Aromatherapy in the kitchen

Of all the rooms in our homes, the kitchen is the one where we are most aware of the vast range of changing smells. For better or for worse the smells coming from the kitchen can penetrate the whole house. The advantages of using essential oils in the kitchen are that many of them are deodorants and powerful disinfectants. Essential oils do not simply mask bad odours, they actually destroy the bacteria which create them and cause health hazards. Years ago, laboratory tests proved that many essential oils are more powerful than the chemical antiseptic and disinfectant, Phenol.

Essential oils good for the kitchen
The best smells for the kitchen are either fresh and clean or warm and spicy.

Sweet Orange
This has an uplifting effect on the mind and emotions. As well as soothing the nerves it is very good for stimulating digestion so it is particularly suited to the kitchen.

Peppermint
Another oil which has a close affinity with the digestive system. It is often recommended for colic, nausea or general digestive problems. Its piercing fragrance is an effective deterrent to ants, mosquitoes and other insects.

Cinnamon
This oil is not used often in general aromatherapy due to its irritant skin effects but it is a lovely oil to use for scenting a room. It blends really well with the citrus oils.

Clove
Another oil to use with care as it is a skin irritant but like cinnamon it smells nice blended with citrus oils and it is also a powerful antiseptic.

An effective and nice smelling blend for the kitchen which you could use in a plant spray is sweet orange, cinnamon and clove. Add 2 drops of each to 500ml water, shake well each time you use and keep away from polished surfaces. It will help to clear cooking smells, disinfect and energize the air.

Fragrant Laundry
When hand washing your clothes add a couple of drops of Lavender or Rosemary essential oil to the rinsing water and mix well before immersing the clothes.

Essential oils can be used when ironing too – just add them to a plant spray and mist the clothes beforehand. Add 3 to 6 drops of essential oil to 500ml water and remember to shake well before using.

It is best not to add essential oils to a steam iron though as they may leave a residue and stain the clothes.

When using essential oils with fabrics it is best to avoid the “oily”, deeply coloured oils such as Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood or Patchouli. It is better to use oils such as Lavender, Rosemary, Geranium or one of the citrus oils.

Insect deterrents
If ants are a problem try the following:
Put down Peppermint oil where they appear. If the point of entry is a painted surface, put the Peppermint on a cotton wool ball and once dry, tuck it into the appropriate corner. Refresh the cotton wool every 3 to 4 days depending on the persistence of the ants

A top tip from holistic therapy costa blanca: Flies don’t like the fragrance of Lavender and Peppermint. Hang something up in the kitchen and scent it with both these oils. Again, refresh regularly