3 bay leaves are enough to perfume the house in winter
The cold forces us in winter to close all the windows of the house. In the absence of ventilation, our interior gives off an odor which is not always pleasant. To deodorize and perfume your home, several tips are available to you. Like natural air fresheners, bay leaves are very popular for diffusing a pleasant scent. Discover how to perfume your home in winter with bay leaves.
Native to the Mediterranean basin, the laurel is often used in cooking, for culinary preparations and to flavor dishes, but also for its medicinal properties. It also has other uses. The leaves of this perennial shrub are also used to perfume the house.
Bay leaves – Source: spm
How to perfume the house in winter with bay leaves?
In a saucepan, infuse 3 bay leaves in the water over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat when the water has boiled. You will notice that a pleasant scent of laurel is released with the steam. You will therefore only have to move the pan to all the rooms of the house to spread the fragrant steam there.
Infuse in half a liter of hot water, 3 large bay leaves for about 15 minutes. Let the preparation cool and add a few drops of an essential oil of your choice. You can opt for eucalyptus known to deodorize and clean the air, or lemon essential oil with antiseptic properties. Pour your solution into a spray bottle and spray all over the house.
The radiator is a heating equipment widely used in winter. Take advantage of your heating to both warm and scent your home. To do this, put 3 dry bay leaves directly on your radiator. Leave on for a few minutes or a few hours, depending on the intensity of the smell you want to have in your home.
Place a few bay leaves in cloth bags that you will keep in your closets and drawers to remove musty, musty smells from your clothes.
Tip: To perfume your clothes, you can choose to put fresh lavender leaves, coffee grounds or even scented soap shavings in your fabric bag.
Burn bay leaves – Source: spm
The easiest trick to scent your home is to burn bay leaves. To do this, burn three of them, provided they are dry, using a lighter. As soon as the flame begins to consume your leaves, blow quickly to put it out. Then put them in a metal container or an ashtray so that they burn and spread a subtle fragrance.
In addition to exhaling a good smell in the house and purifying the ambient air, the combustion of bay leaves helps to relieve anxiety, thanks to the inhalation of the linalool contained in the smoke. This compound is also present in mint and lavender.
Note that you can keep the dried leaves for a year, in an airtight jar and away from light and air.
What are the uses of bay leaves in the kitchen?
In cooking, bay leaves have properties similar to those of fine herbs. They are very popular for flavoring soups, grilled meats, salads, soups, marinades or meat or fish-based stews. Moreover, bay leaf is part of the composition of bouquets garni, alongside other aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme or oregano.
Caution
If you develop an allergic reaction when ingesting bay leaves, avoid burning them or even using them in essential oil form. If you are asthmatic or suffer from respiratory problems, avoid inhaling the smoke from burning bay leaves. This can indeed irritate your lungs or mucous membranes. This is also the case when inhaling any smoke.
Read also Why is it important to burn bay leaves at home?
