Tag: Essential Oils

Household Uses for Essential Oils

Like it or not, homes can be full of bad smells, germs, and dirt. The first products people usually turn to are strong chemical solutions. These aren’t particularly healthy, and can have unpleasant odors of their own. Perhaps a better type of product to reach for is essential oils. Essential oils can be used for many different household problems. Tea tree and lavender oils are considered to be highly effective anti-bacterial essential oils. A few drops of either can be added to water to rinse any area you want to disinfect.

These can include sinks, countertops, and bathrooms. You can make an antiseptic spray by putting the water with essential oils in it into a spray bottle. Spray it around bathrooms, kitchens, and sickrooms.

Sometimes, you don’t mind so much using the chemical cleaners. You just want a fresher, more natural smell to linger when you finish. If this is the case, you can make a rinse to use following regular cleaning. To make the rinse, add four drops of any essential oils you like to a pint of water. Then, simply rinse the area with this after you have cleaned. You can use essential oils like pine, lavender, wintergreen, rosemary, orange, or any others you like.

If you want to make the air in your home smell fresh and sweet, simmer fruit peels or any essential oils in water on the stove. Keep it at a gentle heat. The scent will permeate the whole house.

You may have seen scented toilet paper rollers for sale in your local store. You can use the same idea only make it better with essential oils. Put a few drops of essential oils on the cardboard tube that holds the toilet paper. Every time it’s spun, a fresh aroma will be released.

You can easily make a homemade carpet cleaner if you have a few essential oils. You need rosewood oil, eucalyptus oil, and lavender oil. Or, if you like, use any other combination of essential oils. You mix this with baking soda or cornstarch. Sprinkle the mixture on the carpet and vacuum fifteen minutes later. Commercial floor cleaning product makers are aware that lemon and orange oils are excellent for cleaning. There are many products out there that use them. If you have essential oils of lemon and orange, you can mix them with some hot water and soap. You will have the same thing-minus any chemicals.

Dryer sheets all seem to have the same unnatural trying-to-be-fresh smell. You can make your own equivalent of dryer sheets using essential oils. Take a small towel and put a few drops of your favorite essential oils on it. Put it in the dryer with your clothes. Tea tree essential oil helps to get rid of mold in the household. Lemon oil can be used as a disinfectant. Eucalyptus oil can be added to the laundry when you are washing bedding. This will help to control dust mites.

Essential oils have a place in the household that is both practical and aesthetic. They can make your home clean on a molecular level and pleasant to your sense of smell. The more you use essential oils, the more they will become a part of your home life.

Health Risks of Essential Oils

Like anything, too much of a good thing becomes bad. There are risks associated with the overexposure of essential oils, but the proper use of them proves to be medically enhancing to our lives. It is always best to use the oils under the guidance of an aromatherapy practitioner. It is also prudent to seek medical attention should you experience any signs or symptoms of overexposure.

Most essential oils were not meant to be ingested. While the oils do have medicinal benefits, they are also concentrated. Keep in mind that there are exceptions to this rule of thumb and knowing what you are putting into your body is critical. For example, chamomile can be used in a tea to ease an upset stomach. It’s also important to note that what ever flows into your body gets processed in the liver and kidneys. Too much exposure to chemicals (even the natural ones) can be harmful to their functioning.

Many essential oils travel into the body by inhalation. The oil vaporizes into the air in the form of an aroma. We inhale those aromas and they then enter into our blood stream to affect our brain and nervous system. Prolonged effects may change the chemical make up of our tissues. Chemicals are still chemicals no matter if we can see them or not. What are the side effects of this inhalation? We may feel dizzy or light headed. We may even experience headaches or nausea. If we have experienced any symptoms like these, step out side to get some fresh air and let our body readjust. Remove the essential oil element and discard. Everyone’s body reacts differently to different things. If you’re also taking medication, using essential oils could impact that treatment.

Essential oils that are topically applied (meaning applied directly to your skin) may also create rash like symptoms or redness. These symptoms are temporary effects, but exposure to a large enough area could be darn irritating to deal with. Safely test to see if your skin can handle the oil application by applying a drop of oil mixed with a tablespoon of vegetable oil to your skin. If the skin turns red or if there is burning or itching, cease the use of the oil immediately and flush the area with water. Consult with your doctor and aromatherapy practitioner. Essential oils that are applied topically can heal many skin conditions like acne, eczema and athlete’s foot.

It is especially important that if you have a medical condition or are pregnant or nursing, that you consult with a medical professional before using essential oils. In addition, it is recommended that you read all the safety information before using the product.

While there are risks involved, the use of essential oils to promote health and wellness has been a growing market as people seek to find natural methods for cures. We find that risks vary from person to person and that moderation is best practice. Remember to be under the guidance of a doctor and / or aromatherapy practitioner while using the oils. Make the most of what nature provides and minimize risk by understand what is involved and how to correctly use the product.

