Essential oils help needed...

rb. · 09-29-2009, 12:16 PM

Wasn't sure where to put this. I just turned on the furnace (yes, it's freaking cold!), and of course have that dry air/stale, stinky, dusty ductwork smell through the house. I vacuumed the ductwork yesterday, but that doesn't do much in 60 year old duct work, when using a home machine. I vacuumed out the cold air returns, and that part of the furnace before starting it up for the season. I was wondering if I could use essential oils, in sachets or cotton balls, just dropping them in the ductwork, maybe attaching a string so they don't get lost.

So, how long would the scent last, what should I use to put the oils on, do I need a fixative, what is a fixative? I'm assuming I'd smell it each time the furnace came on, but would it last long enough to make it worth it?

I've tried those Glade plug in things, and I hate them. I hate the smell left behind by Fabreeze when it's perfume has worn off.

Tips?

kaneohegirl · 09-29-2009, 12:40 PM

go to home depot and get the things that attach to your air filter... they will perk up the scent in the house nice and last anywhere from 30 to 60 days...

you could also just put a few drops of essential oil right on your filter

Ought Six · 09-29-2009, 02:32 PM

I put some lemon eucalyptus oil on a paper towel in my walk-in closet, and the scent lasted for about three weeks.

ontariomom · 10-23-2009, 11:34 AM

and eucalyptus, tea tree, and oregano would be good ones to have circulating throughout your home with the current flu situations lol.

rb. · 10-23-2009, 01:15 PM

Thanks for the tip, ontariomom. I have 'em all.

Brooks · 10-23-2009, 09:59 PM

Never do something like this if you have cats in the house, essential oils are too toxic to them.

rb. · 10-24-2009, 10:19 AM

Brooks, I've been doing it for about a month now, and our cat is fine. I don't see how a few drops of oil in a container the cat can't get to would hurt him. I don't overwhelm the house, and he doesn't come into contact with it.

Brooks · 10-24-2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rb.

Brooks, I've been doing it for about a month now, and our cat is fine. I don't see how a few drops of oil in a container the cat can't get to would hurt him. I don't overwhelm the house, and he doesn't come into contact with it.

rb, essential oils are dangerous to any cats in the house. Even if you don't apply them directly. Your goal is to have the scent throughout the house last. That's exposure.

ontariomom · 10-24-2009, 01:00 PM

I've done some reading on this and there are SO many articles I didn't choose one..but google it.

Apparently they can be dangerous depending on the grade and whether or not there is phenols and benzyl alcohols. It has something to do with them not being able to metabolize the oils.

However, this is just in the discussion of if you were going to apply it directly to the animal. From what I have read there is no danger to an animal if you are just burning them in a warmer that the animal cannot have access to.
I have not found an article yet that says the "scent" of the oil is dangerous...I am still searching so if anyone finds one feel free to post!

Brooks · 10-24-2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ontariomom

I have not found an article yet that says the "scent" of the oil is dangerous

The scent IS the volatile part of the substance.

ontariomom · 10-24-2009, 03:21 PM

Yes, but I believe it depends on the type and more importantly quality of the oil.

I am still looking for info on this..just got caught up scrapbooking!

free ranger · 10-24-2009, 04:11 PM

This is a good article about cats & essential oils:

http://www.thelavendercat.com/3201/index.html

Essential oils are considered to be toxic to cats. I have diffused essential oils in the house with cats...and the cats usually go off to another room. Or do their own cat thing...they were not interested in the diffusion, anywho. I did have one crazy cat who tried to sleep in one of the boxes that I had stored several bottles of essential oils...I had to lock him out of my workroom. (Come to think about it, I had a dog who one time climbed up my clothes to get to the Easter chocolate that I hid in my closet...and ate pounds of it.

She lived for many more years... and loved the holidays so she could steal chocolate from my kids.)

As a fixative, Benzoin is good, as well as Patchouli, Sandelwood, Cedarwood, and Vetiver essential oils. What I use to 'clean up the air' is a combo of Orange & Euclyptus EO's...I think I would like a bit of Cedarwood added to that.

