HERBS FOR THE HOME
CARPET DEODORISER
You’ll need baking soda & powdered herbs: cinnamon, thyme, cloves and lavender have antimicrobial properties and smell good.
Powder the herbs (or buy them already powdered) and mix thoroughly with the baking soda, then add a few drops of various essential oils (sandalwood, rosemary etc).
Keep a big jar of this all mixed up and just sprinkle it on the carpet and give it a quick rub in with a broom before vacuuming.
The baking soda is a deodoriser, and the herbs and essential oils help kill dust mites and other pests – your whole house will smell gorgeous.
PEST REPELLENTS
To deter flies, ants etc.
Add bundles of dried herbs in cupboards, the pantry, wardrobes, linen cupboard etc. Lavender is the obvious one but peppermint, spearmint, and thyme are also good.
Pest-repellent pot pourri
This mixture may be used to help keep out mosquitoes, sandflies and other pests if you leave it near doorways and windows.
You’ll need: All ingredients need to be dried
4 cups of lavender flowers
3 cups of marigold flowers
1 cup of feverfew flowers
2 cups of common mint leaves
2 cups of basil leaves
2 cups of rosemary leaves
1 cup of bay leaves (in small pieces)
1 cup of wormwood leaves
1 cup of orange peel (cut into thin strips)
1 cup of orris root powder or fixative
Combine ingredients. Place in a bowl and shake the bowl so that the orris root powder falls to the bottom.
MILD DISINFECTANT
A decoction of thyme makes a mild disinfectant.
To make a decoction, add 1 part herb to 20 parts water and bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Add to a spray bottle. Use as required.
HERBS TO DECORATE & FRAGRANCE YOUR HOME
Fresh herbs make a lovely attractive arrangement as well as providing a lovely fresh fragrance to your home.
You’ll need: a range of fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil, rocket,
eucalyptus, pansies, lavender, chives in flower, flat (Italian parsley),
and marigold flowers.
Be creative! - you can arrange the herbs in a basket using florist foam and wire, or in a vase.
This is an example of uses of some herbs.
If you would like further information
on the medicinal uses of herbs speak to us.
