76. Dog FOOD
While your dog may not be able to eat some human spices—like cayenne, black pepper, or even too much salt—Ceylon cinnamon is safe for dogs in small amounts because it has lower coumarin levels.
The human benefits of cinnamon also benefit dogs: it makes their food taste better, warms them from the inside out, helps their digestion, helps disinfect their food to reduce the risk of bacterial infections, promotes bone and cartilage development, helps with arthritis relief, and helps maintain a healthy weight by stabilizing blood sugar levels.1 Use the chart below to help determine how much cinnamon per serving is safe for your pet.
Pet’s Weight |
Amount of Cinnamon Powder per Meal |
|---|---|
<10 pounds |
1/16 teaspoon |
10-20 pounds |
1/16-1/8 teaspoon |
21-50 pounds |
1/8-1/2 teaspoon |
51-100 pounds |
1/4-3/4 teaspoon |
>100 pounds |
3/4-1 teaspoon |
You can start by adding the appropriate amount of cinnamon to your dog’s dry or wet food with some warm water, or you can try this cinnamon dog food recipe:
PEANUT BUTTER PUMPKIN SPICE TREATS
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar-, salt-, and oil-free natural peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 very-ripe banana
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1. Combine all ingredients together and roll into bite-size balls.
2. Store in the fridge and give to your pet as desired once per day.
77. FUNGICIDE PLANT SPRAY
Cinnamon isn’t just an antifungal for humans—it’s an antifungal for plants as well; cinnamon essential oil has been shown to be effective against a multitude of plant diseases caused by fungi, such as dry bubble, dollar spot, and pitch canker disease.2
Unlike regular fungicides, using organic cinnamon to kill fungus is 100 percent organic and chemical-free. You don’t have to worry about ingesting any toxins if you choose to harvest and eat these plants from your garden. It’s easy to make a cinnamon fungicide spray—all you need is cinnamon essential oil and water!
CINNAMON FUNGICIDE PLANT SPRAY
24 ounces water
4 drops cinnamon essential oil
1. Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and shake vigorously.
2. Spray directly on affected plants and soil once per day until the affected area gets better.
Note: This can be used as a preventative measure as well—spray on the soil to prevent fungus from growing. Alternatively, you can sprinkle cinnamon powder directly on the soil.
78. PLANT HEALER
You know humans can have open wounds and need time to heal, but did you know your plants can too? And just like human wounds can get infected, so can plant wounds. Help heal plant wounds quickly and prevent fungus from growing by sprinkling cinnamon powder on the wound.3
79. SEEDLiNG PROTECTANT
When cultivating plants, there are two options:
1. Direct seeding: Growing a plant straight from the seeds.
2. Transplanting seedlings: Taking cuttings from an existing plant and transplanting them in new soil.
Some plants are easier to grow as direct seeds. These include beans, squashes, pumpkins, watermelons, plants with long taproots (including carrots and beets), and root vegetables (including parsnips and turnips). This is because these plants typically grow quickly and do not do well with transplanting. Other vegetables— such as cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower), collard greens, eggplants, and peppers—are better transplanted as seedlings.
Whether you’re growing your plants from seeds or transplanting them, you’ll want to protect the plants from damping off. “Damping off” is the term used for a new seedling’s sudden death. Contrary to popular belief, damping off is not a single disease, but rather a result of a group of diseases, including fungal diseases and mold.4
Once one plant has signs of damping off, the symptoms can spread quickly. Remove the infected seedling immediately and take preventative measures on the rest of the plants. There is no cure for damping off, which means the best method is prevention. Cinnamon can be used in two ways to help prevent damping off:
1. Mist your seedlings with a cinnamon brew. Brew cinnamon tea (1 bag 100% cinnamon tea (or 1 cinnamon stick) to 8 ounces of water). Once cooled, put it in a spray bottle and use spray onto your seedlings.
