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Blog EntryHerbal Thursday- Spring CleaningMar 27, '08 12:52 PM
for everyone
.Others who have Herbal blogs today .....

Check out Grandfatheroaks blog list today http://tinyurl.com/3c5ksr
He has several blogs listed for herb organizations, magazines and  pain relief and stress relief. He always has tons of good things.

kathyinozarks has all about Dandelions today http://tinyurl.com/33c76w

Heidi has all about Fenugreek http://tinyurl.com/2lteys

RochelleR has Herbed Chicken Legs http://tinyurl.com/38poy2



As I wander around Multiply I see lots talking about going nuts doing their Spring cleaning. People still do that? I wish I had the energy you all do cuz this house really needs it! So for today's Herbal Thursday I thought Id gather some organic cleaning recipes for you. I started to go green awhile back. I purchased some essential oils in bulk from Ebay. I bought lg. bottles of ones I knew Id use alot, like orange and tea tree. You want to  make sure they are pure essential oils not diluted oils. Many diluted oils are mixed with non organic oils. Its best to buy pure then mix with the oils you want.

I also bought bulk baking soda from Costco and keep some in the bathrooms and some under my sink. I like to make a mix of baking soda and the orange essential oil when I'm doing a good cleaning of the kitchen. Orange will disinfect and make the kitchen smell good. You can use lemon too but since I have a lemon tree I just use those when I need them. I use this mixture as an all purpose cleaner for my ceramic topped stove and tile counter and even my butcher block. I am also in love with those Eraser type foam bars altho I don't think they are very natural. But since I'm getting older here and scrubbing is getting harder, Ive had to compromise a bit. I figure abrasive chemical cleaners are worse than those.

Lemons are good for lots of things tho .......you can scrub a pot with lemon and some salt to get it clean. And I put lemon peelings and even sometimes a whole lemon from my tree down my garbage disposal. It disinfects it and makes it smell good. I often save the skins from whatever I'm making and throw them down there.

I make a lavender linen spray for when I put fresh linens on the bed. Just seems to smell so nice when you snuggle in at nite. But I also will spritz it around the room. Lavender helps you sleep at nite.

I like to dry flowers and herbs from my yard to use as potpourri. Ill put a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball or even mix it with a bit of baking soda and toss it together. Ill make different scents for different rooms. I love lavender or rose in my bedroom and bath. I like orange in my kitchen and in the other rooms Ill make a seasonal one. Spring its nice to have rose or Lilac. Fall I like spice and orange. Christmas its evergreen/orange/spice. Summer for me is definitely roses. So here are some recipes Ive found and a good link to tons more for this weeks Herbal Thursday.

Microwave Cleaner
Ingredients:
 1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon vinegar
6 drops lemon essential oil
Instructions:

Mix ingredients to make a paste. Apply to interior of microwave with a sponge. Rinse and leave door open to dry for 15 minutes.
Wash the glass turntable by hand. This recipe will get rid of food odors...great for getting rid of that popcorn smell.

Hard Floor
To clean hard floors, add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to a bucket of water.  Then add 5-10 drops of lemon, pine, spruce, If the floor is especially dirty, add several drops of dish washing soap.  This will clean even the dirtiest floor.
1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water
5-10 drops lemon, pine, spruce
Liquid castile soap if needed

Floor Cleaner
 Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water.  Add 10 drops of lemon oil and 4 drops of oregano essential oil. Oregano oil has powerful antiseptic properties!
1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water
10 drops lemon oil
4 drops oregano oil

Carpet Freshener
To make a carpet freshener, add 16-20 drops of essential oils to a cup of baking soda. Mix well and place in a covered container overnight so that the oil can be absorbed. Sprinkle over your carpet the next day and then vacuum the powder up.
1 cup baking soda
16-20 drops essential oils

Vacuum Cleaner
You may also saturate a disposable cloth or tissue with several drops of essential oil and place it into the collecting bag of your vacuum. This will diffuse a pleasant odor as you clean.

If your vacuum collects dirt into water, simply add a few drops into the water reservoir before cleaning. This refreshes both, the carpet and the room.

Homemade Soft Scrubber
1/2 cup baking soda
Liquid Castile Soap
5 drops Lavender essential oil and/or 5 drops Tea Tree essential oil

Place the baking soda in a bowl. Slowly pour in liquid soap stirring constantly, add liquid soap until the consistency resembles frosting. Add the essential oil (oils) if desired. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, scrub the surface, and then rinse.
If you add a little pure vegetable glycerin to the baking soda, the mixture will stay moist for a long time in a jar with a tight lid.

Basic Wood Cleaning Formula

This formula is for well-used furniture. The vinegar works to pull dirt out of the wood. It doesn't leave an oily residue because the little bit of oil keeps the wood from drying out. It will store almost indefinitely in a lidded jar.

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon liquid castile soap
5 drops jojoba or olive oil

Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Saturate a sponge and squeeze out the excess. Wash surfaces of tired and dirty wood. The vinegar smell will dissipate soon. Dry with a soft cloth.

