Cleaning Rituals

Cleaning

The arrival of late Spring and early Summer ushers in that age-old ritual of Spring cleaning. This year, why not approach this task truly as a ritual?

Begin Spring cleaning by attacking closets and drawers. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Donate unwanted and seldom-used clothes, shoes, books, and other items to local shelters and Goodwill stores rather than putting them in the trash which will eventually end up in a landfill.

The next step is to choose an environmentally friendly cleaning agent. Most chemical cleaners found in stores are not only harmful to Mother Earth but also to humans. Instead, mix 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and a bit of dish washing detergent in very hot water for your general cleaning purposes.

Baking soda is a fantastic all-purpose cleaner: wipe shower curtains with baking soda on a damp sponge to remove mildew; clean copper pots with a paste of baking soda and lemon juice; to remove cigarette or coffee stains, rub with a damp cloth dipped in baking soda; or use a paste of baking soda to remove black heel marks from a vinyl floor. To remove scratches, marks, and stains on walls, sprinkle Bon Ami powdered cleaner on a damp sponge and rub clean.

Next, use a magick or mundane broom to brush down all cobwebs and to sweep out negative energy. Run your broom down walls, around corners, and on the floor. Sweep all the negative energy out your front door and ask that it become
compost to nourish the Earth.

Finish your cleaning by smudging every room of your home with the purifying herb sage. Use a smudge stick or burn loose sage in a fire-proof container and waft the smoke through the room with a special feather or a favorite fresh-picked flower.

Herbal Housekeeping

According to the National Academy of Science, about 15% of the American population suffers from
multi-chemical sensitivity due to chronic exposure to household products.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that at least 150 chemicals found in household products are
responsible for allergies, various cancers and birthdefects. You can easily make your own cleaning formulas that
are made from natural materials, including herbal essential oils. Most herbs contain antibacterial properties and some are antiviral and antifungal as well.
--------------------------------------------------------
All-Purpose Spray Cleaner
1 tsp liquid castile soap
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tbls lemon or grapefruit juice
2 cups water
10 drops lavender, sweet orange or thyme oil
Combine in a spray bottle. Shake before using.
--------------------------------------------------------
Disinfectant Spray Cleaner
2 cups water
2 tsp tea tree
1 tsp lemon juice
2 drops rosemary
2 drops lavender
--------------------------------------------------------
Dishwashing Liquid
To a 22 oz. container of liquid castile soap add:
10 drops lemon
8 drops orange
20 drops grapefruit
--------------------------------------------------------
Super Sink Scrubber
This formula is excellent to use on stained porcelain.
1/4 cup borax
1/4 cup baking soda
1/2 cup vinegar
4 drops lemon
2 drops rosemary
--------------------------------------------------------
Scented Scouring Powder
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup borax
1/4 cup dried sage leaves, finely ground
1/4 cup dried rosemary leaves, finely ground
--------------------------------------------------------
Pine Cleaner
2 tsp borax
10 drops pine oil
8 drops patchouli or cedar oil
Add all ingredients to a gallon-sized bucket of hotwater.
--------------------------------------------------------
Wood Furniture Cleaner
In a clean spray bottle combine:
1 cup vegetable-based soap (such as Murphy's)*
2 tsps lemon oil6 drops lemongrass
* Dilute with water if purhased in concentrate form.
--------------------------------------------------------
Rosemary-Lavender Carpet Shampoo **
This recipe makes enough for a 10' x 13' room. If you
can't find soap flakes, you can use 1/4 cup borax
instead, but test the outcome of this substitution on
a small area first.

2 cups baking soda
1/2 cups soap flakes
20 drops lavender essential oil
8 drops rosemary essential oil
1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups warm water

1. Sweep carpet to be cleaned with a broom or carpet sweeper to loosen dirt, then vacuum the entire area.
2. Combine the baking soda and soap flakes in a plastic bowl. Add the essential oils and mix well,
breaking up any clumps with a fork. Sprinkle the mixture on the carpet.
3. Add the vinegar to the warm water in a bucket or pail. Dip a clean sponge mop into the bucket and
squeeze out as much excess liquid as you can. Gently go over carpet with the sponge mop, working in
sections. Wait at least an hour and then vacuum again.