A Breath of Fresh Air?
Fall is in the air! I love this time of year. The days are warm, but the mornings and evenings are cooler. This means that sooner or later – you’re going to want to fire up the furnace. As you turn up the heat, you may also be turning up a musty odor in your house as well. The dust that’s been settling in your duct work since last winter is now being blown throughout your house. This is a perfect opportunity to whip out your essential oils – not only to combat the smell, but to promote health and well-being too!
First of all – check your furnace filter – this is important! Not only is dust settling there, but mold, dust mites and other not-so-pleasant things could be taking up residence. It is extremely important for everyone’s health to take action. Depending on the condition of your filter and type of filter (disposable vs. reusable), you will need to either clean or replace it. (If you don’t know how to do this, you can ask a friend, Google it or call a professional.) Now you have a fresh start for the cold months ahead.
But wait! Before you put the filter back in the furnace, apply a few drops of essential oils to your filter. The air will flow through the filter and make your house smell amazing. Every couple of weeks, you can apply a few more drops to the filter to freshen it up.
Choosing an essential oil is a matter of preference. You can select an essential oil based solely on your smell preference (some people use vanilla extract). Or, you can choose one for its health benefits as well. Below I’ve listed some essential oils and their benefits:
Lavender– This is an essential oil that almost everyone has and loves. It is a very versatile essential oil with an aroma that most people find pleasing. Lavender has antiseptic, antiviral, bactericidal and fungicidal properties. This means that it will help kill germs and purify the air. It is also a great stress reducer. After a hard day’s work, how nice would it be to come home and instantly be in a calming environment?!
Tea Tree – My aromatherapy instructor calls tea tree “nature’s first aid”. It is an antimicrobial, antifungal, antiseptic, bactericide, fungicide, immunostimulant and insecticide. Wow! That’s a mouthful! But seriously, this is the oil to use if you are serious about killing germs and purifying the air. Tea tree is a very unique aroma that not everyone finds pleasing, however, and may not want throughout their entire home.
Eucalyptus – Eucalyptus is known for is camphor-like aroma. It is an antibacterial, antiseptic and antiviral. Eucalyptus is a great decongestant, which makes is a great essential oil to use during the cold and flu season.
Lemon – I love the smell of lemon. It is an aroma that is associated with cleanliness. Lemon has a high vibration which can help lift your spirits and overcome mental fatigue. Of course, like the others it will purify the air because it is an antimicrobial, antiseptic and bactericide.
Rosemary – Rosemary smells very similar to Eucalyptus, but may be a bit more pleasing of an aroma. Rosemary has many benefits; however, it lacks the air purifying qualities of the essential oils mentioned above. But that doesn’t make it bad choice. Rosemary has respiratory benefits (good for bronchitis, asthma and sinusitis), is a CNS stimulate so it improves concentration (think about kid’s doing their homework) and promotes circulation of Qi (it’s a tonic for yang energy).
Of course there are many other essential oils that you can use. Experiment with blends too – I like rosemary and lemon. You can also tailor it towards the season and use essential oils such as peppermint or pine around Christmas. Whatever essential oil you choose – it is important to choose one that you like, as this is going to circulate throughout your entire house.
Happy Fall!