August 21st, 2008 -- Posted in aromatherapy recipe, essential oil recipe |
Essential oils feature in many commercial mouthwashes, and flavour most commercial toothpastes so there is no reason that you cannot duplicate their actions at home: only without adding the toxic chemicals used as preservatives and colourings in most of them.
Toothpaste
- 6 teaspoons baking soda
- large pinch of salt
- 4 teaspoons glycerin
- 15 drops of peppermint oil
Mix the ingredients together to a toothpaste consistency and keep in a small tupperware type container.
If you don’t like the peppermint flavoiur a good alternative is cinnamon oil, with natural breath freshening and antibacterial properties.
For a super teeth whitening recipe mix hydrogen peroxide with baking soda.
Mouthwash
Make some fresh rosemary infusion by steeping fresh or dried rosemary leaves in boiling water for ten minutes. Strain. Add 10-12 drops of your chosen essential oil per cup of liquid. You can sweeten this mix with glycerin if you wish. Some people add vodka which acts as a preservative but I prefer not to. My children use this.
Suitable essential oils are peppermint oil, cinnamon oil and lemon oil. Cinnamon oil is particularly effective if bad breath is a problem.
If the taste is too strong just dilute it with water.
For a super strong rinse add a few drops of essential oil to suitably diluted hydrogen peroxide.
Toothache
The classic essential oil for toothache is clove oil dabbed on directly with a cotton bud. Don’t use this long term though because it will cause damage to the gums.
Technorati Tags: bad breath, cinnamon oil, clove oil, lemon oil, mouth, mouthwash, peppermint oil, recipe, rosemary, toothpaste
August 20th, 2008 -- Posted in aromatherapy recipe, essential oil, essential oil recipe |
We all want to minimise the use of toxic chemicals around our families, but very often the kitchen is the one place we still use them. We are torn between the modern phobia about germs, and the modern want for organic alternatives. Essential oils can be used in many ways to help us in our quest for a clean kitchen without using toxic chemicals.
Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil is a natural antiseptic, with antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. You can use it to clean the kitchen in two ways. On a major clean up half fill the sink with warm water and add a half cup of white vinegar and a few drops of eucalyptus oil. Use this water to wipe down all your surfaces. The Eucalyptus cleans marks off easily, and acts as an antiseptic as you go.
Any tough marks can be dealt with by leaving a damp patch over the mark and coming back to it in a few minutes. The Eucalyptus oil will strip most marks from your work surfaces, cupbaords and cooker very easily. If you have a particularly tough spot use the oil neat.
The second way of using the oil is to take a spray bottle and fill it with water. Add few drops of eucalyptus oil and shake. Keep the bottle handy and just shake, spray and wipe when you wipe down your work space.
The smell
I like the fresh smell of eucalyptus oil, but if you find it overpowering try lemon oil or lavender oil.
Synergistic spray bottle blend
For the more adventurous try blending a combination of the following oils in your spray bottle. ( About eight drops per cup of water.)
Lavender oil, lemon oil, Eucalyptus oil, Bois de Rose, Lime, Pine, Thyme oil, Cinnamon oil and clove oil.
Experiment until you find a blend you like, or change it with the seasons.
Technorati Tags: bois de rose, cinnamon oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, Kitchen, lavender oil, lemon oil, Lime oil, Pine oil, recipe, Thyme oil
