Essential Oils Around the House
Essential oils can really make a difference in the way a house smells, and therefore in the impression it gives. For example, most hallways don’t have good ventilation, so the air there can be stale. The kitchen can pick up all kinds of odors, and not just from cooking; what about the inside of the cabinets or the refrigerator, or the trash container? The laundry room tends to have a lot of different aromas from the detergent and fabric softeners, but they don’t always blend well. And then of course there’s the bathroom.
There are many different ways you can use essential oils around the house. The most common are probably diffusers and candles. Diffusers, which use heat to spread the scent of the oil into the air, can be either electrical (plugged into an outlet) or mechanical (using a small votive candle under a bowl filled with water and a few drops of essential oil). If you decide to use a diffuser with a bowl, make sure the bowl is not porous; it will be easier to wipe clean, and it won’t absorb the scents of the different oils you use, making it hard to change them.
If you decide to use candles, you don’t have to buy aromatherapy candles. Just use plain unscented candles with a drop or two of essential oil added to the softened wax near the top of the candle after it’s been burning for a while. Be careful not to get the oil too near the flame, though; most essential oils, though not really “oily,” are flammable.
It’s also possible to use a light bulb as a heat source. You can use a lamp ring, which sits on top of the bulb; just add a little water and a drop or two of essential oil. Some lamp rings won’t work, though, because of the way the shade attaches; in that case, you can put the essential oil right on the bulb. Here, though, you need to add the oil before you turn the lamp on, or you risk shattering the bulb. And make sure you use no more than a drop; the oil should not run down the side of the bulb into the base.
If you don’t want to use an active heat source, you can always put some boiling water in a bowl and add the oils to the water. The scent will fade quickly, though, as the water cools. Essential oils can also be added to the water in a humidifier (if it’s a vaporizer, you can put a few drops of oil with some water in the “medication” container) or the water in a spray bottle. When you’re spraying, though, be sure not to hit anything that could stain – for example, curtains or unfinished wood items.
Here are some other ways to use essential oils around the house:
– In the laundry room, add 3-5 drops of oil to the fabric softener part of the washer, or put some oils on a cloth and add it to the dryer load.
– Dot essential oils on shelf paper, then use it to line shelves and drawers.
– Add 1 drop of oil to plain (unscented) talcum powder or baking soda and sprinkle on your carpet to help freshen it.
– Add essential oils to your cleaning water. If you use oils with antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral qualities, this is an especially good way to disinfect or deodorize.
– Put a drop or two of oil on the cardboard toilet paper roll, or on the roll holder.
What oils would be good for these situations? Well, the list can be extensive, but here are a few suggestions. For cleaning and disinfecting, try citrus oils (lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, or bergamot), eucalyptus, pine, or cinnamon. For dishwashing, citrus oils are great, and can already be found in some natural detergents. For the laundry, you can try citrus or floral oils, including lavender, geranium, and rose. If you need to repel moths, try lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, or citronella.
This is just a sampling of the many and varied ways you can use essential oils around the house. Be creative and develop your own methods. Your house will be cleaner and fresher, and much more comfortable to live in. And you won’t have to worry about the impression you’re giving your guests.
