.Start an Homemade Aromatic Air Freshener Business
Most people like to fragrance their homes in some way. Commercial air freshener aerosols, plug-ins and scented paraffin candles are commonly used. These are generally made with synthetic fragrances that mask unwanted odours but can be toxic to our lungs and the environment when used on a regular basis. There is a natural alternative that is effective, affordable, beneficial and creative. You can make your own Aromatherapy home fragrance solutions using Essential Oils!
1. Use a tea-light burner or an electric diffuser
Use up to ten drops of a single essential oil or a blend in the burner or diffuser
· Romantic blend: Sandalwood, Patchouli, Jasmine and Orange
· Sleep blend: Roman Chamomile, Mandarin, Lavender, Vetiver
· De-stress blend: Bergamot, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender
2. Make your own spritzers. You can use these as room sprays or as linen mists
Room Spray
Room sprays will need approximately 2-3% of essential oil to the base water and linen sprays approximately 1%. I use floral waters, also known as hydrolats, but you can use Spring Water.
Simply add the required amount of essential oil to the hydrolat, bottle in a suitable container with an atomiser, and then shake and spritz every time you use it.
Lemon-balm water with essential oils of Lemongrass and Rosemary clears unwanted smells
Rose Water with a few drops of Rose and Jasmine Absolutes or Geranium essential can be used to delicately fragrance your underwear or you can wear it as a natural perfume.
3. Make Lavender bags to fragrance your drawers or airing cupboard
Lavender Bags
You can make simple cotton rectangular bags secured with ribbon, hearts to hang or simply fill a pretty organza bag. Save Lavender when you cut it back at the end of the summer, dry it and strip or cut off the petals. Keep in an air tight container until you are ready to make the bags. You could make bags or pouches with other natural materials such as hops or wheat and fragrance the “stuffing” with essential oil. Cedarwood is traditional for keeping moths at bay.
4. Make a natural and contemporary pot pourri with any dried flowers, leaves, fruits, cones, spices etc and fragranced according to the seasons
Use a beautiful bowl to present the pot pourri or make cones for a lovely gift. You will need some Orris root as a fixative and essential oils for the aroma. Geranium, Rose, Lavender and Lemon essential oils would make a beautiful blend for Spring.
5. Make your own fragranced beeswax furniture polish
Make polish with beeswax, pure turpentine and carnauba wax. Add any essential oils you like to the polish base once it has cooled a little, before pouring into your container. Sweet Orange, Patchouli, Pine, Lavender and Cedarwood all smell fantastic in polish or you can make a blend that you love. The polish fragrances the wood, and the aroma will linger in the air every time you use it.
6. Make your own Aromatherapy soy candles with Essential Oils
Ingredients
1. Use sturdy glasses, pretty hexagonal jam jars, vintage tea cups or other suitable container.
2. Measure how much water the container will take leaving approximately 1cm at the top. This is how many ml/g of wax you will need.
3. Weigh out soy wax and melt it in a heat proof jug using a microwave or over a bain-marie.
4. Using a suitable wick for the diameter of the container you are making, glue the wick sustainer to the bottom of the container and centre it with a wick holder, using masking tape to keep the holder in place if necessary.
5. Cool your soy wax before adding essential oils; check with the supplier as to the correct temperature but it will often need cooling at room temperature for about half an hour or till the wax is on the verge of turning slushy and opaque.
6. Add approximately 3% volume of essential oils to wax with a pipette and stir well before carefully pouring the wax into the container.
7. Allow to set until completely solid. Remove the wick holder and trim the wick to about 1cm. Allow to rest for 24 hours before lighting. After the first burn keep the wick trimmed at 0.5cm for optimum burning.
Grapefruit & Ylang Ylang Soy Wax Candles
You can use any essential oils but some do seem to hold their fragrance in candles more than others. Anything that smells very intense like Patchouli, Geranium or Lemongrass will work well in a candle and can be blended with lighter oils such as Lavender, Sweet Orange or Grapefruit. You can use Citronella or lemon Eucalyptus oil to make a candle to keep biting insects at bay
