12 Surprising Uses for Herbs

Common herbs, in the form of essential oils, can be used to make your own natural, chemical-free household products. Best of all they will save you money.

From The Complete Book of Herbs

1. Air freshener

Lightly mist this delicious-smelling air freshener in a room whenever you feel the need.

500ml vodka
¼ tsp bergamot essential oil
8 drops clove essential oil
5 drops lemon essential oil
200ml distilled water

1. Put the vodka and oils in a spray bottle and shake to disperse the oils. Add distilled water and shake again to thoroughly combine.

2. Leave for a few days to mature. Spray briefly to refresh a room.

2. Moth repellent

Combine equal amounts of lavender, rosemary, clove and lemon essential oils in a small bottle. Take everything out of your cupboards and wipe the interior with a damp cloth that’s been sprinkled with a few drops of the oil blend. You can also sprinkle it onto cotton-wool balls, then place them in the wardrobe when you replace the clothing.

3. Fabric softener

This simple treatment will leave fabrics soft and fluffy without the cloying scent of artificial perfumes.

1 cup (250ml) white distilled vinegar
1 cup (250g) bicarbonate of soda
2 cups (500ml) water
10 drops rose geranium, lavender or
lemon essential oil or eucalyptus essential oil (or a combination of your favourite oils)

1. Combine ingredients slowly and carefully over the sink, because the mixture will fizz. Pour into a plastic bottle and replace the lid.

2. Add ¼ cup (60ml) to the final rinse or place it in the fabric softener dispenser of your washing machine.

4. Smell buster

Mix a few drops of antibacterial essential oil (such as lavender, tea-tree or rosemary) into some bicarbonate of soda. Pack the mixture into a sock or stocking and stuff it into your trainers. Leave in overnight to deodorise. When re-using the mixture, add extra oil.

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A woman visits her late husband at the funeral parlour. When she sees him, she starts crying. “He’s wearing a black suit,” she tells the undertaker. “It was his last wish to be buried in blue.” The undertaker apologises, saying that it’s standard to put bodies in a black suit, but he’ll see what he can arrange.

Next day, the woman returns and there is her husband in a blue suit.

“That’s wonderful,” she says. “Where did you get it?”

“After you left,” says the undertaker, “a man about your husband’s size was brought in wearing a blue suit. His wife said that he wanted to be buried in black and asked if there was anything we could do.”

The woman smiles gratefully. “After that,” the undertaker continues, “it was simply a matter of swapping the heads.”

12 Surprising Uses for Herbs

Common herbs, in the form of essential oils, can be used to make your own natural, chemical-free household products. Best of all they will save you money.

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