2. Sprinkle ground cinnamon on your plants. You can sprinkle the surface of the soil with ground cinnamon.
Cinnamon is effective because of its antifungal properties, meaning it inhibits the growth of mold and fungus. In addition, cinnamon water has a stimulating effect on tomato plant growth.5
80. PLANT ROOTING AGENT
If you’ve ever wanted a new plant but didn’t want to grow it from a seed every time, using existing plant cuttings is a great option.
It cuts down on the growth time—plus you get the added benefit of certainty. You don’t have to wonder if your seed is ever going to sprout; the plant is already above the ground when you transplant it. You are essentially cloning your old plant and creating a new one.
Rooting hormones are typically used in transplanting. They help stimulate the growth of a plant cutting and increase the chances of your plant surviving. Most commonly, rooting hormones are used for ornamental plants and succulents.6
If you don’t have time to run to the home improvement store for a rooting hormone, or simply want to save some money, you can use cinnamon in place of a store-bought rooting hormone. Cinnamon will help prevent disease and infection from reaching your plant, helping it grow strong and healthy. Simply wet your cutting in water and roll it in ground cinnamon before planting it.
81. ANT REPELLANT
Have an ant problem? Although these insects may not be dangerous, they are quite annoying. Good news: This common household problem can be easily solved with the cinnamon powder sitting in your pantry.
The compounds in cinnamon activate an ion channel in the ants’ antennae and send a signal that there are harmful conditions nearby.7 This causes the ants to stay away from the substance.
Sprinkle cinnamon directly on ant tracks and nests and you’ll see them start to stay away from those places. You can use it in the garden or in your home to help ward off these pests.
82. MOSQUiTO LARVAE EXTERMiNATOR
Mosquitos are pesky insects that can carry a number of diseases, including the dangerous West Nile and Zika viruses, as well as malaria.8 That means the bites aren’t just annoying; they can potentially be harmful as well.
One good way to avoid mosquitos is to make sure there are no larvae hiding in or near your home. Mosquitoes typically like laying eggs in or near standing (still) water. If you have a pond or frequent puddles in your yard, it’s more likely that you’ll have a mosquito larvae problem.
To nip this problem in the bud, you can use cinnamon essential oil to get rid of the mosquito larvae. Cinnamon was found to be effective in killing both wild and lab-bred mosquito larvae.9 The higher the dosage, the more larvae were exterminated.
To create your own mosquito larvae repellent, use 4 drops of cinnamon essential oil per 8 ounces of water for maximum efficiency.
83. AUTUMN-SCENTED ROOM SPRAY
Each season seems to have its own specific aroma, and nothing says fall like a cozy cinnamon scent. This combination of essential oils evokes a warm yet forest-y feel. With its all-natural ingredients, it’s a spray you’ll want to use over and over again in the autumn months.
The main component is cinnamon essential oil, but you can omit some of the essential oils if you don’t have them. The witch hazel in the recipe helps the water and essential oils stay mixed together.10
AUTUMN-SCENTED R0OM SPRAY
8 ounces water
8 ounces witch hazel (unscented)
20 drops cinnamon essential oil
10 drops clove essential oil
5 drops vanilla essential oil
5 drops cardamom essential oil
5 drops ginger essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
5 drops pine or spruce essential oil
1. Combine in a spray bottle and shake vigorously to mix.
2. Spritz around your home as desired to evoke a relaxing autumn evening.
84. CINNAMON STiCK PLACE CARDS
A way to instantly make any dinner party feel more fancy is to create place cards for your guests. It’s also great if you want to control who is sitting where—this can help avoid arguments, spark interesting conversations, inspire new connections, and more. Even if it’s just for an extended family holiday dinner, creating place settings can level up the occasion from “a big meal” to “a family feast.”
Buying place settings can be expensive, especially if you have a lot of place settings to get. This is where cinnamon comes in! You can use cinnamon sticks to make festive, budget friendly, and great-smelling place settings. This works especially well for fall and winter weddings, as well as Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas dinners.
