12 Uses For Lavender Oil July 29, 2008

The uses for lavender oil is vast but here are the top things I use it for:

 (*Unless otherwise noted, I generally use the 10 drops per cup rule of thumb!)

1) Air freshener–Put mixture in a spray bottle and spray into air whenever you want a fresher scent. I recommend not using it when pets are in the room as I worry about it getting in their eyes or them licking the air to get to it!

2) Spray for cutting boards–Spray on to cutting board after washing it with mild soap and water. Let it dry.

3) Mop water additive–In addition to my environmentally/animal friendly products I put about 10 drops per half a bucket full of water. It adds a nice scent while you are mopping and also helps decrease bacteria.

4) Couch and cushion freshener–After I vacuum the couch, I always spray the cushions and the rest of the couch with my lavender mixture. Please make sure that it does not affect your couch by testing a concealed area. I have a dark cloth couch and it has never caused me any trouble though! It dries very quickly as to not hinder sitting for more than 15 minutes! 🙂

5) Between cleanings freshener/cleaner–I frequently spray my toilet, shower, some walls and my counter-tops with the mixture as an in-between major cleaning tactic. It leaves a fresh scent and leaves no residue.

6) Counter cleaner–I mix the 10 drops per cup mixture with about 2 Tbsp vinegar per cup of water as a powerhouse antibacterial cleaner. I clear off my counters and spray thoroughly with mixture. I wait about 10-15 minutes and come back, spray a bit more and then clean off the area. This enables the antibacterial properties to really kick in. Plus if you dislike the smell of vinegar you can get the power of it without the smell since lavender covers it up quite well! (You can also use this mixture when spraying faucets/toilets etc between cleanings for a stronger effect.)

7) Can be added to massage oil–If you have general massage oil, lavender oil can be added to it to increase relaxation. Amount depends upon your preference!

8) Headache relief–Studies have shown that rubbing a small amount of lavender oil on your temples when you have a headache will lessen the headache or even make it go away.

9) Pain relief–You can rub small amounts of lavender oil on sore joints/muscles to relax them and you!

10) Insect repellent–It is said that lavender can be used as an insect repellent, especially if you use a small amount when washing your hair.

11) Perfume–Lavender oil is safe to be used on the skin and can therefore be used as a perfume. This also helps keep insects away, such as in #10.

12) Help insomnia/anxiety–You can simply rub small amounts on pressure points (like #8) or use a few drops in a diffuser to calm yourself.

Welcome to Green Breaths June 5, 2008

 

Green Breaths is about living green but not painfully. Being or going green should not be a painful process. Too often living closer to mother nature is viewed as difficult, but in reality it is extremely simple. All the tools are at your fingertips! Hopefully through MY fingertips I will be able to show everyone how living green can be as simple as taking a breath!

 

My very first such attempt will be with green cleaning. Too often people go for the cheap and complex products at major shopping stores. However, the ingredients (and companies) are not cheap in terms of their destructive properties (and I’m not just talking about their ability to get rid of that gross shower mildew!). I will not claim to be completely innocent of the use of such products. I will admit, that as a renter, I have at times dished out a little Mr. Clean here and there due to my innane fear that the previous tenant somehow had some killer freak tropical disease that no one has a treatment for! But alas, that is the germaphobe in me talking. She tends to be a little crazy. Cookoo if you will. BUT, back to the point at hand–green cleaning. There are simple and cheap alternatives. One such alternative is LAVENDER. The following concoction, placed in a spray bottle, can act as an antibacterial and room freshening agent. Lavender has been shown to be very effective at eliminating germs, bacteria etc.

 

Lavender Antibacterial Spray

Large spray bottle

4 cups water

40-45 drops lavendar oil

This spray can be used anywhere in the home, including upholstery, countertops, flooring and even cutting boards. I recommend leaving the spray on for 15 minutes before wiping. You can also spray this on anything and just leave it. It leaves a lovely spring clean smell wherever you use it. Be aware that the more drops of lavender used in the water bottle, the stronger the odor. So if you are somewhat sensitive decrease the amount slightly (to about 30 drops). This mixture lasts indefinitely.

Finally, feel good about cleaning without fearing inhaling the deadly chemicals or leaving nasty residues with who knows what residing in them!