Aromatherapy To De-Bug Your Home
When it comes to bugs, you probably don't think of aromatherapy. Most people don't. After all, aromatherapy is most often considered a therapy to enhance your emotional and physical health, not something that you would use as a pest control method in your home.
Aromatherapy offers plenty of ways to keep annoying insects out of your living space. What could be a better form of "therapy" than making your home and garden a more pleasant and less stressful place for you to enjoy?
Don't Bug Me: Aromatic Insect Repellents
Insects are nature's aromatherapists. Many of them rely on their sense of smell for the most important things in a bug's life - finding a mate (they do this through pheromones, the same type of aromatic attraction that gets people excited) - and, equally important, a food source.
It's time to use the insect's remarkable sense of smell to your advantage. What aromatherapy has going for it is fragrance, and plenty of it. A strong aroma can create a scent shield to disguise the smells that bugs rely on to locate a food source - your home or garden. Instead they get hit with a strong waft of pine or citronella - it's not what they're searching for, so little critters go elsewhere. Covering up bug-enticing scents is a good start, but an even better method is to use scents that bugs actually hate. That should be enough to send most bugs spinning on their heels in the opposite direction.
Your first line of defense is by using aromatherapy repellents. Follow these tips to get rid of the most common bugs.
Ants: These little critters are fairly easy to attack because they travel in regimented lines. Make a spray along their trails and ants will lose their scent. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to cotton balls and place them in the corners of your cupboards or wherever the ants find an entrance to your home. (Replace the essential oils every week). To rid your place of ants, try these essential oils:
· Orange
· Pine
· Peppermint
Flies: Because they fly, they can land anywhere, and you can't very well chase after them with a spray bottle. Concentrate your efforts on where flies enter your house and where they're most likely to land - around windows and doors. Cut lengths of ribbon or paper towelling and place drops of essential oils on each strip then hang them above the windows or lay them on the window sills. Good fly deterrent oils include:
· Cedarwood
· Clove
· Eucalyptus
· Orange
· Lavender
Cockroaches: Concentrate your repellent action in the dark, damp places where they like to hang out. Try these essential oils:
· Eucalyptus
· Peppermint
Mice: These are a bit bigger than a bug, but you have to admit they can be pests if you find them in your home. To discourage them from entering your house you can use one of the following essential oils placed strategically around the house and roof.
· Spearmint
· Peppermint
Moths and Your Wardrobe:
Commercial mothballs have an unpleasant odour and can discolor the very clothing they protect. They also contain some very potent chemicals which is another good reason to use nature's essential oils. These oils work well when you're battling moths. Place 2-3 drops of one of the following oils onto cotton balls and place where required.
· Cedarwood
· Lavender
· Patchouli
· Citronella
· Peppermint
All Purpose Household Spray Recipe
50 drops Eucalyptus Oil
25 drops Peppermint Oil
25 drops Lemon Oil
50ml vinegar
100ml water
Combine and shake well. Store in a spray bottle and shake well before use.
Note: Do not spray over wood furniture as discolouration could occur.
Bacteria Busters in your Home - Handy Hints:
Most essential oils are antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral, so they disinfect your house to eliminate a much smaller bug: germs. These extra aromatherapy household tips may not make household chores more enjoyable, but they certainly will be more fragrant.
Here are ways that you can keep the germ population in your household down and have your home smell good at the same time.
Air spray: An all-purpose disinfectant spray helps your home become a germfree zone. Use it on the floors, countertops and sinks, in your kitchen and bathroom. Add 25 drops each of eucalyptus and lemon essential oils to a quarter teaspoon vinegar and half cup water.
Dishwasher: Add 2 drops lemon or orange essential oils to the detergent in your dishwasher's soap compartment. This won't do much to scent the dishes but it works wonders on a smelly dishwasher.
Sponges: Place 3 drops of lavender, lemon or ti tree essential oils in some water and soak sponges to freshen them up and kill any lingering bacteria.