CINNAMON STICK PLACE CARDS
Cinnamon sticks of similar lengths (one for every person who needs a place card)
Thick, high-quality paper (white is recommended)
Permanent marker, calligraphy pen, or any other thick marker
1. Lay a cinnamon stick along the edge of the paper. Use a ruler to mark the paper one inch shorter than the cinnamon stick.
2. Turn the ruler vertical and make a mark 2.5 to 3 inches down.
3. Cut the paper to the dimensions you marked on the paper. Use this as a template for the other cards. You can also use a paper cutter, for a more precise and faster cut, or purchase precut cards.
4. Once the cards are cut out, write in the names.
5. Slide the bottom of the card into the crack in the cinnamon stick.
85. CINNAMON CANDLES
Before electricity was invented, candles were the primary way people got light. For five thousand years, candles have been made in a variety of ways; Romans used rolled papyrus, the Chinese used rolled paper tubes with rice paper wicks, and Indians used the fruit of the cinnamon tree, which they boiled.11
These days, we can get light at the flick of a switch, but candles remain a way for us to instill a sense of coziness in our homes or a sense of romance at the dinner table. Some people even use candles after sundown as a way to avoid artificial lights, which have been shown to affect circadian rhythm and sleep cycles.12
Candles are actually easy to make yourself if you have the time and the ingredients. With this natural DIY method, you get a clean-burning smell that won’t give you an artificial scent–induced headache.
CINNAMON VANILLA COCONUT OIL CANDLE
8 ounces beeswax
1/2 cup coconut oil
25 drops cinnamon essential oil
20 drops clove essential oil
10 drops vanilla essential oil
5 drops cedar or sandalwood essential oil
Candle wick (thick twine or string)
Crushed cinnamon sticks (optional)
1. Use a double boiler to melt the wax. Remove from the heat once the wax is completely melted. (You can also use a candy thermometer to monitor the heat—once it reaches 150°F, remove from the heat. The temperature may continue to rise—that’s normal.)
2. Pour in the coconut oil and combine thoroughly.
3. Add the essential oils. You can add more—if you prefer a stronger scent—or less—if you want a milder scent.
4. Let the wax cool for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it reaches about 160°F.
5. While the wax is cooling, measure your wick. Cut the string until it’s slightly longer than the length of a heat-resistant glass jar.
6. Tie one end of the wick around a long object (I recommend a pencil or chopstick).
7. Place the long object lengthwise on the top of the jar so the wick hangs down into the jar. If the wick touches the bottom, trim it until it hangs about a quarter of an inch above the bottom.
8. Pour the cooled wax into the jar slowly. Make sure the wick is centered as you pour—you may need to adjust it from time to time. Stop pouring when the wax is about one inch below the opening of your jar.
9. If you want to decorate the top of your candle with the crushed cinnamon sticks, wait for 10-15 minutes so the top layer of the candle can harden. Then, press the chopped cinnamon sticks gently into the wax.
10. Allow the candle to dry for a day or two, then cut the wick down and burn as desired.
86. CINNAMON-SCENTED PiNECONES
Pinecones have become a symbol of the holidays and represent the changing seasons. You can see them on the ground by pine trees, in holiday wreaths, scented and sold in bags in stores, and much more.
As the weather starts to get colder and holiday decorations start to come up, creating your own scented pinecones is an easy and fun way to create a cozy atmosphere in your house. It’s an activity you can involve the whole family in—from gathering the pinecones on a walk outside to shaking the bag to imbue the pinecones with scent.
Cinnamon essential oil is the key scent in these DIY scented pinecones. It not only creates the sweet-smelling aroma that screams “warm and cozy,” but it can also help improve your memory—an extra bonus.13
CINNAMON-SCENTED PINECONES
20-30 pinecones, depending on size (if you buy them instead of gathering them, you can skip directly to step 4)
20 drops cinnamon essential oil
10 drops clove essential oil
5 drops vanilla essential oil
5 drops cedar essential oil
1. If you collected pinecones from outside, soak them in a large bowl full of water for an hour. Place a plate or another object on top of the pinecones to keep them from floating to the top.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Spread the pinecones on the sheet and bake at 200°F for about 30 minutes.
