Wth all the hubub lately about Febreeze containing very harmful and cancer-causing ingredients I felt it only suitable to post this how to guide on making your own cleaners and fresherners.

All you need is a large jar, white or apple cider vinegar and the scent of choice. (I recommend lemon since it has antibacterial qualities too!)

Add the vinegar to the jar and cut up the lemon and place it in the jar too. Leave this sealed tight for 3 weeks and remove the lemon.

To use as a cleaning spray, simply dilute into water. 1 part lemon vinegar to 3 parts water.

Other mixes can include:

• Lemon Thyme
• Lemon Rosemary
• Lemon Mint
• Lime Thyme
• Orange Clove
• Orange Cardomom
  
• Grapefruit
• Lavender

[NOTE: Undiluted vinegar can errode paintwork on cars and other surfaces so please be careful!]

Do you have ASMR?

Now, don't start worrying. It's nothing bad (Or rude) but if you do have it you can use it to help you relax.

ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It is a tingling sensation that is mostly located in the scalp, but can travel down the back. Causes of this can be soft voices, page turning, hair brushing, tapping, lip smacking, watching someone type on a keyboard, tickling, playing with hair and many others.

Try searching on Youtube for ASMR and test out all the different types of triggers. If you tingle, you have ASMR! You lucky thing you!

You can use this sensation and the videos for relaxation and stress management. I personally like to play some before bed to wind down.

Want an example of an ASMR video? Here you go. Let me know if you get tingles!

Thank you to Gentlewhispering for this amazing video.

Use: Sprains, bruises, aches and pains.

300ml olive oil
A handful of comfrey leaves (Leave to wilt for a day or two.)
25g-30g beeswax

Placed the oil into a small pan and add your wilted comfrey leaves. Gently heat it all until the leaves begin to soften and turn into a sludgy mush and the oil has coloured green with the leaves. (DO NOT OVERHEAT - DO THIS STEP AS GENTLY AS POSSIBLE!)

After this is done leave the mix to cool and strain off the oil and remove the leaves.

Next, grate the beeswax into the oil and begin to heat again. (Remember: SLOWLY!) After it has melted into the oil pour it all into a container and leave it to set. (Don't add any of the dregs though, as it will ruin the balm.)

I recommend adding it to small pots such as old, washed out eye cream pots. They are the perfect size. Also, if you want a stronger balm, repeat the heating process of the leaves and oil up to three times.

NOTE: DO NOT USE ON BROKEN SKIN!