Making Your Own Cleaners

Homemade Scouring Powder

1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
1 cup washing soda

Mix together and add 10 to 15 drops of essential oil for scent (optional). Keep in closed container and sprinkle as needed to clean tubs and sinks.

Window Cleaner

2 tablespoons vinegar
1 quart water

Combine ingredients, put in a spray bottle, and use for cleaning windows. Newspaper really is great to use to dry your windows!

Countertop Spray

Fill a plastic spray bottle with water and several drops of your favorite essential oil. (Rosemary and lavender are good.) I keep a bottle in each bathroom and one in the kitchen for quick floor clean-up and countertop cleaning. They make my house smell wonderful!

As with all cleaners, keep away from children and use at your own discretion!

Household Uses for Herbs

• Common mint (Mentha)--Mint is said to repel pests, especially fleas and beetles. Dried mint sachets will freshen closets and help keep moths at bay. Fresh mint will help deter ants in the pantry. Fresh mint rubbed on the skin is said to help deter mosquitoes.
• Lavender (Lavandula augustifolia)--dried leaves in sachet are said to repel moths. Nice-smelling herbs such as lavender can be put underneath floor rugs (provided they won't hurt your flooring) and they'll release their smell when walked upon.
• Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris)--boiled leaves will make green dye.
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)--dried leaves repel insects.
• Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)--boiled sprigs make a good disinfectant.
• Marigold (Calendula officinalis)--boiled flowers will make yellow dye.

Garden Sachet Idea

Beautiful little drawstring bags can be purchased or easily made and then filled with fresh or dried herbs such as lavender and rosemary and rosepetals. I hang them from hooks in my wardrobe and every time I open the wardrobe now I am greeted with the scent of lavender. You can also hang them on doorknobs (provided your young children won't get into them). They'll give a nice scent whenever the door is opened or closed.

For more ideas for making your home smell wonderful, visit Home Scents: Making Your Home Smell Good