Aromatherapy for Your Pussycat....

How can animal owners use aromatherapy to ward off everyday unpleasant aftermaths of the animal world? Here are four tips: 

Aromatherapy for animal owners starts with odours

The essential oils of geranium and lemongrass are great for dispersing animal odours. A traditional oil burner may mask the odours quite well, but at times you need to get down to their level to tackle the problem at source – on the floor. Add about 10 drops of your preferred essential oil to a half filled bucket of hot water along with your regular cleaning detergent and mop the areas where the odours are the strongest. If most of these areas have carpets, tear off the corner of a newspaper or tissue, put 2 drops of geranium essential oil on it, lay it on the floor, and introduce it to the business end of the vacuum cleaner. While sucking up the dirt from the carpets the vacuum cleaner will disperse the fresh scent of the oil. This simple trick works a treat every time!

Troubled by invading ants?

Draw a line of defense with peppermint oil across the point of entrance to where they’re infiltrating. They’ll certainly beat a hasty retreat! Most insects don’t like the smell of peppermint, so this method often also works for spiders and other creapy crawlies. Take care not to splash essential oil on paintwork or uPVC surfaces.

Bugs bugging you?

You can use essential oils around the home to keep flies, spiders, and mosquitos away. The oils will also create a lovely refreshing atmosphere. The most effective insect repellents are basil, Atlas cedar, citronella, eucalyptus citriodora, lemongrass, patchouli, and peppermint. They’re all widely available from health shops, pharmacies, drug stores, and online. Put them into burners or a few drops on cotton wool pads or balls around the rooms.

Cats and plants

You can effectively use the essential oil of citronella to keep your cats away from plant tubs. And this oil indeed features in some commercial preparations sold for this purpose in garden stores. You’ll need to reapply it every 3 – 4 days, but it will effectively keep animals away from small areas of soil.

…and aromatherapy for animal owners is only one realm.

I’ve also written these tips on using aromatherapy at home.