Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Thieves Oil to the rescue


I had never heard of Thieves Oil until this past year. I started dabbling in essential oils and making cleaners. I heard this word come up several times. So, the best resource I found for easy DIY instructions was Ma & Pa Parker's Sustainability Blog. There is some history to Thieves Oil that you should look up. It's interesting. It helped the robbers of Medieval times fight off the plague so they could rob the dead without getting ill and dying.

 You can find the recipe there on their blog. I had to make some variations because of what I had.

Thieves Oil (My substitutions to the side.)

1 lemon peel (20 drops Lemon EO)
4 Sprigs of Rosemary (I grew mine this year)
4 Cinnamon Sticks (18 drops Cinnamon EO)
1/4 cup Whole Cloves
7 drops Eucalyptus EO

Bring 1 Quart of water and all of the hard items to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir Often. Strain into Quart Jar and add the Essential Oils. The picture of mine above is after I have used it several times.

What can you do with this? I use it to mop with and fight off nasty flu and germs. I pour a little (1/4 cup) into some hot water to mop with. It smells really good because of the Cinnamon and Cloves. If it is good enough to kill the plague, it should work for everyday flu.

On Ma & Pa's blog, they tell how you can use it for a General Purpose Cleaner, Glass Cleaner (mixed with vinegar), Wood Cleaner (Polish), and Laundry Additive. Make sure to find out how to mix these things before you use it. Some things can be damaging if not known how to properly use.

Friday, December 23, 2011

DIY Foot Soak

I haven't been to get a pedicure in 2 years. Last few times I went, they cut me pretty deep or injured me somehow. I decided to just pamper myself at home.

I used a large dishpan and filled it half-full with really hot water. I put about 1/4 cup Epsom salts, 1/4 cup baking soda, a few drops of Rosewood Essential Oil, and a small handful of dried Rose Petals. It was super relaxing. By using Epsom Salts, you will absorb Magnesium through your skin. See more benefits here at SaltWorks.

I got to soak my feet and watch some TV at my couch. How cool. I put all of my pedicure tools in a small bucket so they would be available while I was soaking. Don't forget to have a towel handy! I finished up with some great Shea Butter Lotion for my feet, cuticle oil, and some fuzzy socks.

So, I saved myself $40 dollars plus Tip. I will probably never go back to a Nail Salon for a pedicure.