3. Let the pinecones cool until they’re at room temperature.
4. Transfer the pinecones to a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Depending on how many pinecones you have and how big they are, you may have to use more than one bag.
5. Sprinkle the essential oils into the bag (the amounts above are for one bag of pinecones). Feel free to swap out any essential oils you don’t have for ones that you do.
6. Seal the bag and shake to distribute the essential oils evenly.
7. Let the pinecones sit for one to two weeks so the smell layers in completely.
8. Remove the pinecones from the bag and place them in a bowl for a woodsy, holiday-inspired scent.
87. HOMEMADE CLEANING SPRAY
Some of my earliest memories of my mother cleaning in the kitchen involved a giant bottle of white vinegar. I’d wrinkle my nose and run away (literally) because of the smell, but as I grew older and had a place of my own, I began to appreciate how effective white vinegar can be at cleaning household messes. It’s a natural alternative to store-bought, chemical-laden cleaners and can effectively strip surfaces of dirt, mildew, and bacteria.14
Fortunately, this homemade cleaning spray uses cinnamon to help mask the strong scent of white vinegar. It also acts as an antibacterial agent; cinnamon essential oil has been shown to fight bacteria, especially foodborne pathogens like E. coli.15
This spray is best used in the kitchen—it can be used on cutting boards, countertops, the kitchen table, and even the floor.
HOMEMADE CINNAMON CLEANING SPRAY
20 drops cinnamon essential oil
8 ounces distilled water
8 ounces white vinegar
1. Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to combine.
2. Use on surfaces as needed. It’s recommended to let the spray sit for about 5 minutes before wiping off.
88. GAR FRESHENER
Getting into your car should be a peaceful experience, not a nauseating one. Unfortunately, because your car is likely sealed up most of the time when it’s parked in the sun or garage, odors can quickly develop and linger.
These odors can come from mildew, mold, smoke, sweat, food, dirty clothes, pets, or a musty air filter.16 It can make your drive uncomfortable—for you and any passengers you might have.
Typical car air fresheners try to mask the scent, but oftentimes they result in an overpowering, headache-inducing artificial smell. Use cinnamon to help freshen the scent of—and even help clean— your car. There are a few ways you can use cinnamon to help freshen up your car:
1. Glue cotton balls or pom-poms to a clothespin. Add one drop of cinnamon essential oil to each cotton ball/pom-pom. Clip to your car’s air vents.
2. Mix 1/2 a cup of baking soda and 20 drops of cinnamon essential oil in a Mason jar. Poke holes in the lid—so the scent can diffuse out—and place in your cup holder.
3. Fill a cheesecloth or sachet with cinnamon sticks and tie to your rearview mirror.
4. Buy a car essential oil diffuser; add enough water to fill the diffuser and 1 drop of cinnamon essential oil per ounce of water. If you prefer a stronger scent, feel free to add more essential oil.
5. Combine 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 4 drops of cinnamon essential oil in a small dish. Sprinkle the mixture on your car floor and seats (if fabric); leave on for 15 minutes and then vacuum up.
6. Add a few drops of cinnamon essential oil on top of the car filter for fresh-smelling air when you turn on the AC or heat.
89. CARPET DEODORIZER
Whether you have a pet or some musty-smelling carpets (life happens), there is an easy solution to get fresher smelling carpets—one that has been used by homeowners for years.
Baking soda is a proven odor absorber—it goes down past the surface layer of the carpet to truly absorb and neutralize odors.17 Once it’s had time to soak up the smells, you can vacuum it all up, leaving you with fresh-smelling carpets!
This homemade deodorizer combines the odor-absorbing properties of baking soda with the antibacterial properties of cinnamon to create a product that will not only make your rugs and carpets smell better, but also help prevent bacterial growth in the future.
CITRUS CINNAMON CARPET DEODORIZER
1 cup baking soda
20 drops grapefruit essential oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Combine all ingredients in a Mason jar.
