Prepping your rental
Isn’t it nice? Slipping into soft sheets that exude freshness? Drying off with deliciously scented fluffy towels? There is no denying the fact that fresh smelling linens convey a sense of cleanliness. So don’t ignore it, that little extra will give your guests an added sense of comfort when in your rental. Luckily, there are numerous all-natural solutions to help remove odours of must, moisture, tobacco, and so forth. Here are a few old-fashioned tips that smell oh so good!
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Small reminders:
Flowery, fragrant detergents are abundant, but for those who want a more natural product, it is possible to make your own. The recipe is easy and economical: Just take 100 grams of chipped 100% natural olive oil based soap, sodium bicarbonate (3 tablespoons), essential oils (7 drops), hot water (2 litres), and cold water (1 litre), mix it all together in a large container and make sure to shake before each use. For dosage just use the same amount that you would a non-concentrated industrial detergent.
In an empty bottle, mix 30 ml white vinegar (distilled vinegar), 30 cl of mineral water and 30 drops of essential oils. Pour half a glass in the washing machine’s softener tray.
Put 10 to 15 drops of essential oil on a washcloth and place it inside the fully loaded washing machine. Check in advance that the selected essential oils will not stain or damage laundry, certain oils like cinnamon or mandarin can indeed be quite aggressive.
Practical to perfume household laundry, they are widely available. However, it is always worth favouring ecological and organic softeners to limit water pollution with quaternary ammonium compounds.
If you own a dryer, take a clean cloth, add 5 to 10 drops of essential oil and place it in the drum with the laundry.
Add a few drops to your iron or steamer.
Fill a spray bottle half with water, half with white vinegar and spray laundry once or twice to perfume.
Soak a cotton ball, or a porous stone for example with essential oils, then place them in your drawers or closets. Eucalyptus has the added advantage of protecting fabric from moths.
A small bag of dried flowers is the most well-known of the old-fashioned tips, for the simple reason that it’s easy to do and gives off a marvellous natural scent. Be it lavender, rose, mint, or rosemary… the choices are endless! The process is simple: tie the flowers into a bouquet and hang them upside down to dry for two to three weeks. All you need to do now is remove the petals and place them in a small cloth bag. You can equally use citrus peels or rinds.
Scented bath salts and soaps are quite effective for imbuing wardrobes. Place salt grains in a cloth bag or cup.
Once you have used the contents of a bottle of fabric softener, cut it up, let it dry in the open air before placing it in your wardrobe. The plastic remains imbibed with fragrance which then perfumes your linen.
How about you, what methods do you use to give your rental’s linens that fresh scent? Don’t hesitate to share your tips and tricks with other hosts…