New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 51
PINE CLEANER
HOSPITAL OILS
I
t’s not hard to find a pine tree
in New Zealand, so next time
you see one, grab a handful
of needles and make this
cleaner. Pine needles create
great oil, which is antibacterial
and antiseptic, making anI
’ve spent quite a lot of time in hospitals and care homes recently with
my mum and, as well as being stressful places, they can also be quite
smelly. I’ve created a blend of oils which I take with me and drip into
a cup of boiling water to make Mum’s room smell nice and hopefully
help her feel more relaxed. The mixture of lavender with rose geranium
eases anxiety and depression, as well as smelling really lovely.
In a small bottle, mix 20 drops lavender essential oil with 20 drops
rose geranium essential oil. To use, put 10 drops into 1 cup of boiling
water, then let the oils evaporate. Be sure to place the boiling water well
away from the patient too.Dry brushing
I’m not a big fan of exfoliating the skin as I
believe it’s too harsh and rids the skin
of its natural oils. Dry brushing is a more
gentle way of removing dead skin, as
well as increasing blood circulation and
stimulating lymph glands. Find a good
body brush with natural bristles and a
long handle, so that you can reach your
back, and give yourself a good brush
down before you shower each day. I’m
betting you will find it quite invigorating.
I
f you’ve left something simmering too
long on the stove and have ended up
burning it to the bottom of your pot,
there are some things you can do to restore
it back to working order.
First, half fill the pot with water and pour
in ¼ cup baking soda, then bring that to
the boil. Next, turn off the heat and let it
sit for an hour before trying to scrape off
the burnt material. You may need to repeat
this process several times.
If all else fails, take the pot outside, dig
a hole in the garden, put the pot in and fill
it with earth, leaving it for a month. Dig it
up and clean. This tip was given to me by
Annabel Langbein.effective cleaner for kitchens and
bathrooms. It smells good too!
3 cups water
A handful of fresh pine needles
1 tbsp dishwashing liquid
Boil the water in a jug, then
pour over the needles in a
heat-proof bowl. Cover and setaside to infuse. When cooled,
strain into a spray bottle and
add the dishwashing liquid.
Give it a good shake and
you’re ready to go.
*If you want a stronger pine
scent, you can add 10 drops
of pine essential oil.Tr y t h i s