Clean House Clean Planet Mamas..need your advice

[overcome]

I am finally getting around to making some of the recipes from this book. I love them. It is taking me a little while to figure out what to use where, etc. It feels so WONDERFUL to be using natural products to clean.

My question is about Merlin's Magic...how can I get the same anteseptic (sp?) qualities w/o the Tea Tree Oil? I really don't like the smell of tea tree. Uggghh. The thought of it right now is making me gag.

I tried making some scented vinegar with the Tea Tree oil and then added some orange oil to cover it up but it didn't really work.

Any other tips or advice regarding the recipes would be appreciated.

BTW..I did get some good info from searching old threads.

TIA!

[JBaxter]

try adding peppermint or lavender oil to cover the scent

[caleymama]

I don't like the smell of TTO either - ick. I haven't had much luck masking it with other scents either. My solution is to make DH use it (usually in the bathroom) and then turn the fan on and let it air out.

Another book I like is Better Basics or the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond. Her recipe for "Basic Formula for Antiseptic All-Purpose Cleaner" calls for up to 1 teaspoon of antiseptic essential oil (thyme, sweet orange, lemongrass, rose, clove, eucalyputus, cinnamon, rosemary, birch, lavender, or tea tree). HTH

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by JBaxter

try adding peppermint or lavender oil to cover the scent

I make mine with the pepperment dr. b's and I think it does a decent job of covering up the tto smell.

[overcome]

I will be making mine with Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap too, so hopefully that will do the trick. I'd love to make it with Dr. B almond, but I think that combo with the tea tree would be gross.

I do have some peppermint oil, so maybe if I add that, the peppermint would REALLY be the dominant scent.

Thanks!

[daisymommy]

Unfortunately, the TTO is what is antibacterial. So, if you remove that, it's no longer antibacterial.

I hear you though, I dislike the smell too!

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by overcome

I will be making mine with Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap too, so hopefully that will do the trick. I'd love to make it with Dr. B almond, but I think that combo with the tea tree would be gross.

I do have some peppermint oil, so maybe if I add that, the peppermint would REALLY be the dominant scent.

Thanks!

The peppermint is very much the dominating fragrance when you use the dr. b's peppermint soap. I've actually gotten used to identifying peppermint smell with a clean bathroom, lol!

[lisams]

Originally Posted by overcome

I will be making mine with Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap too, so hopefully that will do the trick. I'd love to make it with Dr. B almond, but I think that combo with the tea tree would be gross.

I do have some peppermint oil, so maybe if I add that, the peppermint would REALLY be the dominant scent.

Thanks!

I just tried that, using almond Dr. B and it was OK - not bad not great.