2. Close the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
3. Sprinkle liberally on carpets as needed. Allow to sit for 20 minutes.
4. Vacuum up and enjoy the fresh scent of your carpets!
90. CINNAMON DIFFuSER
The scent of cinnamon can help boost your mood and help you concentrate better, making it the perfect scent to diffuse in your home.18
Diffusers help disperse the scent of essential oils into the air, filling it with the benefits and scent of the essential oils. There are a few ways you can diffuse scent throughout your space. The easiest is to use the lights you have in your home and some cinnamon essential oil. All you have to do is add a drop of cinnamon essential oil to the surface of your light bulb. Once you turn the lights on, you’ll smell cinnamon!
If you have an essential oil diffuser already, simply add 3 drops of cinnamon essential oil per 4 ounces of water. If you want to combine scents, you can use clove, cedar, or vanilla essential oils as well.
Finally, you can make a classic cinnamon reed diffuser (directions below). It’s a great way to recycle any old jars and use up cinnamon sticks and orange peels.
HOMEMADE CINNAMON REED DIFFUSER
Peels from 1 orange, thinly sliced
2 whole cinnamon sticks
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
10 drops cinnamon essential oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil
10-12 bamboo skewers
1. Add orange peels, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary to a small glass jar or bottle (the smaller the opening, the better; reusing old oil bottles are great because they have a pour spout).
2. Add water and rubbing alcohol to the jar. If the jar is too small, simply use less liquid, but keep the same proportions.
3. Add essential oils to the jar and gently stir to incorporate the liquids.
4. Stick the bamboo skewers into the jar. If your jar has a spout, put it in before adding the bamboo skewers.
5. That’s it! Change the liquid every two to three weeks to prevent mold from building up from the herbs, spices, and orange peels in the liquid.
91. MOSQuiTO REPELLANT
Mosquito bites can be unbearably itchy and unbelievably annoying. Female mosquitoes bite because they need the blood to develop fertile eggs. They can sense where we are through proteins in their antennae, which latch onto human chemical markers.19
Some people get bitten more often than others. While scientists don’t know exactly why this happens, a couple of factors seem to be at play. These factors include blood type (type O people, you get bitten more often!), carbon dioxide emissions (via breath), heat emitted, sweat, pregnancy, and genetics.
DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is a chemical that many insect repellants use to deter mosquitoes.20 However, there has been speculation about whether this chemical is safe. Whether you’re avoiding DEET or prefer to save money by making your own mosquito repellant, you can use the recipe below to stay relatively bite- and itch-free throughout the summer.
This mosquito repellant contains lemon eucalyptus oil, which has been proven to be just as effective and long-lasting as products containing DEET. The addition of cinnamon oil, which has been known to kill mosquitoes, creates a great-smelling, effective repellent.21
CINNAMON LEMON EUCAULYPTUS MOSQUITO REPELLENT
10 drops cinnamon essential oil
9 milliliters lemon eucalyptus oil (not the essential oil)
3 ounces liquid coconut oil
1. Combine all ingredients in a bottle. Shake well.
2. Apply on your body before going outside.
92. PREVENT MOTHS
If you have fur, silk, leather, or wool clothing you don’t wear for most of the year, they can be prone to clothes moths. These pests feed on animal fibers, which contain keratin.22 They’re hard to detect because they avoid light and are quite small, but their effects are quite annoying and can wreak havoc on your precious clothes.
While mothballs are a standard way to protect your clothing, they are still an insecticide. The active ingredient in most store-bought mothballs is either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, which can turn from solids into toxic vapor.23
Cinnamon can be a natural anti-moth solution. Moths dislike the smell of cinnamon, so by placing a few cinnamon sticks in your closet or clothing drawers, you can prevent moths from eating through your sweaters.24 Vacuum-sealing frequently unworn clothes is another layer of protection; you can simply place a few cinnamon sticks in your vacuum-sealed bags and your clothes will smell nicely of cinnamon!
