Say goodbye to commercial air fresheners: a few sage leaves are sufficient to have a fragrant home
Widely used in the kitchen as a flavoring spice, sage is actually also a very useful aromatic herb for when you are doing your house-keeping chores.
Everyone wants a clean, fragrant home and using natural products can help us achieve this - and for very little expense. And using sage is one way to go about this.
So, how can this simple aromatic herb allow us to replace our commercially-bought air fresheners? There are several ways in which we can exploit the beneficial properties of sage whilst appreciating its aroma - keep reading to find out more:
Perfume the home using sage leaves
Sage is famous for its relaxing properties and its scent can help to settle one's nerves and those struggling to sleep soundly. And there's more: thanks to its antibacterial and antiviral properties, sage can also have beneficial effects for our respiratory tracts, alieviating breathing difficulties caused by allergies.
So, how exactly do we use sage in the homes? One way is to simply gather up some leaves, wash them carefully and leaving them to dry on absorbent paper for a few days. Then, shred the dried leaves and insert them into small cotton bags to place around the home. In winter, you can place these bags on the radiator to help spread the pleasant aroma. Further, putting a sprig of sage over the shower head will release its aroma when the steam hits it.
A simple and quick way to eliminate unpleasant odors in the home (especially cooking smells), is the so-called simmer pot method: simmer sprigs of sage, rosemary and lemon peels over low heat for several hours to perfume and purify the air in all your rooms.
Clean the house with sage
Thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties, sage is also suitable for cleaning your home. You can easily make a simple, fragrant multi-surface cleaner using its leaves.
Prepare this cleaner by boiling washed sage leaves with some lemon peel for a few minutes; let the mixture cool and decant into a spray bottle. You can use this spray to clean the kitchen countertops, bathroom fixtures and any other working surface in your home.
Sage is also traditionally used for "spiritually" cleansing homes by burning it like incense. Be sure to open the windows during this process to help the smoke escape.
Do you use sage in your home?