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Disinfect with Lavender

by The Editors of Yankee Magazine

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If you're looking for a natural way to fight household germs, try lavender. In ancient Rome, people added lavender to the water at public baths not only for its relaxing qualities but also to help keep the water germ-free. Note: Lavender doesn't have the concentrated germ-fighting power of modern commercial products.

"I learned a great way to use lavender for my own home from the late Bertha Reppert, a wonderful author and owner of the Rosemary House, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania," says Jane Irvin- Klotz, of North Wales, Pennsylvania, an herbal expert and member of the Herb Gatherers Club of Pennsylvania. "You can make lavender water [also called lavender tea] and store it in a clean recycled or new spray bottle to clean your countertops and doorknobs. It's also great for cleaning out plastic ice chests. Lavender water in a spray bottle is a good idea for teachers, too. Sprayed in the air, it will disinfect the classroom and calm the students at the same time."

Lavender Disinfectant Recipe

• 1 cup fresh or 1.2 cup dried lavender flowers
• Sheer cloth bag or cheesecloth
• Glass container (one that can withstand boiling water)
• 1-pint sterilized plastic or glass spray bottle

Put the flowers in the bag or tie them in a square of cheesecloth. Place the bag or cheesecloth in the glass container. Boil 1 pint clean tap or bottled water. Pour into the glass container. Cover the container and let it cool. Remove the bag or cloth containing the lavender flowers from the container, gently squeezing the excess moisture into the container. Pour the lavender water into the spray bottle and store it out of the sunlight in a cool place.

An alternative method is to add a few drops of essential oil of lavender to 1 pint distilled water. Start with 3 to 5 drops and increase the amount if you would like a stronger lavender scent. Lavender tea will keep for about 4 to 6 weeks.Don't use the tea if a dark ring shows in the bottle or if there is a dark scum on top of the water. It's best to label the bottle with the date you made the batch and update the label every time you make a fresh batch.

Excerpt from 1,001 Old-Time Household Hints—brought to you by Skyhorse Publishing