AROMATHERAPY AT WORK IN THE HOME

Does anyone really enjoy the smell of harsh detergents and cleaning fluids (apart from the ecstatic "housewives" on T.V. adverts, that is) ? The irony is that many are formulated to smell of Pine, Lemon and other citrussy oils. The good news is that you can make your own a lot cheaper.

You can make your kitchen hygenic, safe and aromatic. The least expensive essential oils come into use here - Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Cedarwood, Petitgrain and Tea Tree. It is also a good way to utilise those oils you may have had for some time and are unsure of their shelve lives. Choose 2 or 3 to give the aroma you prefer, blend 2ml of each oil together and keep in a dropper bottle, then add 3 - 4 drops of this to a bowl of water. You can rinse dishcloths in this after they have been boiled.

You can add your mix of oils to the rinse aid for your dishwasher (3ml for a 250ml bottle). Alternatively, add to washing up water.

Put 4 - 5 drops of your oils into a quarter cup of water and pour over your chopping board after cleaning it and leave to drain.

Tea Tree is a must for floors. 6 drops of Tea Tree plus 3 drops of another oil of your choice added to a bucket of water.

To make clothes smell fresh add 2 drops of Lemon and/or Grapefruit to a spray bottle, shake, then spray onto each item before ironing.

If you were so busy concentrating on getting the oils right that you burnt your hand in too-hot water, try this: run your hand under the cold tap for 10 minutes, then drop on directly, one drop of Lavender oil. For a bad burn (not serious enough for medical attention), mix 10 drops of Lavender with half an egg cup full of carrier oil or lotion and apply several times a day.

You can use the kitchen mix of essential oils in half a pint of water to spray onto the carpet or rugs after hoovering which will keep it free of germs.

Essential oils can be put into the washing machine, mixed with the fabric softener. Oils such as Jasmine and Rose are sensuous yet relaxing and the aroma of these won't keep you awake when you want to sleep. Lavender is another excellent bedroom oil.

For drawers, put one drop of oil on each corner of a drawer liner, or on strips of paper and leave for an hour in a closed drawer before putting your clothes in. For wardrobes/closets, put the oils onto a small piece of kitchen roll and attach to every 3rd or 4th hanger. Excellent oils for this purpose are Clove, Cinammon, Patchouli and Ylang ylang. These are pervasive oils and the scent will last for ages, so make sure you like the smell of these before you start ! Do not use Lemongrass though, as this oil may stain your clothes if it comes into contact with them.

Put 1 or 2 drops of your favourite oils onto a couple of tissues and leave in the suitcase for a day before packing your clothes, (again, do not use Lemongrass).

Not everyone enjoys the run up to travelling, if you are one of these, carry a tissue sprinkled with relaxing oils (such as Petitgrain, Lavender, Rose, Vetiver or Chamomile) around with you and inhale as needed.

Pack a first aid kit of essential oils. Peppermint, Ginger and Caraway can help to settle your stomach before a journey - put 20 drops of Peppermint and 10 each of the other two into a dropper bottle. Before you leave home, put 3 drops from this blend into a teaspoonful (5ml) of carrier oil or unscented lotion and rub onto your chest, stomach and behind your ears. During the journey, put a few drops of the original mix ontoa tissue and inhale from time to time.

Mix in a dropper bottle 15 drops each of Peppermint, Ginger and Sweet Fennel with 5 drops of Sandalwood and use this blend neat for inhalation from a tissue. Also, you can add 3 drops of this mix to 5ml of carrier oil or lotion for a settling stomach rub. Massage it into your abdomen in a clockwise direction and into the small of your back at intervals also.

Another really effective treatment for sunburn is to run cool water into a bowl, add 5 - 6 drops of either Lavender or Peppermint essential oil. Soak a face flannel or hand towel in the water, wring out and use as a poultice on the burnt areas. As the cloth warms up, dip again into the water and reapply to the burn.

Choose oils you like. If you read yourself to sleep (as I do), use Lavender or Ylang Ylang. For studying, use Rosemary or Peppermint. Add one drop of oil at the beginning, middle and end of the book, or one drop on your bookmark.

On a long journey to keep alert, use Lemon, Basil, Rosemary or Peppermint oils. Put a few drops onto a tissue or cotton wool and lodge it near an air stream.