Lavender & Tea Tree Spray Cleaner

1 t. borax
2 T. white vinegar
2 c. hot water
1/4 t. Lavender essential oil
3 drops Tea Tree essential oil

Mix all ingredients together and stir until dry ingredients dissolve. Pour into spray bottle for long-term storage and use. Spray as needed on any surface except glass. Scrub and rinse with a clean damp, cloth.

Rosemary Deodorizer & Disinfectant

6 drops Rosemary
6 drops Grapefruit
4 drops Lemon
2 ounces purified water

Combine oils and water in a 2-ounce glass spritzer bottle. Shake well before each use and spray liberally into the air. This spray will combat odors and kill infectious organisms. During cold and flu season, add 2 drops of Eucalyptus. The blend works well in a diffuser also without the water.

Carpet Cleaning

"We used 10 drops of Lemon Essential Oil for each gallon as we cleaned our carpets today. It was amazing how it brightened up the rug and helped pull stains out....and what a fresh smell! We got daring and decided to use Lavender Oil for the bedroom and it was great! I also noticed that by having the Lemon in the solution, there was not a problem with foaming in the dirty water."


This site has tons of cleaning recipes

http://tinyurl.com/2trbdd  The Happy Slobs Guide to Housekeeping




Blog EntrySPRING HERBS AND OILSMar 6, '08 1:50 PM
for everyone

Heidi has two blogs one for Herbs de Provence http://starfishred.multiply.com/recipes/item/21/HERBS_ and the other papaya  http://starfishred.multiply.com/journal/item/235/HERBAL_THURSDAY-PAPAYA


kathyinozarks has a late entry about funeral herbs http://kathyinozarks.multiply.com/journal/item/749?mark_read=kathyinozarks:journal:749


Spring Herbal Medicine Chest


Spring brings cleansing and rejuvenation
. Most often the liver is the target of a cleansing herbal regimen, since the liver is one of the most important organs in the body. It processes our hormones, contributes to proper digestion, cleanses the body of toxins, and many other important duties. A good cleansing regimen, however, will also cleanse and support other vital organs, such as heart, kidneys, blood, and digestive system. It will also do wonderful things for your spirit! It is vital to consume lots of water, with lemon is ideal, and get fresh air to flush these toxins out of your system.

DANDELION ROOT: Dandelion Root can be made into a bitter tea (don’t sweeten it, the bitterness is how it works – you’ll get use to it) as an excellent tonic for the liver and blood purifier. Dandelion roots are very high in vitamins and minerals. The common dandelion is an unusually nutritious food. Its leaves contain substantial levels of vitamins A, C, D, and B complex as well as iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon. Worldwide, the root of the dandelion has been used for the treatment of a variety of liver and gallbladder problems. Other historical uses of the root and leaves include the treatment of breast diseases, water retention, digestive problems, joint pain, fever, and skin diseases. The most active constituents in dandelion appear to be eudesmanolide and germacranolide, substances unique to this herb.

MILK THISTLE: Milk Thistle is the best in cleaning our blood and liver and is a traditional way to get our health back on track and revitalize and nourish our entire internal ecological system from the ravages of winter. Milk Thistle is an excellent cleansers for the liver. Cleansing is one of the more important roles of Milk Thistle as it helps to prevent a host of problems our bodies can acquire from internal and external toxic overload.

BURDOCK ROOT : Burdock root helps to purify blood and restore the liver to aid in a restful sleep. Helps to reduce build up of toxins in the skin resulting in boils. Helps gallbladder functions and stimulates the immune system. Seed forms are also used.

NETTLE: Nettles are invaluable as a food, rich in vitamins and minerals. Only the young, tender tips are suitable for cooking, the stalks and lower leaves are not edible. They can be cooked then pureed for soup or vegetable accompaniment. Nettles make a valuable tonic after the winter and are an excellent remedy for Anemia, their vitamin C content ensures that the iron they contain is properly absorbed. Nettles increase the quality of the blood helping to give a healthy glow to the skin.

YELLOW DOCK : Yellow Dock is applicable to all the purposes for which the other species are used. The root has laxative, alterative and mildly tonic action, and can be freely used as a tonic and laxative in rheumatism, bilious complaints and as an astringent in piles, bleedings of the lungs, etc. It is largely prescribed for diseases of the blood, from a spring eruption, to scurvy, scrofula and chronic skin diseases. It is also useful in jaundice and as a tonic to the stomach and the system generally. It has an action on the bowels very similar to that of Rhubarb, being perhaps a little less active, but operating without pain or uneasiness. Rumicin is the active principle of the Yellow Dock, and from the root, containing Chrysarobin, a dried extract is prepared officially, of which from 1 to 4 grains may be given for a dose in a pill. This is useful for relieving a congested liver, as well as for scrofulous skin diseases.

ECHINACEA : First used by the Indigenous North Americans who harvested the plants for extensive use in the treatment of infectious wounds and burns or eruptive skin complaints. It enhances the phagocytic activity of white blood cells- identifying and retiring bacterial, viral and fungal infections, in addition to the clearance of these from the lymphatic system. Higher doses are often used for affecting acute immune responses.

