It may be the end of January as I write this, but somehow I’ve got Spring fever already and my thoughts have turned to cleansing. Recently, I’ve gotten into a Back to Magick (sort of like Back to Nature) mood and am feeling kitchen witchy, so here are some basic cleansing elements and herbs to help clean the house, create a sacred space, lighten your mood, dispell negative energy, and freshen the air.
Water: Okay, this is probably the most basic element of cleaning. Bless it, boil it, hot or cold, this stuff is good lots of things from washing away dirt to banishing negative energy.
Antiseptic Herbs: Eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, tea tree oil, lemon, pine, and sage, are all herbs and essential oils with proven antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Try a few drops of these with hot water and gentle soap for cleaning floors, add to vinegar for washing windows, or to baking soda and water for scrubbing counters and tiles to produce not only a pleasant scent, but a good cleansing as well! If you want to get really magickal, check up on some of the properties of these herbs and incorporate them into a cleansing ritual.
Astringents: Witch hazel, vinegar (white or apple cider), lemon juice, these can all have cleansing properties around the house (and you can use witch hazel on your face, too!).
Salt: Ahh, good old salt. Traditionally oriented with the Earth and the North, salt is an ancient valued commodity. It has ancient origins in many of the world’s religions as a sacred mineral that repels demons and sacrifies space. It is also known for its healing properties: anyone who has ever read “Misty of the Chincoteague” knows that the salty seawater helped heal wounds. Even today I gargle with salt water when I have a sore throat to help healing. Also, mild saline solution (be it bathwater, soft water, or salt swimming pools) is beneficial for the skin, leaving it softer and retaining more moisture than hard water or chlorine pools. In ritual cleansing, dry salt can be used to delineate and sacrify a space.
If you don’t feel like making or are unable to make your own cleaning agents (though it really is easy, and cheap, so try it if you can!), try going with enviro-friendly, biodegradable stuff. My favorite and probably the most widely available is the Method line (only at Target, alas). It has lovely, non-perfume-y scents and makes me feel good to use it.
