A Simple Aromatherapy Solution for the Modern Home

Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oil for health benefits usually usually goes together with various dispersal devices.  Some of those include electric burners, a candle burners, or spray bottles with a carrier such as water. While I have always enjoyed aromatherapy, I have not enjoyed using the accoutrements that come with it whether due to finding space a burner, worrying if my kids will be getting into a candle, or humidifying a room with a water-based spray.  I have recently started using a more simple dispersal method.  For those with a central air system this will work very well.

photo with permission via Kevin Shroyer

You can simply add a few drops of essential oil to your central air filter and turn the fan on. One of the characteristics of an essential oil is that is evaporates completely. As the essential oil evaporates it will be drawn up into the ventilation system by the fan and be dispersed throughout the house. Seven drops is a good number to start with, and you may with to use more depending on the size of your home. Here are a few ideas of oils that can be used and why.

• Lavender when there is high stress in the home
• Lemon to deodorize bad smells.  
• Eucalyptus or Rosemary when people in the home are recovering from a chest cold
• Tea Tree or Oregano to fight off microbes in the air to prevent spread of cold within the family.
• Pennyroyal use a fumigant against fleas at a higher does, such as around 30 drops, but only when animals and people are away from the house for a few hours.  

Cory Trusty is a soap maker, community herbalist, organic gardener, and homeschooling mom to two girls. Cory and her family live in Daytona Beach, Florida. Cory's background is in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Biology.  She is sharing tried and true natural home remedies and mini lessons from herbal classes that she teaches. Cory works full time making soaps, shampoo bars, herbal salves, flaxseed heat packs and more for her website AquarianBath. Read more from Cory at the Aquarian Bath blog. Cory is also a Food and Gardening writer for EcoEtsy and has published in The Essential Herbal Magazine and on the Herb Companion Blog. Connect with Cory on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus and Pinterest.