ASTRAGALUS : To be used after colds or infection to rebuild immunity, Astragalus is a sweet tasting herb effective in restoring both resilience to future respiratory infections, and efficiency of metabolism to ensure optimal nutrition for immune reserves to fight off those spring colds. This herb is the best for restoring energy to the body very quickly.

GARLIC : Garlic was worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, chewed by Greek Olympian athletes and thought to be essential for keeping vampires at bay! But it is also good for zapping bacteria, keeping your heart healthy, warding off coughs and colds. Garlic is an antibiotic that can actually kill infecting bacteria and at the same time protect the body from the poisons that are causing the infection. It is known that the most sensitive bacterium to garlic is the deadly Bacillus anthracis which produces the poison anthrax. Vapor from freshly cut garlic can kill bacteria at a distance of 20 cms!

MARSHMALLOW : Marshmallow stimulates the immune system and the production of white blood cells. It also soothes inflammation, slows production of mucus, and reduces sugar levels in the body.


Spring Essential Oils

Spring is a time of new beginnings, new growth, planting seeds, purification, and for clearing out the old. Following the rhythms of nature and developing harmony with the ways in which nature cares for itself, we can also create balance within our own lives. Trees, plants, grasses and seeds that have laid still throughout the winter slowly emerge from their dormancy. Buds develop and grow into new leaves and flowers, plants and grasses emerge through the ground from their resting roots, and seeds sprout; all from the extended sunlight, warmth, rains, and fall’s nourishment.

Jasmine
Jasmine is a bold, sweet scent. Jasmine is the greatest aphrodisiac of all. These night blooming flowers are picked at their height to bring out one of the most sexy scents. Associated throughout history with the compassionate Goddess of the Moon, Jasmine, grown along the Nile in ancient Egypt, is represented Isis, the Egyptian Mother Goddess who held the secrets of fertility, magic and healing.

Patchouli
Patchouli is a sweet, earthy scent. Its smell is intense and spicy. From an energetic point of view, Patchouli, like Jasmine, is warm and yet anti-inflammatory in action. It combines a calmative property with a gentle stimulating effect that uplifts the spirit! Patchouli is a sweet and grounding harmonizing fragrance!

Neroli
Neroli is distilled from bitter orange trees. It has a refreshing, spicy aroma and is known for its sensual, exotic effect. Neroil oil is emotionally unifying and soothes with harmonizing effects. Described as both sensual and spiritual, Neroli helps to reestablish the link between a disconnected mind and body. Neroli paves the way for a gradual release and allows us to recall hope and joy!

Rose
The Mother of All Flowers, the Rose has amazing powers of love, trust and self acceptance. Roses are representative of faith, hope and love and has the qualities to restore the very center of one's being. A gentle tonic of the heart, Rose oil's psychological properties lie mainly in its effect on the mind, the center of our emotional being. Rose oil calms and supports the heart and helps to nourish the soul!

Peppermint
Peppermint oil is the most extensively used of all the volatile oils, both medicinally and commercially. The characteristic anti-spasmodic action of the volatile oil is more marked in this than in any other oil, and greatly adds to its power of relieving pains arising in the alimentary canal. From its stimulating, stomachic and carminative properties, it is valuable in certain forms of dyspepsia, being mostly used for flatulence and colic. It may also be employed for other sudden pains and for cramp in the abdomen; wide use is made of Peppermint in cholera and diarrhea.

Lemon
Lemon is a fresh sunny scent that is cold pressed from the rind itself! Lemon has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that have been studied for their effects on immune function. It may serve as an insect repellent and may be beneficial for the skin. Diffuse it in your house for a fresh alternative to air sprays. It compliments the Oil of Oregano to neutralize the over growth of Candida. Put a few drops on a tissue and vacuum it into your vacuum bag to freshen the smell of your carpets and furniture coverings. 1 drop is also very refreshing and purifying when taken in a glass of water.

Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus was first employed by Australian aborigines, who not only chewed the roots for water in the dry outback but used the leaves to treat fever, cough, and asthma, and European settlers quickly adopted it as medicine. You can also use a few drops of eucalyptus oil in boiling water or in a bath as an inhalant. Eucalyptus is often used for - Sore muscles, Insect repellent, Tension headache, Cold, Cough, Sinusitis, Rheumatoid arthritis, and Strains/sprains.

Orange
Orange essential is obtained from the rind of the fruit and used principally as a flavoring agent Orange oil is an antidepressant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, febrifuge, phototoxic sedative, tonic. Orange oil helps spreads sunshine on gloomy thoughts and depression, has a very comforting and warming effect and dispels tension and stress and helps revive when feeling low on energy. Orange oil calms the stomach both for constipation and diarrhea. Stimulates bile which helps digestion of fats. Has a beneficial effect on colds, bronchitis and fever. Helps with the formation of collagen - vital for tissue repair and hair growth. Also helpful with muscular pains. Helps anxiety and insomnia. Possibly reduces blood cholesterol levels. Orange oil helps dry skin conditions softening wrinkles and dermatitis. An excellent skin tonic. Orange oil can make the skin photosensitive to sunlight.



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