Aromatherapy Oil Burner

I love aromatherapy oil burners for their healing and deodorizing properties, but I don't like using tea lights because they're fire hazards.  

Recently I purchased this electric oil burner for P580 (around $13) from the Giga kiosk in Megamall.

I love that it's so easy to use.

Just fill the dish with water, add 6 to 10 drops of the essential oil of your choice, plug and enjoy.

Here are my favorite essential oils and where I use them:

For the bedroom - 6-8 drops lavender or a blend of 3 drops lavender and 3 drops chamomile.  You can also add 3 drops clary sage if you want.  This blend is soothing and calming.  My kids love it.

For the living room - 6-8 drops peppermint or a blend of 3 drops bergamot and 3 drops geranium

For the kitchen - 6-8 drops vanilla or 3 drops orange and 3 drops rosemary

For the bathroom - 6-8 drops orange or a blend of 3 drops tea tree, 2 drops pine and 2 drops lavender

For the garden - 10 drops citronella or lemongrass or a blend of 3 drops citronella, 3 drops lemongrass, 3 drops peppermint and 2 drops lavender.

The oils evaporate when heated, so just add more if you feel like it.

You can make your own blend of essential oils, just be mindful of their properties.

Enjoy  =D

Natural Insect Repellents

There have been numerous studies that the DEET in insect repellents can be absorbed through the skin and can cause neurological damage.  It can result to seizures and death, and can be especially harmful to children. I stopped buying insect repellents with DEET when I became a mom.  That was six years ago.   From Off Lotion I shifted to this product called 'Quit Bugging Me' by Jason (available at Healthy Options).  Then two years ago I shifted to the locally made natural insect repellents, which were just as effective.  Lately I've been making my own.  Homemade insect repellents are very easy to make.  I promised some friends I'll share some recipes, so here goes: Recipe 1:  Combine 15 drops each of lemongrass oil, citronella oil, lavender oil and eucalyptus essential oils with 150ml of distilled water.     Recipe 2:  Mix 90ml of distilled water with 12 drops of citronella, 10 drops each of lavender and eucalyptus, and 8 drops of lemongrass essential oils.    Recipe 3:  Combine 20 drops each of peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass and citronella essential oils with 80ml of distilled water   Easy, right?  Use a clean spray bottle with a fine mist setting.  Please do not use bottles that previously contained products with chemicals such as cleaning agents or hair sprays.  Shake well before using.  This will have a shelf life of about two months.  You can go natural all the way and use witch hazel or tea tree oil on your insect bites to minimize swelling and infection.  One drop on the affected area will do.  If you want to make your home mosquito-free, here are ways to do it naturally: Add 6-8 drops of citronella oil diluted in water into an oil burner to repel mosquitoes.  Add 10 drops of citronella oil and 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar to a bucket of water.  Use this to mop your floors and clean your bathroom tiles and walls.  I use this in our garage and in our garden walls as well. Please exercise caution when using essential oils if you are pregnant, or if you have a medical condition. Remember the tea tree oil I bought from Giga in Robinson's Galleria?  It's pure, and P100  for a 15ml bottle is very reasonable.  So I went to Giga Megamall this afternoon and bought some citronella and vanilla essential oils.  I also got an electric oil burner which I'm using right now, as I write.  It's another great purchase, but I'll tell you about that next time.

Homemade Non-Toxic Cleaning Alternatives

My stock of white distilled vinegar is running out, so the hubby and I drove to Clark yesterday to replenish it.  White distilled vinegar is one of the major ingredients in my homemade cleaning agents.  I go through all the trouble because I'm scared the commercially available ones are too toxic for my kids.  Let me share with you some tried and tested recipes which I have been using in the past three years. These are from the book Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan, which I absolutely love.


Here are the basic ingredients and where to get them:


1)  White distilled vinegar.  I use Four Monks or Bakers & Chefs, which I get from Puregold Duty Free in Clark. I think these are also available at Rustan's Supermarket, but it's more expensive there.

2)  Baking soda.  I use Arm & Hammer, available at most supermarkets.


3)  Essential oils.  I buy these from The Citromint Co., a kiosk near True Value at Shangri-La Mall.    

I also bought Tea Tree oil at a very reasonable price of P100 from the Giga kiosk in Robinson's Galleria just last week.  I have yet to try it though.  

Can I mention Giga's foot scrubs are great?  But I'll talk about them another time.



4)  Liquid soap.  I use Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap, available at Healthy Options.

5) Dishwashing soap.  I use Ivory, available at most supermarkets. 

 
6)  Borax.  Available at True Value Rockwell. 

7)  Spray bottles.  Available at supermarkets.

Ready?  Here's how to make the alternative cleaners:

Fabric softeners.  Just add 30 to 50 drops of the essential oil of your choice to one gallon of white distilled vinegar.  Personally I like peppermint.  Add a cup to the last rinse when you do your laundry.  Always shake before using.

Did you know that fabric softeners are the most toxic products around?  And so are commercial detergents, bleaches and stain removers, all of which contain chemicals that could cause cancer and brain damage.  The alternative mentioned above is actually cheaper, and very safe for sensitive skin.

Disinfectants.  Combine the following ingredients in a sturdy spray bottle: 16oz. purified water, 3 tablespoons liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronner's peppermint or lavender castille soap) and 30 drops or more of tea tree oil for that natural antiseptic power.  Shake to mix.  I use this on newly-bought groceries, specially on my kids' diaper packs, milk cans and snacks.  I also use this to clean my kids' toys, shelves, doorknobs, countertops, car interiors or just about anything that needs disinfecting.

All-Purpose Cleaners.  In a 16-oz. spray bottle, combine 2 tbsp vinegar with 1 tsp borax, then fill the bottle with very hot purified water.  Shake until the borax is dissolved.  Add 1/4 cup of liquid soap or 1/8 cup of liquid detergent and 10 to 15 drops of essential oil of your choice (I use peppermint or lavender).  I use this on kitchen counters and bathroom tiles.  Spray and wipe dry. 


These cleaning alternatives are actually cheaper in the long run, so you make your homes safer and you save money doing it.


Let's go green.