93. Home humidifier
Winter months signal the coming of dry skin and chapped lips due to the drier air. This also makes people more susceptible to catching a cold or the flu, because the dry air can weaken your body’s defenses.25
Humidifiers can help combat this—they add moisture back into the air. However, there are some downsides to electrical humidifiers. The moistness of the humidifier creates a popular breeding ground for bacteria. Because humidifiers impact the air in your house, breathing in the bacteria can cause a whole new host of health problems.
There are a few easy ways to add more humidity to your home. You can use showers to your advantage—they automatically create a lot of humidity! Simply add a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to the shower before you step in and you’ll get cinnamon-scented moist air right in your bathroom.
You can also use houseplants—they increase the amount of humidity in your home. Bowls of water also work, although to a lesser effect.
Finally, you can boil water to create homemade air freshener (instructions in the next use) and put a fan by the pot to help circulate the air throughout your home.
94. CINNAMON AIR FRESHENER
When I was growing up, my family never used store-bought air fresheners (my mom claimed they gave her a headache), and now, after too many incidents at friends’ houses or stores where the air was heavy with artificial fragrance, neither do I.
Even though air fresheners are prevalent, the magazine Science Direct discloses that air fresheners—even ones labeled as “green” and “organic”—can emit potentially hazardous chemicals and can result in migraine headaches. Typically, less than 10 percent of air freshener ingredients are shared with the public, meaning we don’t really know what store-bought air fresheners contain.26
That’s why this stovetop method my mother used to make our house smell cozy is so effective—it’s simply made from heating spices and orange peel in boiling water to emit a warm, inviting scent. You can also use this method with a variety of herbs for different scents, like rosemary or lavender, but this cinnamon combination is especially great for fall.
HOMEMADE CINNAMON AIR FRESHENER
4 organic oranges, peeled
6 whole cinnamon sticks
1/8 cup whole cloves
2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground allspice
3 cups water
1. Dehydrate the orange peels using a food dehydrator or oven (if using an oven, bake at 225°F for 30 minutes).
2. Mix the dehydrated peels with the spices.
3. Heat the water in a saucepan or pot until boiling. Bring the heat to a simmer.
4. Add the spices and orange peel mixture.
5. Keep the pan at a simmer for as long as you want to make the air smell fragrant. If you want to reuse, simply add more water.
95. PoTPoURRi
Potpourri, which is essentially dried flowers and spices placed in a pot, has been used to freshen rooms since the twelfth century.27 Nowadays, it’s an easy way to decorate your home for fall. It also makes great homemade gifts!
HOMEMADE POTPOURRI
1 orange (I recommend navel or Cara Cara)
12 whole cinnamon sticks
10 whole star anise
10 whole cloves
1. Cut the orange into thin slices (I recommend using a mandolin) and dehydrate using a food dehydrator or oven (if using an oven, bake at 250°F for 2 hours).
2. Combine with the spices.
3. Store in a sealed jar for at least a day to allow the scents to combine.
4. Place in a decorative bowl or jar to give rooms a lovely aroma. They also make great gifts!
5. When the scent begins to fade, place in boiling water and lower to a simmer to wholly use up the product one last time.
96. NATURAL YOGA MAT SPRAY
It’s important to keep your yoga mat clean—it can hold sweat and dirt and be a breeding ground for bacteria, especially if you keep it rolled up and in a dark place. Fortunately, it’s easy to create a yoga mat spray at home that will help you keep your mat clean without destroying it (mats can be expensive!).
Essential oils mixed with water and witch hazel are all you need. Witch hazel serves as a cleaning agent (you can also use white vinegar in a pinch!). Water will help distill the cleaning agent. The essential oils not only act as scents, but also as antibacterial agents.
Cinnamon and tea tree oil are two of these incredibly potent, bacteria-fighting essential oils.28 The DIY mat cleaner below not only smells wonderful, but also effectively cleans your mat. And it’s gentle enough to use after every practice!
CINNAMON YOGA MAT SPRAY
1/4 cup witch hazel
10 drops cinnamon essential oil
10 drops clove essential oil
10 drops orange essential oil
5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
6-8 ounces distilled water
1. Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle.
