Aromatherapy Blog – Tazeka Aromatherapy

Spring cleaning with essential oils is a great way to start anew!

We all know spring cleaning is a great excuse to finally pick up clutter, throw out old things you haven’t used in months (or years!), and break out the dust rags. That in itself is a powerful thing.

But spring cleaning works on more than a physical level. It’s also an opportunity to clear out old energy that’s become stagnant through the winter—in your space and in your spirit. If you view it as a chance to clean up your mental and emotional space, the physical act of cleaning takes on deeper resonance.

Essential oils help in both ways. Not only do some of them have powerful properties for cleansing surfaces, but they can also work to cleanse your body, stir up stagnant chi, and align your energy with health and happiness. Just what you need to take on new beginnings!

First take a look at this chart showing some of our favorite essential oils for spring cleaning—and the properties that make them so helpful—and then we’ll talk about ways you can use these oils to purify your home and revitalize your spirit.

Can you tell why we like those oils? They have so many cleansing properties!

If you’re using essential oils for spring cleaning, here are a few recipes to have on hand.

Peppermint & Grapefruit Surface Spray

Blend 1 oz. water and a dash of white vinegar, then add about 15 drops of essential oils total. Shake well, and use this cleaner on your counters, sinks, and other household surfaces. For a tougher solution, use a 1:1 or even 2:1 ratio of vinegar to water. Grapefruit and peppermint are a great combination, especially in the kitchen. They're said to aid with appetite and digestion.

Peppermint & Lavender Closet and Upholstery Spray

Blend 1 oz. of water with 15 drops total of essential oil. We like an even balance, which means 8 drops peppermint and 7 drops lavender. Shake well, and spray this blend in your closets and clothes drawers to discourage moths and pests. It brings in a burst of soothing, uplifting energy! You can also use this blend on upholstery, drapes (open the window and let the breeze waft essential oils through your room!), and on carpets after you vacuum. Using lavender essential oil for spring cleaning invites emotional balance into your whole house.

Eucalyptus & Tea Tree Toilet and Shower Scrub

Blend 1 tsp. liquid soap (castile soap works well) with 1 cup baking soda. To get the texture you want, add a little water or white vinegar, stirring all the while. When you like the texture, add about 30 drops of the essential oils. Put some on a sponge and scrub your tub and toilet clean.

Eucalyptus & Ravintsara Bathroom Diffusing Blend

After your bathrooms are sparkling clean, diffuse about 6 drops eucalyptus and 6 drops ravintsara to cleanse the air and continue purifying your space. In a small space like the bathroom, try a candle diffuser. We like diffusing eucalyptus in the bathroom often. Not only does it cut through funky smells, it can also help reduce mold. It's famous for respiratory issues and allergies, which a lot of people experience during the spring.

Lemon Window & Glass Cleaner

Blend 1 oz. white vinegar with 4 drops lemon essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray on windows and mirrors, and use a crumpled old newpaper to wipe the surface down. Old newspaper is a great way to get a streak-free shine on glass. If you'd prefer to use less vinegar, try a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water. We especially like cleaning windows and mirrors with lemon because it has the tendency to encourage a positive outlook.

We’ve had to leave out some of our other favorite oils and recipes (such as siberian fir, thyme and lemongrass) but there will be time for those in later blog posts. Do you have any favorites? If so, share them in the comments!

Image source.

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How to make loose incense: choosing your ingredients

We know you can buy prepared ingredients to make your own loose incense, but we prefer preparing our own.

It feels more personal, especially if you’re giving loose incense as a gift. There’s also something special—dare we say magical?—about preparing your own ingredients. It feels like the incense is infused with your purpose and intention.

Before you make loose incense, you’ve first got to make a few decisions.

You probably have more ingredients options than you’ve thought of. Ask yourself what kind of aroma you’d like to fill your home with.

Do you like floral and fruity? Woodsy? Spicy and delicious? Resinous? You can create any of these scents, or combine them to come up with your own unique combination.

Herbs and Spices

You can burn almost any herb or spice for incense. To choose the right ones, just use your nose. (Clove, cinnamon and cardamom are lovely, but unconventional choices like fennel can really spice things up!)

Grind them with a coffee grinder to create a finely ground powder. You can also use a mortar and pestle, or a hand-crank grinder.

Seeds and Nuts

Choose nuts and seeds that smell delicious when they roast, like almonds or pumpkin seeds. You can use an electric grinder for these, or use your mortar and pestle to break them down, and finish the job with your hand-crank.

Fruit and Berries

We recommend drying these out first. You can slice fruit and dry it in your oven. Or use a fruit peeler or cheese grater to create small bits of the skin or rind. Orange zest makes a wonderful incense ingredient! After drying fruit slices, grind them up into smaller pieces. If you’re using citrus zest, just let it dry and you’re good to go.

Gums and Resins

These are some of our favorite incense ingredients! But they can be tricky to work with. Try freezing them first to reduce the gumminess. You don’t want to put these in an electric grinder. Even frozen, they could seriously gum up the works. The best way to do it is also the oldest—with a mortar and pestle. You won’t get a fine grind, but that’s okay. Resins release strong aromas even when burned in larger chunks.

Wood and Bark

Another tricky one. Use a small hammer and wood chisel on a cutting board to whittle wood down into rice-sized chips. (Tip: It's best if the cutting board isn't made of wood, which might dent or divot under a chisel.) You don’t need to make a powder here, but once your chips are small enough, you can grind them further with a hand-crank or electric grinder.

These are just a few popular incense ingredients. You can really use any natural, safe substance that burns. It doesn't even have to produce a pleasant scent, depending on your purposes. (Maybe you want to fumigate your home!) Get creative!

Now go on to learn some loose incense recipes you can make yourself!