We all know that keeping a clean home is important for keeping dirt, germs, and grime at bay, but did you know that studies have shown links between clean spaces and lower stress levels? It sounds like the old saying “a clean home is a happy home” may be true after all! If you’re looking for some natural ways to freshen up your home to keep it feeling fresh and clean, we’ve got some tips for you!

Improve Indoor Air Quality

It’s hard to make a home smell fresh when dirty air is circulating around! That’s why our first tip is to make sure you’re breathing in clean air in your home. There are a few simple steps that you can take to improve the quality of the air in your home.

• Check and/or Replace Air Filter – This is your reminder to check your air filters and replace them if needed! It’s easy to forget this step and you might be surprised at just how dirty air filters can get over time! We recommend setting a reminder in your phone for your preferred frequency so that you get an alert when it’s time to change them. If you really want to step up the quality of the air circulating in your home and add a pop of freshness, try adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the air filter!

• Open Windows – What could be better than a totally free and super easy way to freshen your air!? All it takes is opening a few windows to let fresh air circulate inside your home! We love opening our windows and enjoying fresh breezes, but we don’t recommend doing this during pollen season!

• Add Houseplants – Get a natural air purification system by adding some houseplants to your home. Having a few plants inside can add charm to any space and simultaneously may help improve your air quality.

Try Room Sprays/Linen Sprays

There’s a lot you can do to freshen up your home with a few simple room/linen sprays! Choosing a natural room spray allows you to safely freshen up any room in your home. We love room sprays because they allow you to customize exactly what type of environment you want to create and you can switch it up any time! Want to create a clean and clarifying space? Try our Lemongrass Refreshing Spray! Want to create a calm and relaxing space? Lavender Refreshing Spray is the answer! 

Our versatile room sprays also make fantastic linen sprays! Try adding a few spritzes to your towels before putting them away. They’re perfect for freshening up sheets and blankets, as well as pillow cases! If you want to relax before bed, try spraying a bit of lavender on your pillow to help you unwind and drift off to sleep!

Get Creative With Essential Oils

The number of ways you can use essential oils to freshen your home is limitless! Here are a few of our favorite tricks for using essential oils to create a fresh home! All of these are super simple and don’t require much more than a cotton ball or clothes pin!

• Place a few drops of your favorite essential oil onto a cotton ball and place it at the bottom of the trash can in your bathrooms. This is a great option for freshening up a space and will leave everyone wondering how you did it!
• Add to the fresh bathroom vibe by placing a few drops of essential oil on the inside of the cardboard tube on toilet paper. 
• Create your own natural cleaner by mixing equal parts water and vinegar, and then adding a splash of your favorite essential oil.
• Add a few drops of essential oil to the inside cardboard of tissue boxes in your home. The cardboard will soak up the scent and you’ll get a nice bit of fragrance with every tissue pulled!
• Another clever trick is to place a few drops of essential oil on a wooden clothes pin and then clip it to the back of an air vent. No one will know it’s there, but as air blows through your vent you will get to enjoy the fresh aroma!
• Try adding a drop or two of essential oil to your dryer balls when washing sheets for an extra pop of freshness!
• Our last tip isn’t super clever, but it is effective! If you really want to punch up the freshness in your home, try diffusing essential oils in a traditional diffuser.

Use Fresh Soaps in Bathrooms & Kitchen

Don’t underestimate the power of fresh soap! It’s a small but powerful way to help add to the freshness of your home, whether it be in the kitchen or the bathroom. Your guests will love the nice treat of washing up with fresh, natural soap! These are super easy to change out between seasons as well!

Cook Up Some Stovetop Potpourri

If you’re in the mood for a little DIY freshness, consider cooking up some stovetop potpourri! This is another option that is super flexible and allows you to easily create scents for each season. There are all kinds of recipes for stovetop potpourri’s that utilize fresh, natural ingredients that you probably already have around the house! You can use fresh fruits like lemons or oranges, cinnamon sticks, vanilla extract, and more. All you have to do is put some water in a pot, add your ingredients, and bring to a boil. Let the water boil for a few minutes and then reduce it to a simmer that you can keep going for as long as you want to release the aromas. Make sure to watch your water levels and refill as needed. As an added tip, you can save your ingredients in the refrigerator to reuse the next day!  