2. Shake well to mix.
3. Spray on your mat as needed. Wipe clean and allow to hang or lay flat to dry.
97. CINNAMON BRoOM
Brooms have been used throughout history to sweep and clean houses, but they also served as symbolic representations to ward off evil spirits. Such brooms were called besom brooms and were made of twigs tied to a handle. If you put such a broom in your house with the twigs up, it was thought to protect your home and dispel negative energy.29
Today, such brooms are no longer used as a method of cleaning. Rather, they’re used for decoration during the fall months. Cinnamon brooms are sold at grocery stores throughout the United States as sweet-scented home decor.
However, grocery store brooms may quickly lose their scent. Instead of replacing it every time the aroma fades, you can revive the broom’s cinnamon scent with the following method:
Mix 20 drops of cinnamon essential oil with 2 ounces of olive, avocado, or coconut oil and rub over the broom’s bristles. Make sure you’re wearing gloves to protect your hands because the essential oil may burn.
This will help refreshen the broom’s scent so you can enjoy the cozy cinnamon fragrance all autumn long!
98. DE-STiNk STiNKY SHoES
Shoes, especially athletic shoes, are great at harboring bacteria. Your feet sweat in them (there are two hundred and fifty thousand sweat glands in your feet!) and your shoes are left to contain all this moisture—up to half a pint each day.30 Bacteria can then grow on your feet, transferring to your socks and shoes.
And then these shoes are often left in dark lockers or closets— the perfect breeding ground. The first step to eliminating these bacteria is to pull them out into broad sunlight. While the shoes are in the UV rays, make the bacteria-blasting spray below and spray liberally on the shoes to kill the bacteria. The mix of rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, and essential oils helps kill the bacteria in the shoes.
After allowing the shoes to dry for at least two hours in the sun, sprinkle on the odor-eliminating powder below. The baking soda helps neutralize the smell, and the arrowroot powder helps dry up the shoes. Cinnamon essential oil not only helps the shoes smell better, but also provides extra antibacterial protection, meaning the bacteria are less likely to return.31 You can also use this powder in between wears.
BACTERiA-BLASTING SPRAY
1 ounce witch hazel
1 ounce rubbing alcohol
2 ounces distilled water
6 drops peppermint essential oil
4 drops tea tree essential oil
2 drops eucalyptus essential oil
1 drop rosemary essential oil
1. Fill a spray bottle a quarter of the way with witch hazel.
2. Fill the bottle up to halfway with rubbing alcohol.
3. Fill the remaining half with distilled water.
4. Add the essential oils and mix well.
5. Spray the mixture on your shoes as needed.
ODOR-ELiMLNATING SHOE POWDER
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
8 drops cinnamon essential oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
1. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake to mix.
2. Use on your shoes as needed.
99. HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS
As a kid, I never understood why we didn’t have more new ornaments each year. As I grew up, I realized ornaments are expensive. Especially for something you use just once a year!
Cinnamon sticks make the perfect holiday DIY material— they’re hollow inside, so you can thread string through them; they’re sturdy, so they don’t break easily; and they’re scented, so your whole house will smell sweet!
There are a few ways you can use cinnamon sticks to decorate your house for the holidays. You can create unique ornaments (that cost far less than a store-bought ones!) or simply glue cinnamon sticks to holiday wreaths (or pretty much anything you think needs a little extra cinnamon decoration!).
CINNAMON STICK CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT
4 cinnamon sticks
Red and green buttons or artificial tree bristles (optional)
Cardstock paper in gold or silver
Twine or ribbon
1. Cut three of the cinnamon sticks so you have one large, one medium, and one small.
2. Lay the uncut cinnamon stick vertically on your workspace. Use a hot glue gun to horizontally glue the three sticks you cut onto the vertical stick (put the largest at the bottom and smallest at the top). Try and make sure they’re evenly spaced.