Rubbish Bins: Dab a few drops of ti tree or eucalyptus oil on a paper towel, use to wipe over lid or place in the bottom of the bin to kill germs and the smells that come with them.
Vacuum Cleaner: Place a few drops of your favourite essential oil onto the dust bag and the fragrance will permeate the room as you vacuum.
Clothes Dryer: Place 20 drops of a favourite essential oil onto a small scrap of fabric and place in the dryer with your clothes, towels, or sheets. It will lend its scent to them and make folding the laundry an aromatic experience.
Washing Machine: Add a couple of drops of lemongrass, petitgrain or bergamot essential oils to freshen the laundry.
Enjoying the Great Outdoors
There's something disconcerting about enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful plants and then hearing the high pitched whine of a mosquito zeroing in on part of your exposed anatomy. That's where nature's insect repellents come in handy. They're a much safer alternative to use on your skin than the commercial variety that contain strong chemicals. At Essential Health we have formulated our own Insect Repellent for use on the body and a 12ml pure essential oil blend Insect Repellent for use in a burner.
Other insect repelling essential oils you could use are:
· Cedarwood
· Citronella
· Eucalyptus
· Peppermint
· Geranium
· Lavender
· Sweet Orange
· Clove
Remember, always blend pure essential oils with a carrier oil such as Essential Health's Blended Base Oil before massaging into your skin. For 100ml of carrier oil add a total of 60 drops of essential oil. Note that Clove and Peppermint essential oils should not exceed 10 drops of the total 60 drops as they are quite strong oils.
Bites and Stings
If you do happen to get stung or bitten by a creepy crawly, nature fortunately provides as many remedies as she does insects. Use essential oils that reduce inflammation to stop the itching and swelling of the bites such as lavender and chamomile blue or chamomile roman. You may use these oils undiluted directly on the sting/bite site only. For serious bites or stings, always consult your doctor.
~ essentialhealth
When it comes to bugs, you probably don't think of aromatherapy. Most people don't. After all, aromatherapy is most often considered a therapy to enhance your emotional and physical health, not something that you would use as a pest control method in your home.
Aromatherapy offers plenty of ways to keep annoying insects out of your living space. What could be a better form of "therapy" than making your home and garden a more pleasant and less stressful place for you to enjoy?
Don't Bug Me: Aromatic Insect Repellents
Insects are nature's aromatherapists. Many of them rely on their sense of smell for the most important things in a bug's life - finding a mate (they do this through pheromones, the same type of aromatic attraction that gets people excited) - and, equally important, a food source.
It's time to use the insect's remarkable sense of smell to your advantage. What aromatherapy has going for it is fragrance, and plenty of it. A strong aroma can create a scent shield to disguise the smells that bugs rely on to locate a food source - your home or garden. Instead they get hit with a strong waft of pine or citronella - it's not what they're searching for, so little critters go elsewhere. Covering up bug-enticing scents is a good start, but an even better method is to use scents that bugs actually hate. That should be enough to send most bugs spinning on their heels in the opposite direction.
Your first line of defense is by using aromatherapy repellents. Follow these tips to get rid of the most common bugs.
Ants: These little critters are fairly easy to attack because they travel in regimented lines. Make a spray along their trails and ants will lose their scent. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to cotton balls and place them in the corners of your cupboards or wherever the ants find an entrance to your home. (Replace the essential oils every week). To rid your place of ants, try these essential oils:
· Orange
· Pine
· Peppermint
Flies: Because they fly, they can land anywhere, and you can't very well chase after them with a spray bottle. Concentrate your efforts on where flies enter your house and where they're most likely to land - around windows and doors. Cut lengths of ribbon or paper towelling and place drops of essential oils on each strip then hang them above the windows or lay them on the window sills. Good fly deterrent oils include:
· Cedarwood
· Clove
· Eucalyptus
· Orange
· Lavender
Cockroaches: Concentrate your repellent action in the dark, damp places where they like to hang out. Try these essential oils:
· Eucalyptus
· Peppermint
Mice: These are a bit bigger than a bug, but you have to admit they can be pests if you find them in your home. To discourage them from entering your house you can use one of the following essential oils placed strategically around the house and roof.