It’s no secret that we all want to find ways to keep our hair strong, healthy, and looking great. This can be even more true if you are someone who deals with frustrating hair issues. Whether you have dry, brittle hair that constantly breaks or oily hair that has you looking a little greasier than you’d prefer, it can be a challenge to know what’s causing the problems and what to do about it. The vast array of products on the market and the overwhelming amount of advice from hair care companies can leave you feeling confused and paralyzed when it comes to knowing what to do to give your hair the boost it needs!

We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be complicated! In fact, just following a few simple steps can lead to a big payoff when it comes to restoring your hair. Even better, there’s a lot you can do to improve your hair naturally. So, let’s dive in with some of our top tips for naturally healthy hair!

1. Use a Sulfate-Free Shampoo

It’s an unfortunate fact that many of the shampoos on the market today contain sulfates. There’s a lot of talk about sulfates, but the bottom line is that they are excellent cleaning agents that help shampoo to trap dirt and oil residues and wash them away. Sounds great so far, right? The issue is that they work a little too well! Sulfates don’t just wash away the dirt and bad oils, but they also can strip hair of GOOD, naturally occurring oils. When your hair is stripped of it’s good oils, it can leave it dried out and brittle. This can also wreak havoc on color treated hair as well, leaving it faded and dull. Additionally, because sulfates can lift the hair cuticle, they can leave hair (especially curly hair) looking frizzy and wild. Yikes!

Don’t let your shampoo be a contributing factor to your bad hair days! It’s super simple to switch to a sulfate-free shampoo! Sulfate free shampoos are extremely easy to find these days. No need to visit a fancy salon to get your hands on some! Just head down to your local grocery store or big box store and you should find plenty of options! These shampoo’s will be clearly marked as “sulfate free” on the bottle making them easy to identify. Switching to a sulfate free shampoo will allow your hair to keep it’s good essential oils, it’s natural shine, and to grow strong and healthy!

2. Wash Less Often

Another easy thing you can do to help restore your hair is to wash it less frequently. Yep, this is one of those rare cases in life where you can accomplish more by doing less! So why exactly are we suggesting you wash your hair less frequently? Well, similar to the negative effects from shampoos with sulfates, washing your hair daily can also cause your hair to be stripped of it’s natural oils, leaving it dry, brittle, and prone to split ends! It might sound funny, but washing your hair every day actually trains your body to produce extra oils to try and make up for the ones that you are washing away. This can lead to excess oil which can encourage more hair washing and get you into a vicious cycle of feeling like you need to wash your hair every day! Skipping a day or two of washing your hair can help to “re-train” your it to level out oil production levels. We recommend starting with just challenging yourself to skip one day of hair washing! Once you get past that hurdle and grow more comfortable with the concept (and start seeing the benefits), we think you’ll grow pretty fond of skipping more than just one day!

3. Level Up with Tea Tree Oil & Argan Oil

Now that you’ve gotten some sulfate-free shampoo, why not level up by adding some tea tree oil to it? Not only does this magical oil provide a wide variety of benefits for the skin, but it also can help to transform your hair and scalp. Adding a little tea tree oil to your shampoo can help provide relief for those dealing with dry hair, dry scalps, and dandruff. It has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that allow it to help soothe the scalp, relieving dry and itchy skin and helping to prevent flaking. It helps to improve the overall health of the scalp which may in turn help with healthy hair growth!

Another incredible oil to try is Argan oil! This often overlooked oil is an incredible addition to your natural hair care routine. It’s light, easily absorbed, and nearly scentless making it excellent for a variety of uses. It contains fatty acids as well as vitamin E and is a fantastic option for helping to ease hair frizz, treat pesky split ends, and add shine & bounce! It’s so versatile that it can be used on either wet or dry hair, as well as styled hair. You can easily incorporate it into your routine by adding a little to your shampoo and conditioner, applying it as a hair mask or leave in conditioner, or using it as a regular hair oil.  

4. Try an ACV Wash

If you’re feeling a little adventurous, this is a great option to try! As you begin to stretch out the length of time between hair washes, you may find that you want a quick rinse in between. We recommend trying an apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse! This is simply a rinse made up of 2 easy ingredients: apple cider vinegar and water! If you’re new to the ACV rinse, we recommend starting conservative! Go for a 25% ACV and 75% water mixture. Blend it up and simply put it on as a rinse instead of using shampoo and conditioner. It will rinse your hair beautifully and leave your hair nice and shiny! It’s a win-win! You can use an ACV rinse all over, or section off the top portion of your hair and just rinse that!

