During Spring Cleaning, one of the things I make sure to do (once I’m done with the hardcore dusting and wiping) is to deodorize the carpets and rugs. Deodorizing floors is something people have been doing for centuries. One of the most common ways was to sprinkle fresh herbs and rushes (straw) on clean floors to help absorb odors as well as to absorb spills and other liquids (a problem when people used to allow farm animals into their home). Anyway since Sarah Munro has updated this recipe for her collection of updated 17th and 18th century herbal remedies and recipes, I’m including it this month. Just in time for Spring Cleaning! (Sarah, a PhD historian, is the heroine in book 2 of the Deadly Force series, ONE DARK WISH.)
Pure baking soda is safe for all types of rugs and carpets and won’t cause any discoloration or other weirdness. While the essential oil adds a fresh fragrance, there’s not enough oil in the mixture to cause any problems either. And you don’t have to use a brand name. I buy it in a large generic bag from Costco. The lemon scent doesn’t just linger after you vacuum, it also deodorizes your vacuum bag (an extra plus!). Once you pick up the floor, move the pets and small children away. You need about 30 minutes to do this, start to finish, and you don’t want kids or pets to get in the way. I just make it in a bowl and walk around the room throwing spoonfuls. But if you have a shaker bottle, that will work well too.
Safety Note
Pure baking soda is a leavening agent and safe for pets and children in small amounts. But if a pet eats a large amount, and it mixes with the heat in their stomach, it can cause dangerous gasses in the gut that can cause health problems and even heart failure.
Sarah Munro’s Lemon Carpet Deodorizer
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a medium sized bowl, mix together 2 cups of baking soda and 20 drops of lemon essential oil. This makes enough for approximate a 10′ x 10′ room or area rug. Make more as you need it.
Mix together with a spoon.
Starting in a far corner of a carpeted room (or on an area rug), use the spoon to sprinkle the baking soda mixture on the carpet. Walk backwards and side-to-side, until the entire carpet/rug is covered with the white powder.
Let the powder sit for fifteen minutes. Then vacuum up. If you have pets or babies/toddlers, vacuum twice before you allow them back into the room.
If a carpet is really smelly, leave the powder on for 24 hours. If it smells after you vacuum it up, you may need to do reapply the powder for another 24 hours. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace the carpeting.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ABOUT WILD PLANTS, FORAGING, AND MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES:
I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).
It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.
- If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.
- If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.
Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.
Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.
Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.
Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.
I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!
