The Many Everyday Uses Of Essential Oils

Most of us think of essential oils and we think of Aromatherapy and Massage Therapy. It’s nice to know that there are many uses for essential oils outside of the therapist’s treatment room.

Some of these include:

Cooking: Try one of Young Living’s Cookbooks for delicious recipes that use their Therapeutic Grade* essential oils!

To Freshen The Air:

Quick Room Deodorizer: Sprinkle a few drops in the corner of a room (on a hidden spot of carpet or drape –color test first) just prior to company coming over to freshen the room. I use different oils in each room. During the spring and summer I use peppermint in the entry area, lavender in the bedrooms and lemon in the family room. In Winter I use choose from Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Orange and Clove. Lemon is great oil any time of year

Rug Deodorizer: Mix 1 cup of baking soda with 40 drops of lavender, 20 drops of cinnamon and 20 drops of orange. Mix well and let it sit for 48 hours. Sprinkle on your carpet. Let sit for 30 minutes then vacuum.

Paint: When painting a room I add 40 drops of lavender to each can of paint to help dispel the fumes.

Gel Air Freshener: Mix 1 packet of clear, unflavored, powered gelatin with ¼ cup of boiling water. Mix well. Then add ¼ cup of cold water. Pour mixture into a jar. After the mixture has cooled, but before it starts to set up, add 2-5 drops of your favorite oil. Stir and refrigerate. Once the gelatin has begun to set up you can add some shells or colored glass for decoration. If you add these too soon they will sink to the bottom. Cover your jar and put it in the fridge to set up. Once it is firm, remove from the fridge, uncover and enjoy. This can be used in any room of the house. Try different oil for each room!

Diffuser: Use a cold air diffuser for a steady stream of oils into the air.

In The Bathroom:

Aromatic Bath: Add several drops of your favorite essential oil to your bathwater just prior to getting in. Make sure to agitate the water to spread oil around. You can add it to a tablespoon of carrier oil –I prefer grape seed or sweet almond oil – or you can use Young Living’s Bath & Shower Gel Base. Just add a few drops of your favorite oil to it and enjoy.

Cleaning: I use Young Living’s Thieves Household Cleaner to clean, deodorize and disinfect the bathroom without harmful chemicals.

For The Car:

I like to use peppermint in my car for as a pick-me-up. It’s a stimulating oil and perfect for the car.

Laundry:

I add 40 drops of lavender to the rinse water to freshen the laundry without harmful chemicals. Be sure that you don’t add it directly to the fabric.

Linens: Instead of using harmful perfumes on your linens, try adding 10 drops of lavender oil to 2 ounces of water. Shake well and spray bed linens and towels with the mixture. The whole room will smell great.

For You:

Skin Spray: Add 2-5 drops of your favorite oil to approx 1 ounce of cool water and spray on skin. My favorite is lavender. This can be a great way to cool off on a hot summer day.

Soap: Try one of the many Young Living body soaps. I find them to be both moisturizing and refreshing.

Nausea: Rub a few drops of peppermint** on your stomach, bottom of feet or behind the ears for nausea.

Colds and Flu: Place a drop of Eucalyptus oil under your pillow for easier breathing during the night. You can also place a few drops of the oil on a cotton ball, then place the cotton ball inside your tissue box. Your tissues will smell of the oil each time you use one.

Foot Rub: rub a few drops of peppermint and or tee tree oil on your feet.

Foot Bath: Add a few drops of peppermint and tea tree oils to your warm water footbath.

Facial Steam: Add a drop of Eucalyptus or tea tree to a warm bowl of water, cover your head, and close your eyes and breath the steam.

Sore Muscles: After a workout try the Aroma Siez blend from Young Living. It has a warming effect and feels great on tired muscles.

Sore Throat: When I feel a sore throat coming on I rub a drop of Purification blend on the outside of my throat several times a day.

*Therapeutic Grade: Young Living prides themselves on their high quality oils. They have developed the term Therapeutic Grade to describe their oils.

**Most oils are not suitable for direct skin application. Application is usually best suited for the bottom of the feet, the hands or ears. Always know your product before applying directly to the skin.

CAUTIONS:

Never put essential oils on or near the eyes.

Always keep essential oils out of the reach of children.

Some oils may make you sensitive to sun exposure when placed on skin (such as lemon). Please read all labels carefully.

Please read labels carefully for proper use and cautions.

Most oils are too strong to be used directly on children and should be diluted. Use either carrier oil such as grape seed or sweet almond oil or place a drop on your own hand, rub your hands together and then place your hands onto the child’s feet.

Never place essential oils on a child’s hands, as they are very likely to then touch their face and get them in their eyes.

If essential oils get in the eye do NOT flush with water. Use carrier oil (vegetable oil, grape seed, sweet almond, etc) to clear the eye and call your eye doctor.