· Spearmint
· Peppermint
Moths and Your Wardrobe:
Commercial mothballs have an unpleasant odour and can discolor the very clothing they protect. They also contain some very potent chemicals which is another good reason to use nature's essential oils. These oils work well when you're battling moths. Place 2-3 drops of one of the following oils onto cotton balls and place where required.
· Cedarwood
· Lavender
· Patchouli
· Citronella
· Peppermint
All Purpose Household Spray Recipe
50 drops Eucalyptus Oil
25 drops Peppermint Oil
25 drops Lemon Oil
50ml vinegar
100ml water
Combine and shake well. Store in a spray bottle and shake well before use.
Note: Do not spray over wood furniture as discolouration could occur.
Bacteria Busters in your Home - Handy Hints:
Most essential oils are antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral, so they disinfect your house to eliminate a much smaller bug: germs. These extra aromatherapy household tips may not make household chores more enjoyable, but they certainly will be more fragrant.
Here are ways that you can keep the germ population in your household down and have your home smell good at the same time.
Air spray: An all-purpose disinfectant spray helps your home become a germfree zone. Use it on the floors, countertops and sinks, in your kitchen and bathroom. Add 25 drops each of eucalyptus and lemon essential oils to a quarter teaspoon vinegar and half cup water.
Dishwasher: Add 2 drops lemon or orange essential oils to the detergent in your dishwasher's soap compartment. This won't do much to scent the dishes but it works wonders on a smelly dishwasher.
Sponges: Place 3 drops of lavender, lemon or ti tree essential oils in some water and soak sponges to freshen them up and kill any lingering bacteria.
Rubbish Bins: Dab a few drops of ti tree or eucalyptus oil on a paper towel, use to wipe over lid or place in the bottom of the bin to kill germs and the smells that come with them.
Vacuum Cleaner: Place a few drops of your favourite essential oil onto the dust bag and the fragrance will permeate the room as you vacuum.
Clothes Dryer: Place 20 drops of a favourite essential oil onto a small scrap of fabric and place in the dryer with your clothes, towels, or sheets. It will lend its scent to them and make folding the laundry an aromatic experience.
Washing Machine: Add a couple of drops of lemongrass, petitgrain or bergamot essential oils to freshen the laundry.
Enjoying the Great Outdoors
There's something disconcerting about enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful plants and then hearing the high pitched whine of a mosquito zeroing in on part of your exposed anatomy. That's where nature's insect repellents come in handy. They're a much safer alternative to use on your skin than the commercial variety that contain strong chemicals. At Essential Health we have formulated our own Insect Repellent for use on the body and a 12ml pure essential oil blend Insect Repellent for use in a burner.
Other insect repelling essential oils you could use are:
· Cedarwood
· Citronella
· Eucalyptus
· Peppermint
· Geranium
· Lavender
· Sweet Orange
· Clove
Remember, always blend pure essential oils with a carrier oil such as Essential Health's Blended Base Oil before massaging into your skin. For 100ml of carrier oil add a total of 60 drops of essential oil. Note that Clove and Peppermint essential oils should not exceed 10 drops of the total 60 drops as they are quite strong oils.
Bites and Stings
If you do happen to get stung or bitten by a creepy crawly, nature fortunately provides as many remedies as she does insects. Use essential oils that reduce inflammation to stop the itching and swelling of the bites such as lavender and chamomile blue or chamomile roman. You may use these oils undiluted directly on the sting/bite site only. For serious bites or stings, always consult your doctor.
~ essentialhealth
