Wednesday, November 11, 2009

10 Ways Herbs Can Freshen Your Home

Fresh Herbs From The Garden

10 Ways Herbs Can Freshen Up Your Home

Homemade Herbal Carpet Freshener Recipe: I like to use dried lavender, but I included other herbal mixes to try as well. This makes a big batch of carpet freshener that will last quite awhile. You can cut the amounts down if you like until you find your favorite blend. To give yourself a small variety to choose from, you could split the recipe in three then add three different herbal fragrance choices to each container/mix.

Herbal Mattress Freshener: Using your blender, grind until fine 1/2 cup of dried herbs (try mint, lavender, lemon balm, etc.); Mix ground herbs with 1/2 cup baking soda; Sprinkle mixture lightly over mattress pad or cover then top with clean fitted sheet; Spread mixture more heavily on top half of bed where upper body rests to enjoy a consistent fragrance.

Freshen laundry with Homemade Herbal Lavender Dryer Bags: Fresh and fragrant laundry can be achieved chemical free with easy to make lavender dryer bags. Using lavender buds gives the benefit of a natural moth repellent, sleep aid and a natural antibacterial.

Bugs-Be-Gone Bags: The herb mixture helps to naturally deter and repel bugs and pests from the places you have stored the bags.

Homemade Herbal Cleaner Recipes: Recipes for Thyme Disinfectant Cleaner, Herb Disinfectant Cleaner, Herbal All Purpose Cleaner and Lavender Soft Scrubber. Also see this All Purpose Scouring Powder: Grind dried petals or fragrant herbs and mix with baking soda.

Multipurpose Herb Vinegar Recipe: Use as an environmentally friendly air freshener. For another freshener, try a pleasing assortment of dried herbs and flowers to make homemade potpourri, keep in open bowls and shallow vases to freshen rooms.

Store off-season clothing with Moth Repellent Sachets and Lavender Wands to keep moths at bay and stored clothing fresh. Tuck Lavender Sachets in closets and drawers for naturally fragrant clothing, bedding & linens.

Herbal Firestarters: Pinecones and dried herbs such as rosemary, sage leaves, and cinnamon sticks make fragrant kindling for a winter fire. Bundle dried herbs and small pinecones in a sheet of newspaper and secure the ends with raffia or cotton twine; As you pile up logs for your fire, nestle the herb bundle underneath, with paper ends sticking out; To start the fire, light the newspaper ends.

Fill homemade trivets and coasters with dried herbs, they’ll fill the air with the scent of delicious herbs when hot dishes and mugs are placed on them.

Consider growing a One-Pot Indoor Herb Garden, you can use the herbs for cooking and creating your own herbal cleaners and fresheners–plus a thriving herb pot is also a lovely addition to any kitchen decor.


2 comments:

Kathy Bryson said...

love these tips - not only better for the house, gives me something to do with those herbs I struggled to grow!

Lori Stoia said...

Glad you like the tips. Now you can use your herbs and make gifts for the holidays!