Lemongrass and Lavender Calming Spray

Before the holidays, I went to a yoga class and the scent in the studio was both calming and revitalizing.  I asked the owner what was so delicious and she stated it was the lemongrass and lavender spray she sells.  I knew I could make a less expensive calming spray for under her $18 asking price and I did, thanks to this site and Aura Cacia.  

You'll need:

glass spray bottle

2 ounces distilled water 
25 drops lemongrass essential oil
40 drops lavender essential oil

Directions:
Add the distilled water to the spray bottle. Then add the lemongrass and lavender essential oils. Shake well.  Enjoy as a room spray or refresh your closets and clothes.  

Note: My spray is more lemony than lavender-y. The site above also suggested that you add equal parts lemon, lavender, and orange essential oils. You may want to experiment with the drops and add more or less oil to create your own unique scent.  Remember you can always add more oil, but you can't take it away if you add too much. 

Vanilla Extract for Cleaning

Last weekend I was busy... I cleaned the microwave, oven, and refrigerator; I even reorganized our closet.  These were all long overdue tasks. 

For the microwave I placed a cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl and added a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then I microwaved the mixture for 2 minutes and wiped the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth.  All the food particles came right off and onto cloth. AMAZING!

I also placed some vanilla extract on a wet paper towel to remove the freezer burn smell in the freezer.  Vanilla is much more pleasant than freezer funk.

Super Successful Fruit Fly Trap

Fruit flies have been rampant in our house lately.  They are in the kitchen, living room, and even hovering over the mirror in the bathroom.  I don't know what it is, but yesterday we had ENOUGH.  My boyfriend found a few online recipes: sugar water in a bottle with a paper funnel (not successful), and 1 cup apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dish soap (SUPER SUCCESSFUL).  Can you see all the fruit flies we caught so far?

We made two traps and have already caught over eleven little buggers. I feel bad that we are harming them.  We save spiders in this house.  Honest.  However, my BF reminded me that I am not killing them, they are just nosy and checking out the sweet-smelling liquid.

NOTE: Apple cider vinegar is a pungent scent and our house is really pungent with these fruit fly traps scattered around our humble abode.

Lavender Aromatherapy Shower and Scrub

Today I took a much needed lavender aromatherapy shower - so soothing!  On Pinterest, I saw a post for a cleansing soak; instead, I mixed the same three ingredients - baking soda, Epsom salt and lavender harvest essential oil from Aura Cacia - for my scented shower and scrub. 

I enjoy using Aura Cacia Lavender Shower Tablets.  You place a tablet on the shower floor and soak up the lovely lavender scent.  They're about $7, but I purchased a box on sale for under $5.  You only get three tablets in a box, but I discovered that you don't need a whole tablet for a shower and can stretch the three tablets into multiple showers.   

However, from now on, I will be making homemade lavender aromatherapy for my showers whenever I need them.  The most expensive part was the lavender harvest essential oil, but a small $7 bottle goes a long way (you only need a few drops/shower or bath).  My shower was hot, relaxing, and cheaper than the lavender shower tablets, not to mention the concoction doubled as a body scrub.