sterilise dishes and cutlery, add 2 drops of the essential oil to the water and use it for a last rinse.
* To rinse clothes especially your baby's, add 3 drops of the essential oil to the final rinsing water.
Best cleansing oils
* For kitchen surfaces and floor — mix lemon and geranium.
* For toilets — tea tree is best.
* For basins, baths and sinks — mix lemon and lavender.
* For washing and rinsing clothes — geranium and lavender.
Deodorisers
Essential oils are excellent deodorisers, which can be used daily or in a room where there is a sick person. To deodorise and neutralise odours, put 4 drops of the essential oil on a cotton wool and place it where you want to neutralise the odour. For instance, wardrobes, laundry basket, rubbish bin, shoe rack etc. To disinfect the room being used by a sick person, burn the oil in a vapouriser. If you have persistent underarm odour, place 2 drops of essential oil on the inside underarm seam of shirts and jackets. For smelly shoes, rub 4 drops of the essential oil on the sole with a tissue.
The oils that can be used for deodorising are bergmot, lavender, lemon grass, peppermint and thyme.
The oils that can be used in a room where a sick person is are eucalyptus (for congestion and cold), tea tree (for viruses and flue), lavender (antiseptic and relaxing).
For underarms, use bergmot and citronella.
Use lemon in smelly shoes.
Insect repellent
Essential oils make excellent natural, fragrant and non-toxic insecticides, which are good for us but repulsive to insects. Mix 15 drops of essential oils given below to 100ml of water in a pump-action spray bottle and shake well. Spray in areas where you want to get rid of insects or put 5 drops of an essential oil to a damp cloth and wipe wardrobes, shelves, drawers and door frames. Alternatively, pour some drops directly on curtain hems or areas where insects hide or invade your home. You can also put a few drops of oil on your pillow case or mattress. This will keep mosquitoes away.
If you have to be in the open, for instance attending a garden party, dilute 6 drops of the essential oil with 30ml (6 tsps) of sunflower oil and rub on the exposed skin before going to bed. It will soothe the itchiness of any insect bite.
The best insect repellent oils are citronella (mosquitoes), camphor (moths), lemon grass (most flying insects), tea tree (ants, fleas, most insects) and to get rid of ants/cockroaches, dilute 8 drops of tea tree and 7 drops of thyme in 30ml (6 tsps) water in a spray bottle and spray.
For your pets to get rid of ticks dilute 6 drops of geranium and 5 drops of lavender and 4 drops of tea tree in 30ml (6 tsps) of water in a spray bottle. Spray on the fur/hair of your pet. Avoid spraying into the eyes.
This summer switch to using essential oils to keep your home clean and hygienic, and feel the difference. A wide choice of essential oils from different companies are available in the market.
LILY MADHOK
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