Brooks · 10-24-2009, 04:17 PM

That lavender cat article explains that even inhalation can be toxic. So does this article here:

http://www.naturalhealthweb.com/articles/Bell2.html

Cats are extremely sensitive to chemicals. They evolved with very limited exposure, and their livers never adapted to metabolize many things we take for granted in people and dogs. I would never intentionally use essential oils around a cat.

free ranger · 10-24-2009, 04:22 PM

Well, this is what the Lavender Cat article says:

Quote:

Oils can affect a cat by absorption and inhalation just like for humans, and precautions should be used when repeatedly diffusing essential oils, since the development of liver damage can be a slow process without any visible symptoms.

When diffusing oils, try not to use excessive amounts of essential oil, and choose oils which have lower volatility's as far as possible. In addition, ensure good air circulation especially during the diffusion process, so that local concentrations of essential oil vapour are not built up in non-airchanged areas inhabited by the cat. Make sure cat can get to 'undiffused' air at any time if possible, and only diffuse in an individual room if cat does not have access i.e. make it a multi-room location. Toxicology studies show that the feline liver usually needs 48 hours to process and excrete 'terpenes', thus allow 48 hours between end of last diffusion and starting another to avoid repeated exposure by inhalation.

As most of you probably know, humans become quickly used to the intensity of a beautiful aroma ("adaptation") and have the habit of 'freshening it up' and adding more essential oils, definitely not so good for the cat.

ontariomom · 10-24-2009, 07:04 PM

Awesome Freeranger! Thanks for sharing, and I stand corrected.

I guess if one wanted to use them, sparingly and with good ventilation would be the best way to do so while being sure you have a good quality oil.

Brooks · 10-24-2009, 09:13 PM

Lavendar cat indicates that inhalation may be a more potent route than contact.

If you were to use them, then I hope you would do whatever possible to minimize the impact, but they aren't benign around cats.

drummagick · 10-24-2009, 11:40 PM

I have burned Nag Champa incense in our furnace room to diffuse it lightly through the house. We have 3 cats and they always faintly smell of Nag Champa because the kids and I burn it in our rooms. No bad effects that I can tell, we've been doing it for years.

I wonder what the neighbor cats think when they come over for a visit and a sniff. lol

ontariomom · 10-25-2009, 09:00 AM

Wow! I was just reading up on that Nag Champa..I had never heard of it.

Does it smell like Sandalwood - or is it far from that?

I wanna find some now to try it out!

drummagick · 10-25-2009, 10:12 AM

No, it doesn't smell like sandalwood exactly, although there is some in it. It also has a flower in it that adds a touch of sweetness that sandalwood doesn't have.

It's kind of hard to describe. It's pleasant like sandalwood though. I'm really picky about incense, I don't like most of them.

A small box of Nag Champa is cheap. Find one and see if you like it! Be sure to get the real Nag Champa in the dark blue box by Satya Sai Baba. Here it is sold in tobacco shops, bead stores, I used to get it in a dollar store but that shop went out of business a few years ago. The smallest box sold is about a dollar. I get it in kilo boxes online. Horribly addicted.

Ok, here's the Wikipedia entry

Nag Champa is a fragrance from India. It has a high concentration of sandalwood. It is most frequently found in the form of incense sticks and cones, but soap, perfume oil, scented candles, scented lube, and massage oil are also available. It is commonly used in ashrams.

Nag Champa belongs to the "Champa" class of Indian incense, originating from the Champa flower. Champa incenses contain a natural ingredient indigenous to India called "halmaddi", which is a semi-liquid resin taken from the Ailanthus Malabarica tree. It is what gives Nag Champa its characteristic grey color. Halmaddi is hygroscopic which means it absorbs moisture from the air. This can cause Nag Champa incenses to have a wet feeling to them.

In the United States, Nag Champa-scented items are usually easy to find in shops selling Indian and/or Tibetan goods, and in many health food stores, as well as metaphysical and New Age book stores, liquor stores, gas stations, music stores, and head shops.