Many Aromatherapy Products can be used in daily routine at home. The purifying nature of essential Aromatherapy Products makes them useful for cleansing and disinfectant purpose. There`s an added bonus too: the oils really are natural and don`t need any environmentally damaging chemical additives to help them clean properly. Even a small quantity of essential oil can do wonders, along with being quite economical and long lasting. Many oils act as an insect repellent as well. The easy use of essential oils can be applied for cleansing and disinfecting the entire house.

Aromatherapy at home is a good example of how we can turn our daily chores in even more effective ones by incorporating the use of aroma oils. Essential oils such as Eucalyptus, Orange, Bergamot, Lavender, Myrrh, sandalwood, lime, pine, Mandarin, peppermint and Geranium are the recommended oils for household purpose. The applications of aroma oils are so simple and effective that they may turn in pleasant addiction. By following Aromatherapy, one can lead a more enjoyable life in a well managed fragrant home.SOme of the Aromatherapy products are

Room Freshener: For a natural, non-aerosol aromatherapy air freshener, add ten drops of essential oil to half a litre (one pint) of water in a pump-action spray bottle (the kind used for watering houseplants). Shake the mixture well before pumping four or five sprays into the air to deodorize, freshen and scent a room. The following oils are recommended as room fresheners. These are Lavender (to kill airborne germs in the house), Lemon (air freshener for the toilet) and Peppermint (to remove the stale smell of cigarette smoke). The recommended combination procedure is as follows:

•3 drops each pine, rosemary and lavender. (Disinfecting, for bathrooms, rubbish bins, damp or Mould).

•5 drops each lemon and lime. (Deodorizing, for wardrobes, cupboards and bathrooms, cooking smells).

Air Purifier: Cleaning the room with a vacuum cleaner and scenting it with the essential oils can go hand in hand. Place five drops of oil on a cotton-wool ball inside the cleaner, against the exit filter where air blows out of your machine. To refresh or change the fragrance, just replace it with a new cotton ball as often as you wish. You can use your favourite aroma for the use. Although the recommended ones are: Lavender, Rosemary, Tea-tree, Pine, Citronella and Bergamot oils. The following are the best Oils for a sickroom:

•Eucalyptus (for congestion, colds).

•Tea-tree (for viruses, flu, etc).

•Lavender (antiseptic, calming, relaxing).

•Myrrh (sore throat, coughs).

•Bergamot (deodorizing, uplifting).

To deodorize and neutralise odors, put four drops of Essential oil on a cotton-wool ball and place it in a wardrobe, laundry basket, rubbish bin, shoe rack, etc. Bergamot, peppermint, thyme, lemongrass and lavender are the essential oils for the purpose.

•For persistent underarm odor, place two drops of Essential oil on the inside, underarm seams of shirts, Jackets or jumpers. Bergamot and citronella are the suitable essential oils.

•For smelly shoes, rub four drops of essential oil into the Insoles with a tissue. Lemon is fast and effective for this particular chore.

Room Vaporizers: It is advisable to use only single essential oils to scent a room, as combinations of more than one aroma tends to mix around with the others. However, you can change oils every day if you wish, so there is plenty of variation. One effective method is to buy essential oil burners that have a saucer fixed above a stand that holds a candle. Fill the saucer with hot water, add up to eight drops of essential oil, and light the candle to keep the water hot enough to make the oil evaporate. They scent a room quickly and only need to be placed on a steady, safe surface out of the reach of children or pets. Top up with water and oil every three to four hours; or you can make your own version by standing a saucer of hot water on top of a central-heating radiator.

You can also buy small metal or compressed card rings, which sit on top of an ordinary light-bulb and gently warm the four or five drops of essential oil placed on them. They scent a room quickly and almost as potently as the burners. The best oils used for room vaporizers are as follows:

•Bergamot (uplifting, refreshing, deodorizing).

•Eucalyptus (for chest/nasal congestion, mental Alertness).

•Geranium (energizing yet relaxing).

• Jasmine (for euphoria, confidence, dinner parties).

•Lavender (for tension, nerves, tiredness).

•Mandarin (for sleeplessness, soothing, calming).

•Neroli (calming, soothing, sensual).

•Peppermint (for energy, alertness).

•Sandalwood (relaxing, mellowing, romantic).

•Ylang-Ylang (hypnotic, sensual, uplifting).

Pot- Pourri: You can make your own Fragrance emitter by following guidelines:

•Mix together dried leaves, flowers and herbs (geranium, rose, lavender, pinks, cornflowers, citrus blossoms, etc).

•Add spices (cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, allspice), a little talcum powder and favourite essential oils.

•The basic mix should contain six cups of dried plants, two tablespoons of talc and 12 drops of essential oils. Leave it in an airtight container, shaking and inverting it daily for a fortnight until the talc and dried materials have absorbed the aromas. Then place it in an open bowl or jar to fragrance a room. Refresh it when needed by adding a few more drops of essential oils.

Wood Fires: Since heat makes essential oils more potent, you can pour a maximum of 12 drops on three pieces of wood about 15 minutes before lighting the fire. It will warm and scent your room simultaneously. If you don`t have an open fire, a similar effect can be achieved by dropping your favourite essence onto a radiator. Best Oils for Wood Fires are Geranium, Neroli, Lavender, Sandalwood, lime, Rose, Orange and jasmine. The combination aromas for the winter seasons are: 4 drops of ginger, orange and sandalwood and for summer seasons are: 4 drops of bergamot, geranium and lavender oil each.

Cleaning the Home: To wipe kitchen surfaces and chopping boards and to wash floors, add eight drops of essential oil to a small bucket of warm water, wring out a cloth. Lemon and geranium are the ideal oils.

•To clean basins, toilets, baths, and sinks, put three drops of essential oil on a damp cloth. Tea tree, patchouli or pine are the recommended essential oils.

•To sterilize dishes and cutlery, add two drops of essential oil to the washing-up water. Recommended oil is a combination of Lavender and lemon.

•To rinse clothes, add three drops of essential oil to the Final rinsing water. A combination of lavender and geranium would be ideal.

Insect Repellent: The non-chemical, aromatic, harmless insecticides that are kind to humans but absolutely repulsive to insects can be used easily at home. Mix 15 drops of essential oils to 100 mI (20fl oz/l pint) water in a pump-action spray bottle and shake well before spraying into the air to terrify flying insects. Or add five drops of essential oil to a damp cloth and wipe around wardrobes, shelves, drawers, window and door frames. Alternatively, apply oil drops directly to Curtain hems to repel all airborne invaders. The suitable oils for these are:

•Camphor (moths)

•Citronella (mosquitoes)

•Lemongrass (most flying insects)

•Tea-tree (ants, fleas, most insects)

•Thyme (most hopping / crawling insects)

Apart from these oils, the best combinations would be as follows:

•Dilute eight drops of tea-tree and seven drops of Thyme in 30ml (1 fl oz/6 tsps) water in a spray bottle. (To get rid of ants or cockroaches spray everywhere they might walk).

•Dilute six drops of geranium, five drops of lavender and four drops of tea-tree in 30ml (1 fl oz/6 tsps) of Water in a spray bottle. (To rid a pet of fleas, spray into ruffled fur. Avoid the eyes.)

•A few drops of oil on your pillowcase or mattress will drive away droning mosquitoes. Or dilute six drops of the essential oil in 30ml (1 fl oz/ 6 tsps) sunflower oil and rub it into any exposed skin before going to bed. It will also soothe the itchiness of any insect bites.