Having Fun with Essential Oils

There has been a growing trend in the use of essential oils. The increasing variety of bath products in the health and beauty market gives us an idea of what customers are looking for. No longer are consumers satisfied with synthetic essences, but we are finding that more and more people are looking at the quality of the products they are purchasing.

You too can create your own unique blend of quality soaps, bath salts, massage oils, and creams with essential oils. Using quality base products (essential oils, carrier oils, beeswax, soaps, salts, and creams), create bath products just the way you like them. When you purchase ready made products, some may be too strong or too light. Some products may claim to have a certain level or purity or certification and still not be as effective as they claim to be. Remove the uncertainty by being able to create your own health and beauty products.

These products are not just for the women. Men too can enjoy the benefits that the essential oils provide. Create seductive blends that enhance masculinity and also provide the emotional balance. Experiment with different oils and carrier media to obtain the right blend for your special someone.

Once you’ve gained some experience learning to manufacture your own special blends of essential oil combinations, make some extra and use them as gifts for your family and loved ones. The oils can be given alone or by combining them with other useful products such as bath brushes, towels, diffusers, and anything that your gift recipient would appreciate. Learn about the medicinal effects of essential oils and combine them with other oils or bath products to create a “Cold buster” package or a “Relaxation” package. There are so many ideas and you are only limited by what you can create in your mind.

Creating the massage oils and bath products are easy to do. Keep in mind that safety precautions are a must when working with the essential oils. The oils are concentrated and may cause a physical reaction if not handled properly. The use of gloves purchased at a local drug store will be sufficient in most cases.

There is a difference between fragrance oils and essential oils. The fragrance oils do not carry the same therapeutic benefits as the essential oils do. The essential oils are derived from a plant (tree sap, leaf, bark, etc.) whereas the fragrance oils could be synthetically manufactured. The healing benefits are then lost if the original properties of the plant are not intact.

Have fun creating new blends and unleash the health benefits of essential oils at the same time. Enjoy placing different mixes of scents in various areas throughout your home. You will also be able to easily change the emotional climate of the room as easy as changing your home. Experience the maximum benefits of aromatherapy when you properly air the room between scent changes. There is no end to creating your own special environments. You will only be limited by the variety of essential oils you own!

Guideline for Determining Essential Oil Quality

How can I determine the quality of the essential oil I am purchasing? A quick search on Google for essential oils suppliers will show that costs for essential oils varies and they vary a lot! How can you decide which oil to purchase? Here are a few factors to help you determine the level of quality of the oil you intend to purchase.

Essential oils are derived from plants. They go through a process which could impact the quality of the oil being used. The plants can be grown on a farm or “wild crafting” conditions and factors such as soil condition and rainfall affect can impact the oil quality. Essential oil descriptions should also contain the country of origin since the quality of the oil can vary from country to country. The use of pesticides or other chemicals can also impact the essential oil obtained. It is important to note that pesticides may also adulterate the essential oil if it is not eliminated in the manufacturing process. Adulteration becomes important if you plan on using the essential oil for therapeutic purposes. Even if you plan on using the oils as an air freshener, the aroma contains particles that enter your blood stream via inhalation.

Essential oils in the market place can be found in various dilutions or even marketed as perfume oils or aromatherapy oils. There are wide variations and taking the time to read the labels, product descriptions and research your product will help to safely assess the quality of the oil. Perfume oils are not the same as essential oils and they do not share the therapeutic benefits that essential oils have. Aromatherapy oils may have already been blended with other oils or chemicals. Preservatives may have been added to protect and enhance the mixture.

There is nothing wrong with purchasing diluted, pre-mixed blends or perfume oils but just beware of what you are purchasing at what price. As you price shop at various stores online, you will find that many stores claim to sell essential oils, but in actuality, they are only selling a diluted version of the oil or the perfume oil. These oils are excellent for making soaps, creams, bath salts and other beauty body products.

While there are no set standards for the shelf life of essential oils, most can be used within 1 – 2 years after opening. The oils should be stored in a dark bottle (amber glass or blue cobalt works nicely) and tightly sealed. Bottles with rubber stoppers should not be used to store the essential oil since the potency of the oil degrades the rubber and turns it into a gummy substance. The rubber can then fall into the oil thus contaminating the purity of the oil. Also, excessive exposure of the oil to sun’s ultra violet rays, heat, or air will degrade the oil. The oils should also be stored in a cool, dark place once you have them. A wooden craft box works nicely.

Be the informed buyer. Take the time to learn about what you are purchasing and then check if that fulfills your intended use. You will find that the quality of the essential oils can vary greatly and understanding what information is being provided to you will impact your purchasing decision.