Using gentle methods fresh from the pages of Victoria, impart lasting scent to beloved textiles. From the calming influence of lavender to the invigorating effect of lemongrass, favorite fragrances enhance the sensory pleasure of living with—and caring for—these beautiful household treasures.
In the boudoir, evoke the bliss of a bouquet with an aromatic spray.
- To a 4-ounce glass atomizer, add 15 to 20 drops of lavender or rose essential oil and a pinch of Epsom salts.
- Add distilled water to fill, and cover.
- Shake to combine before spritzing bedding.
Safe for both traditional and high-efficiency washing machines, our laundry booster offers a redolent blend of citrus and herb.
- In a small bowl that will not be used for food, add 2 cups of Epsom salts.
- Stir in 15 drops each of orange and lavender essential oils.
- Place a quarter cup of mixture in every washer load.
- To preserve fragrance, store remaining mixture in an airtight container.
Nestled in a basket, woolen dryer balls offer an all-natural alternative to synthetic dryer sheets. These charming orbs absorb moisture to reduce drying time, but they also release moisture during the cycle, thus preventing static cling and wrinkles.
- Choose pure wool roving or wool roving yarn, careful to avoid superwashed products, as these fibers have been chemically treated and will not felt.
- With hands, twist wool into a tight form about the size of a tennis ball. (The shape will not necessarily be completely round at this point.) Repeat to create multiple balls of wool.
- With scissors, cut the leg from a nylon stocking.
- Push the first ball of wool into the toe of the stocking leg, pull the nylon taut, and knot the stocking just above the ball. Slip remaining balls of wool into the stocking, knotting the stocking between each one to secure tightly.
- Machine wash and dry the knotted stocking on high heat. Repeat, if necessary, to ensure that each ball of wool felts into a compact sphere.
- Cut woolen dryer balls from nylon stocking.
- Use three or four woolen dryer balls in place of dryer sheets. Add a few drops of essential oil, such as lemongrass or peppermint, to the surface of each woolen dryer ball, if desired, before beginning a heat cycle.
- If woolen dryer balls begin to unravel over time, restore their felting by washing and drying on high heat in a knotted stocking, as needed.
Lend crisp presentation to linens with lightly scented homemade spray starch.
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 5 to 10 drops of essential oil in a pint of cold water, and shake vigorously.
- Mist and iron textiles just prior to use, and launder before storage.
Text Melissa Lester
Photography Marcy Black Simpson
Styling Melissa Sturdivant Smith
Find more inspiration in “Linens Fresh and Fragrant,” on page 65 of the January/February 2018 issue of Victoria magazine.
