Previously I shared a disinfecting herbal cleaning spray
you can make with herbs, but I also like herb scents in the house and I thought
maybe I could use a combination of herbs to scent the house and disinfect the
air around me.
For more information on any of the herbs discussed in this
post, I suggest looking at our A to Z Herbs page which features links to learning posts containing details of all the herbs here as well as others we have posted on previously.
Disinfecting
Herbs
You need a selection of herbs that have disinfecting
properties and fresh herbs are best. I
got all of these in the produce department of my fruit market. Your grocery should have at least a few of
these. You can use whatever you can
get. It is still Winter here, okay
Spring, but the plants have done nothing yet, so I could not harvest from the
garden.
I did use a combination of fresh and dry herbs, as finding
fresh lavender in winter is almost impossible, but the scent from even dry
lavender is still nice and aromatic.
Disinfecting
Herb Bundles
Lavender
Sage
Mint
Rosemary
Dill
Take a sprig or two and bundle them together with a rubber
band. Hang the herbs and allow then to air
dry. The scent will waft through the air
adding disinfecting properties.
I started with the lavender that was dry giving stiffness
and the thyme which has very small stems.
I added in the rosemary whose woody stem gave support to
the mint, sage and dill I added to finish each bundle.
I placed the bundles on a hanger so I could just hang it in
the office or from the hall railing to let the scent spread.
Uplifting
Herbs
Sometimes when cooped up in quarantine you want to lift
your mood. The seriousness of all this
pandemic discussion can make it hard to be optimistic. So the scent of uplifting
herbs can make all the difference.
This blend of herbs focuses on citrus and its uplifting effect
on the mind. I was able to find my favorite black stem peppermint and used dried
lemongrass and dried roses.
For this bundle I cut the peel off a grapefruit in long strips. Since I am not eating it, it did not matter
if I cut into the pith (white part) under the skin (which is bitter) so I could
make sure I got a couple nice long pieces. That were strong enough to keep their
shape during the drying process.
Uplifting
Herb Bundles
Geranium
Rose
Lemon
Peppermint
Rosemary
Grapefruit
Then using a rubber band bundle the herbs together into a decorative
presentation. Tie with pretty ribbon or raffia
and hang in a nice prominent place to allow the scents to spread through the
room. Someplace where you will touch or
bump the bundle is even better.
I used dried lemon grass, because the bulb is available in
winter, but the fronds are not. I had some long pieces, so I pulled them up
from the bottom to make a loop on each side to become the base for my bundle.
Then I added the herbs.
The geranium are my scented geraniums which I bring in every
winter. The stems are thin and soft from
the lack of light so a base to place them on really helps then hang better.
I added the rosemary, mint, and some oregano (which is a
wonderful germ fighter.) The dried roses just did not look right so I did not
end up using them, but you can get a rose or two from the floral shop and add
great color to this bundle. I had some fun with the grapefruit peel wrapping it in and
around the other herbs.
I think I like my second bundle better than my first. One I
hung on the back door, so every time we slide the door the scent is
released. The other I hung in my new
home office (this is a work from home quarantine you know.)
As these bundles dry
the scent will be released and act on my environment and they will be nice
decorations in my home, even as the scent fades during the hot summer months.
No one said we had to have a stuffy house if we were quarantined, so grab some fresh or dried herbs and freshen your space!
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