3. If you’re using buttons, glue them on the horizontal sticks. If you’re using artificial tree bristle, cut it so it’s the same size as the cinnamon sticks and glue on top of the horizontal sticks.
4. Cut a star shape out of the cardstock. Glue it on top of the tree.
5. Loop a piece of twine and tie the ends together. Glue the knot on the back of the tree.
6. Let dry and hang!
CINNAMON STICK REINDEER ORNAMENT
3 cinnamon sticks
Red bell, button, small pom-pom, or felt (for a nose)
2 googly eyes
Twine
1. Arrange two of the cinnamon sticks together in a V shape (be sure they are touching but not overlapping). Lay the third stick on top horizontally; adjust the sticks until you are satisfied with the shape of the reindeer’s face.
2. Use a hot glue gun to glue the three sticks together.
3. Place a dot of glue on the point (bottom) of the V and attach your selected nose.
4. Glue a googly eye on each stick where the horizontal and vertical sticks meet.
5. Loop a piece of twine and tie the ends together. Glue the knot on the back of the reindeer.
6. Let dry and hang!
CINNAMON STICK STAR ORNAMENT
5 cinnamon sticks (evenly sized)
Twine, ribbon, or yarn
1. Create an upside-down V with two of the sticks. Unlike the reindeer, lay one of the sticks on top of the other in the V. Glue them together at the point where the V connects.
2. Glue a third stick horizontally just below the top of the V.
3. With the fourth stick, create a diagonal so the top is touching the left end of the horizontal stick and the bottom is touching the stick making up the right side of the V. Glue on the fourth stick.
4. Lay the fifth stick at the right end of the horizontal stick; bring the other end to the bottom of the stick making up the left side of the V. Glue on the fifth stick.
5. Create a loop of twine around the top of the star; tie off and trim any excess.
6. Let dry and hang!
100. DRiNk COASTER
If you want to maintain the smooth surfaces of your kitchen counter, coffee table, nightstand, and dining table, then coffee coasters are a must. When condensation from cool drinks drips onto the table surface, it leaves a mark. And hot drinks can burn the surface they’re sitting on, leaving a ring even after you’ve removed the drink.
Cinnamon coasters are a cheap, easy way to prevent your tables and counters from drink rings. They also add a rustic, woodsy touch to your living room and kitchen.
DRINK COASTER
6 3-inch cinnamon sticks of similar thickness
20 inches of yarn, twine, or strong string
1. Line your cinnamon sticks up evenly. Make sure the smooth side (no crack or open seam) is up.
2. Have someone hold the cinnamon sticks for you (or use a book as weight to keep them down) as you weave the yarn, twine, or string through the sticks.
3. To weave: Firmly tie the yarn around the first stick. Bring the yarn over the first stick and weave it under the second stick, over the third stick, under the fourth stick, and over the fifth stick. Make sure the yarn is tight so the coaster will stay together. Once you get to the last stick, loop around and repeat so each stick has yarn showing on the top side. Tie the yarn together to finish and snip off the remaining yarn.
4. Repeat this on the other end of the coaster. That’s it!
101. TiSSUE BOX CoVER
An easy way to add some personalized decor to your house is to spruce up your tissue boxes; it’s a small touch that can add cohesion between the rooms. You can make a tissue box cover with cinnamon sticks—it gives your whole house a festive cinnamon scent and makes the colder months feel a little warmer.
TISSUE BOX COVER
Wooden tissue box
Paint and paintbrush
Cinnamon sticks
Ribbon (optional; I suggest a color that matches the paint you chose)
1. Paint your wooden tissue box with your paint of choice. I suggest autumn-themed colors like burgundy, burnt orange, gold, or forest green. Note: If you choose gold, it can look pretty to paint the cinnamon sticks gold as well!
2. Let the paint dry.
3. Begin hot gluing cinnamon sticks on the sides of the box. Depending on the size of the tissue box and the sticks you have, you may want to do two layers.
4. Let the glue dry completely.
5. Tie a ribbon around the box if desired. Put the box over your tissue box and enjoy!