5. No Poo, No Problem!

Our last recommendation is certainly the most extreme option and is for those who are wanting to be completely D-O-N-E with shampoo. If that’s you, we recommend trying a little concoction that we like to call “No Poo” 😉. This is not for the faint of heart, but is great for those looking to “shock” your hair into the natural life! It can be especially great for those with oily hair! Since this method involves completely ditching shampoo, you’ll need to create a little “no poo” concoction to use on those days when you otherwise would have washed with shampoo.

Here’s the “No Poo How-To”:

There are many different variations on the "no poo" method, so feel free to experiment and find what works best for you! The bottom line is that you’ll only need 3 ingredients: baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and water. 

We recommend mixing about a tablespoon of baking soda into about a cup of water. You can add ACV to your mixture or use it separately afterwards as a rinse. We recommend putting your "no poo" in an old dish bottle for easy dispensing!

We’ll go ahead and warn you now… this transition is going to be pretty oily and you’re probably going to be wearing a lot of bandanas, hats, and scarves to hide your grease, but once you get through it, you’ll thank yourself!! We do recommend starting conservative with any rinse that involves baking soda as everybody is different and baking soda can alter the PH balance of your skin… so, start small and grow from there!

Here at Rinse, we are obviously big fans of natural products, especially Essential Oils. It would be impossible to pick a favorite, but one that definitely ranks towards the top of our list is Tea Tree Oil! Sometimes it feels like Tea Tree Oil doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves. It may not be as flashy and well known as Peppermint Oil or Lavender Oil, but it sure has some knock-out benefits that we’re certain you will love!

Tea Tree Oil is derived from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia (yeah, we can’t pronounce it either!), commonly known as the Tea Tree! This unique tree is native to Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland. The oil is obtained through a process of steam distilling the leaves to extract the oil. Tea Tree Oil has been used for centuries. The Aboriginal people of Australia discovered the benefits of the oil first. They would crush the leaves to extract the oil which they would use to treat a wide variety of ailments including cuts, burns, and skin infections. They would even bathe in lagoons that were under Tea Trees. The leaves would fall into the waters which would essentially create natural antiseptic baths. The benefits of the Tea Tree quickly became known throughout Australia and physicians began using the oil to sterilize wounds after surgery. Tea Tree Oil was even issued to Australian soldiers during WWII for the treatment of wounds, infections, and more. It wasn’t until more recent history that the “secret” of Tea Tree Oil made it’s way around the world. It has since been widely studied and has become extremely popular among those looking for natural remedies to common ailments and those looking for natural additions to their beauty routines!

So what makes Tea Tree Oil so unique? This powerful, purifying oil has natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. In fact, it is the only oil that actually has an effect on bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. It’s basically an oil straight out of mother natures medicine closet! It has become a popular ingredient in many beauty and skincare products. It can be found in skin creams, massage oils, hair products, and more. Because this oil is so potent, it is not recommended to apply it topically to skin without a carrier oil. Also, it should be noted that despite it’s name including the word “tea,” this oil should never be swallowed!

The uses for Tea Tree Oil are nearly endless. We’ve listed out some of the most common uses below!

Popular Uses:

• Acne & Pimples – No one appreciates those pesky pimples that can pop up at the most inconvenient times. For those who deal with frequent breakouts, Tea Tree Oil may be a natural solution! Several studies from the past couple of decades indicate that Tea Tree Oil is useful in fighting mild to moderate acne and helping to clear up pimples. Because this oil has naturally anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, it is able to help lower bacteria levels on the skin, thus helping to reduce outbreaks. For those concerned that using Tea Tree Oil might clog pores, no need to worry! This oil is non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog up your skin! Give our Tea Tree Mint Soap a shot if you're looking for a gentle, yet powerful Tea Tree Oil cleanser! 

