There is hardly a person that doesn`t like the smell of fresh lavender! Its gentle fragrance and its beautiful colour are among everyone's favourites. This flower is associated with peace, relaxation and sleep support so no surprise that lavender candles are so popular. However, there is one more thing that we should mention when speaking of this purple beauty – its amazing disinfecting and antimicrobial properties. Did you know that the word comes from 'lavare' which basically translates to 'to wash'? Lavender essential oil is incredible if you are a fan of green cleaning. How to make your home sparkling without all the chemicals and achieve immaculate results and fresh floral scents? Read on and you will find a few good reasons why you should always have a lavender essential oil at home:

• An easy and inexpensive way to efficiently clean and deodorise your carpet is to mix ½ cup baking soda with about 10 drops of lavender essential oil and spread it on your carpet. Let it sit for about an hour and vacuum the residue. Lavender is known to fight bacteria such as Streptococcus and it will stop them from breeding as well as kill odours. When you need to perform a good sanitising of your rugs in between the professional carpet cleaning that is essential at least once a year, try this lavender method out!
• Along with fresh smell provided to your carpets, you can take advantage of lavender and make your laundry smell like an aromatic bouquet. Again, without the risk of using commercially bought fabric softeners. When it`s time to iron your clothes, simply pour 3-4 drops of the essential oil directly in the streamer of the iron together with the water. You can add few drops in the washing machine or dryer – speaking of the latter, add few drops on a clean dry cloth and place it into the dryer along with the wet laundry – once they are dry, you will see that the result is as if you are sitting in a field of lavender... and it`s just a pile of your clean clothes.
• When you need to disinfect surfaces and you are wondering what all-purpose detergent you should use for better results – choose lavender. You can make a very efficient green cleaning spray by mixing white vinegar and 20 drops of lavender oil. You can use this solution for various surfaces - from wiping countertops to sanitising your toilet! Simply shake before each use. For better results use a microfibre cloth. Even if you use the help of a domestic cleaning company, you will see that performing your house cleaning chores in between their visits, is not that bad provided with such a 'magic' cleaning potion that smells amazing!
• How do you deal with midges, moths and mosquitoes? They are so annoying and can drive anyone crazy! What do they have in common? They hate the smell of lavender! To prevent yourself from these bugs, spray around with love lavender essential oil diluted in water or if you want to protect the windows, soak a cotton ball in some oil and place it on the window sill. Along with its great insect- repelling properties, you can use it to remedy bug bites and soothe inflammation and itching. To protect your clothing from moths, place a hang lavender bags in your closet or put some in between your sweaters for better results.
• Lavender can also help you if you are suffering a headache. Make a compress using a muslin soaked in cold water and pour 2-3 drops of lavender oil on it. Lay down, place the compress on your forehead and massage a few more drops of the oil on your temples. Another option is to spray Lavender hydrosol mist (which is the distilled water of lavender) around your head – it will soothe your headache and make you feel relaxed.
• Another great benefit of lavender essential oil is that it efficiently treats acne. Aromatherapists state that it helps to balance the levels of sebum, inhibit the bacteria that causes skin infection and reduce scarring. You can make your own natural moisturiser – use coconut oil and lavender oil and apply every night before bed. You will wake up with incredible silk- like skin. Another option is to add a few drops in the face cleanser you already use.
• An interesting fact is that the genus Lavandula includes more than 30 species. The one that we know to be “true lavender” is called Lavandula angustifolia.

Lavender is the most versatile of all essential oils. It is usually used in Spa resorts because of its calming and relaxing properties but it has a long list of other benefits good for your health and household. Make sure you have a bottle of lavender essential oil at home and you will always have a perfume, a first aid kit and a good cleaning product.