How I Use Essential Oils

Do you use Essential Oils?

I don't use either brand that is a multilevel marketing business.  I use a brand that I buy at my local organic food store.  I've researched them and feel comfortable with this company for the way I use EOs.  

I don't ingest any oils, and that is just my own preference.  I had water with lemon essential oil in it once and it made my stomach hurt, so I did a bit of reading about it and decided that for me, I wouldn't ingest ANY brand of oils. (the brand I ingested was one of the mlm brands)

So, how do I use EO's?

1. I use them to clean the air in our home.

                                       This is my new diffuser!  It looks really pretty at night!

During winter, and cold and flu season, I like to have different blends scenting my home.  I use these oils alone or in combination - lemon, orange, peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, frankinsence, tea tree.

I also use EO's in the water when I mop my house!  It helps make it smell fresh and clean!

2. I make blends for health.

I make a decongestant blend for cough and colds.  This is what I make - 

3 drops of Peppermint
2 drops Eucalyptus
2 drops Tea Tree
1 drop Lemon

I will diffuse this overnight (or during the day) for several nights and it really helps them sleep and we've found it to shorten a cold. Obviously, if a cold hangs on longer than 10 days or a person begins to have  tightening of the chest, trouble breathing, or coughing up thick green mucus, you need to see a doctor!  You may have developed an infection or pneumonia.

If someone in my family is coughing really badly and can't sleep, I will rub Eucalyptus with a carrier oil on the bottom of their feet.  We have found this really quiets a cough.  Tim and I have done it for ourselves, and found it to work well enough for us to sleep all night.  You could use this during the day as well.  We apply 5 to 10 drops of the oil mixture to the bottom of each foot.

3. We use blends for pain relief.

I made my first blend on the recommendation of a dear friend who has rheumatoid arthritis.  She told me that she used a few drops each of Peppermint and Clove oils straight onto her knees and that it helped give her some pain relief.

Nate has back pain at times, and pain in his leg from a bad break years ago.  I made him up a bottle of both of these oils, with Sweet Almond oil as a carrier oil.  I don't have a 'use this many drops' for this.  I just try to do about 2/3 carrier oil and then even amounts of Peppermint and Clove.  It works for him.  

I've made it for my mom for her arthritis in her hands and it helps her too.  I made a small bottle for a neighbor of Nate and Kay's and it has worked for her, too.


4. I make my own hand cleaner.

I use water, a bit of rubbing alcohol, and lavender and lemon EOs.  I put it in a small glass spray bottle and carry it in my purse at all times.  I clean cart handles with it and my hands when I am out shopping.


So that is the basic way I use Essential Oils.  I'm not into it to make money, I'm not one to say that an oil can give you courage, or cure disease.  I do believe that oils do have healing properties (I learned about medicinal plants years ago), and that they can help lift your mood.

I'm especially interested in keeping our home a calm and peace-filled place and having it smell good is one way I do this!

Do you use EO's?  Any favorite blends?  What do you use them for?  Let's chat in the comments!

Also later this week I want to start a conversation on intentional grandparenting, and I know so many of you are involved grandparents and I'd like your imput.