• Dry Skin & Eczema – Tea Tree Oil is an excellent natura solution for treating dry skin and even can be effective at treating eczema. If you have ever dealt with eczema, you know how frustrating this chronic condition can be. The many antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties of Tea Tree Oil make it an effective treatment. In fact, a study conducted in 2011 found that topically applied Tea Tree Oil was even more effective at treating eczema than zinc oxide and clobetasone buyrate creams. As always, it is important to use a carrier oil when treating dry skin with Tea Tree Oil. Check out our ready-to-use Tea Tree Mint Body Spread for a quick solution for treating dry skin!

• Oily Skin – If you are someone who battles oily skin, Tea Tree Oil may just be your new best friend! It’s antiseptic properties have been shown to be effective at combating oily skin. Adding just a few drops to your daily moisturizer can help to break up and remove unwanted surface oils from your skin.

• Inflammation – Tea Tree Oil is fantastic for helping to sooth inflamed and irritated skin. It has even been shown to help reduce histamine-induced skin inflammation. Give our Tea Tree Body Bliss Oil a shot for helping to soothe irritated skin.

• Cuts/Wounds/Infections – As we mentioned before, this powerful oil was given to Australian soldiers back during WWII so that they could help to treat cuts & wounds. That’s a pretty ringing endorsement speaking to the effectiveness of Tea Tree Oil! It’s antibacterial properties make it a fantastic natural option for helping to heal wounds.

• Hair & Scalp Health – Tea Tree is excellent for helping with a dry scalp or dry hair. Improper cleaning of hair follicles on the scalp can lead to clogged pores which can lead to dandruff or even hair loss. Tea Tree Oil can help to cleanse the scalp, helping to reduce dandruff. It also can make hair follicles more receptive to nutrition which can help to generally support healthy hair. Adding a few drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil to your shampoo can be a real game changer!

• Psoriasis – Many people who suffer from this autoimmune skin condition have reported that they find relief from using Tea Tree Oil. Many find that it is soothing when applied to the bothersome, scaly patches caused by psoriasis.

• Athletes Foot – If you’ve ever dealt with Athlete’s Foot, you know that this common foot infection can wreak some serious havoc on your feet leaving them feeling scaly, itching, or even painful. Tea Tree Oil can be used as an effective home remedy. Using it with a carrier such as coconut oil may help to treat both the cause (fungus) and the symptoms of this condition. Check out our Tea Tree Mint Loofah Soap which can help to cleanse rough foot skin, as well as our Tea Tree Soaking Salts to give your feet a refreshing, cleansing soak! 

• Burns – While no one ever plans to get burned, it’s unfortunately a reality of life that it happens from time to time! When you are dealing with a burn to your skin, Tea Tree Oil can be an effective home remedy to help provide some much needed relief. It’s antiseptic and antimicrobial properties can help to keep the burned skin clean, while also helping to accelerate the healing which may in turn help reduce the appearance of scars.

• Bug Bites – Yet another unavoidable reality of life, especially during the Summer! If you are sugary sweet and tend to get eaten up by biting bugs, this oil is for you! It can be very helpful for alleviating bug bite pain and reducing inflammation caused by it. Check out our Tea Tree Oil Roll-On for a pre-made, ready-to-apply, convenient option for spot treating those pesky bug bites! 

• Aromatherapy – Tea Tree Oil can be added to a diffuser for a purifying, calming environment. This is great for times when you want to let your brain and body get a little rest and relaxation!

• Expectorant – Australian Aboriginal people have long used a method of crushing Tea Tree leaves and inhaling the oil to help alleviate coughs and colds. It is a little easier to access these days, but the effectiveness of Tea Tree Oils as an expectorant has not changed! Diffusing the oil in combination with using it in a massage oil can help to act as an expectorant, providing relief from coughs, colds, and congestion.

• Cleaning – As many of us are looking to move from traditional (potentially toxic) cleaning products to more natural and safe solutions, we should definitely consider using Tea Tree Oil in our natural cleaning product lineup! Making a home made cleaner is super simple and can be done by adding about 10 drops of the oil to 2 cups of hot water and ½ cup of vinegar! This DIY all purpose cleaner solution can safely and naturally help to disinfect surfaces in your home. Just be sure to steer clear of using it on any granite surfaces!

While our list of uses for Tea Tree Oil could go on for what feels like forever, we think you kind of get the point… this stuff is awesome! Hopefully this list has helped to educate you on how powerful and versatile this oil really is. If you’re ready to give it a try, we’ve got quite a few products that might be just what you’re looking for!